Shows
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaBusiness psychologist reveals: Why paying more WON'T stop your best people leaving | Claudia Gasson, Bailey & FrenchClaudia Gasson is a Business Psychologist & Talent Strategist at the psychology-backed culture consultancy, Bailey & French. She is also a seasoned recruiter and former founder, with her own talent consultancy, Ortus.In this interview, host Stephanie Melodia and Claudia cover:- Insights from 10+ years in recruitment (including the top reason people leave their jobs 👀)- The psychology of motivation and how to attract top talent- Practical tips on how employers can increase engagement & reduce burnout- How to create a culture of success - Claudia's own entrepreneurial story (and why running your...2025-07-091h 03
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaOn the brink of bankruptcy to Forbes 30U30 | Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, Co-Founder of FemaleInvestAnna-Sophie Hartvigsen is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author and TedX speaker. She's listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 list, and closing the gender investment gap with FemaleInvest by educating women on investing and personal finance through educational events, e-learning and strategic partnerships.In this interview, Steph and Anna cover:💰 Why getting more women into investing helps *everyone*💰 What makes women better investors and where they can start💰 Anna-Sophie's founder story, meeting her co-founders, and starting FemaleInvest💰 From the brink of bankruptcy to being listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 - overnight!💰 Top lessons learnt from fundraisin...2025-06-1847 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"My parents don't think I'm a *complete* bum now" | Varun Bhanot of MAGIC AI on growth, fundraising, and becoming a dadVarun Bhanot is the Co-founder & CEO of MAGIC AI, the at-home personal fitness system crowned one of TIME's best inventions and featured in Sifted's top high-growth startups.In this interview, we replay the first time Steph & Varun sat down to record in 2023, and catch up at the 31:34 mark, on...🪞 What's been the biggest game changer for MAGIC AI🪞 What Varun has now learnt having fundraised more venture capital🪞 Which growth marketing hack has helped them scale faster🪞 How the awards & accolades have impacted the business🪞 Varun's updates now he's a dad!Get in...2025-05-281h 04
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaFrom 0 to Sephora: How Akash Mehta of Fable & Mane started & scaled the world's first Indian beauty sibling brandAkash Mehta is the Forbes 30 under 30 CEO of Fable & Mane, an Ayurvedic-inspired hair brand, which he Co-Founded with his sister, Niki, making it the first Indian beauty brand co-founded by siblings. Akash harks from beauty & fashion household names including Burberry, Estée Lauder, and Dior, before launching his own business with Fable & Mane in 2019, now stocked in the likes of Sephora, Selfridges and Cult Beauty.Akash is also a wildlife Conservationist and Ambassador for Jane Goodall, passionate about wildlife and on a mission to save the animals.In this interview, Akash and Steph co...2025-05-071h 08
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaI was THIRTEEN when I started my first business! | School-dropout-turned-entrepreneur-turned-CTO: Geoff Wright of Tembo (Replay)The right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0Geoff Wright is the CTO of Tembo, but his path leading up to this position was anything but ordinary.Entrepreneurial as a kid, Geoff forged his own, alternative path. Instead of doing the usual by completing his studies, going to uni, and getting a job, Geoff realised he could make money doing what he loved...Of course, there were lots of lessons along the way...2025-04-3045 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaFrom a £4 BILLION biz to investing in others: meet Jeremy Middleton CBE, ex-HomeServe, now Founder & CEO of Middleton EnterprisesThe right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0In this interview, Steph and Jeremy discuss...💼 The serial entrepreneurship path that led to HomeServe💼 Building it to a £4bn multinational and one of the biggest LSE IPOs💼 His investment thesis for fundraising foundersFundraising? Get in touch here: https://middletonenterprises.com/contact/Jeremy Middleton CBE co-founded HomeServe, a multinational home emergency repairs & improvements firm which he, together with Richard Harpin, grew to a publi...2025-04-2343 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaMeet Great British Entrepreneur of the Year: Karen Barrett, Founder & CEO of UnbiasedThe right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0Karen Barrett is the Founder & CEO of Unbiased, the leading B2B SaaS fintech platform that connects consumers with the best professionals and products for their financial needs. In this interview, Steph and Karen discuss...What it was like to win the GB Entrepreneur of the Year🏆 Transitioning from working in the financial services industry to starting her own fintech business🏆 Karen's entrepreneurial journey...2025-04-1651 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaFrom basketball rejections to making £1M+ with Giuseppe Baidoo, Founder & CEO of Gusto SnacksGiuseppe Baidoo is the founder of Gusto Snacks - delicious, low calorie, high fibre apple crisps made from misshapen produce that’s not deemed pretty enough for the supermarkets.Giuseppe’s entrepreneurial journey features the classic tale of starting a bootstrapped project from his kitchen and turning it into a £1.2 million business now stocked in the likes of Selfridges and WHSmith.🏀 What his career in basketball taught him about resilience 💪 Moving to the UK and overcoming obstacle after obstacle 👀 How he started his first business - and picked himself back up again after it failed...2025-04-091h 22
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Cien Solon, LaunchLemonade | Oh, AI is really changing the gameJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Cien Solon of LaunchLemonadeGet involved in the conversation:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend 🤗2025-04-0814 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaMeet the "Canva of AI" | Cien Solon, Founder & CEO of LaunchLemonadeThe right dev partner can make or break your product. AppUnite embeds with your team to build apps that scale. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3FHeCC0Cien Solon is the Co-Founder & CEO of LaunchLemonade, described as the "Canva of AI apps." Cien is on a mission to make sure that no one gets left behind in the time of AI.In this interview, Steph and Cien discuss:- The practical applications and use case examples of AI- The feminist importance of women getting into AI- Cien's career trajectory...2025-04-021h 08Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Lottie Whyte | Controlling the controllableJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Lottie Whyte of MyoMaster.Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend 🤗2025-04-0117 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia“The Dragon Slayer” making MILLIONS | Lottie Whyte, Co-Founder & CEO of MyoMasterLottie Whyte is the Co-Founder & CEO of one of the UK’s fastest growing wellness brands, MyoMaster - the home of human optimisation providing world-class recovery products including ice baths, at-home sauna pods, compression boots, and massage guns.Tune in to hear about…🚀 What makes Lottie Whyte the outlier (practical advice you can *actually* action)🚀 Behind the scenes of BBC’s Dragon’s Den - and how Lottie and her co-founder & partner, Joe, received offers from FOUR investors🚀 Going from 0 to 1 and scaling beyond 🚀 Consumer growth marketing strategies🚀 Lessons from mist...2025-03-2658 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Alex Merry | Communication & storytelling, how to earn from public speaking plus LinkedIn tipsJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Alex Merry of MicDrop.Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend 🤗2025-03-2522 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaOvercome your FEAR of public speaking - and even monetise it! Top public speaking coach, Alex Merry of MicDropAlex Merry is a public speaking coach who turns founders into thought leaders. He runs MicDrop, the well-loved public speaking community and training resource. He’s also the author of Make It Count and Former TEDxClapham Founder.In this episode, Steph and Alex discuss:🎤 Why public is speaking *so* important for any leader🎤 How Alex overcame his own fear of public speaking🎤 What makes a GOOD talk (including the best talk Alex has ever heard!)🎤 How to actually earn an income from public speaking🎤 LinkedIn strategy + lessons from going viral🎤 Behind-the-scenes st...2025-03-1947 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaSimon Squibb: “Hard work is A LIE!” (Replay)Serial entrepreneur, content creator, author, and investor, Simon Squibb is the founder of HelpBnk (https://helpbnk.com/) on a mission to make people's dreams come true.Simon started his first company when he was homeless at 15 years old, and sold his last company, Fluid, to PwC. He has since invested in over 70+ startups, and is now on a mission to help 10 million people achieve their dreams.Order Simon's new book 'What's Your Dream?' here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/whats-your-dream/simon-squibb/9781529935578I'd LOVE to know, what resonated most with you from...2025-03-1251 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaSTOP SAVING TIME! The Debrief: Matt Lerner, ex-PayPalJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Matt Lerner of SYSTM.Listen to the Anthony Pierri interview to learn more about articulating your core value proposition here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/16KEMPnzJV1GabDtAmzwsw?si=4a35fa1d75a14ec6Or watch on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwWh-IUxJgGet involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and sh...2025-03-1013 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaSTEAL PayPal’s growth strategy 🚀 Scale your startup with the GOAT of GROWTH: Matt LernerMatt Lerner is the Founder & CEO of SYSTM, an online program to help startups find their big growth levers. Before founding SYSTM, Matt was a Partner of 500 Startups, an early-stage VC fund, where he built & ran a seed-stage growth program for the portfolio companies achieving an average growth of 250% in 12 months. Prior to 500 Startups he was marketing director at PayPal, coming from the birthplace of startups: Silicon Valley.In this interview, Matt and Steph cover...🚀 What's wrong with "saving time"🚀 Nailing your core value proposition🚀 80:20? Nah. Identify the 10% that will drive the...2025-03-0554 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Nell Daly | Squiggly careers, fundraising, and the power of connectionsJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Nell Daly of Revenge Capital.PLUS! Exclusive reveal of the next guest...Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend 🤗2025-03-0321 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaFrom DEATH THREATS at Fox News to building a £50M fund: Nell Daly gets REVENGETW: Themes of abuse and gun violenceNell Daly is a social worker turned venture capitalist as Co-Founder of Revenge Capital, a £50M sector-agnostic, global impact fund that invests into overlooked founders and their big disruptive ideas. She describes herself as an advocate for underdogs and works with policymakers to help build a more just, free, inclusive and humane world.In this episode, Steph and Nell discuss:❤️🔥 Starting a fund NOT coming from the world of finance❤️🔥 Nell's experience in media and what led to her "going dark"❤️🔥 Overcoming adversity and practical tips on how to be...2025-02-2644 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Georgie Hyatt + Fundraising tips from VC scoutJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Georgie Hyatt, Founder & CEO of Rotaro.PLUS! Fundraising tips, tricks and traps to avoid if you're looking to get investment for your startup.Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend 🤗2025-02-2414 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"I raised £150k from a RAYA date!" | Georgie Hyatt's startup story with RotaroGeorgie Hyatt is the Forbes 30 Under 30 Founder & CEO of ROTARO, the fashtech platform that worked with luxury brands & retailers to power their circular fashion revenue streams through rental & resale before consolidating with My Wardrobe HQ.In this interview, Steph and Georgie discuss: 👗 How insights from working at trends forecasting agency sparked Georgie’s lightbulb moment👗 Getting early validation for Rotaro and testing different business models👗 Practical lessons learnt the hard way including shareholder agreements (Tip: use Safe note ASA agreements!) 👗 Fundraising and dealing with investors pulling out at the last minute (after 8 months of negoti...2025-02-1936 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaHow to FINALLY start your business in 2025 | Overcoming the top blockers to entrepreneurshipThinking of starting your own business? Entrepreneur coach, Stephanie Melodia, shares her advice for overcoming the most common blockers to entrepreneurship including the mental barriers and practical challenges.Did any of this resonate with you? join the conversation:Follow on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!2025-02-1216 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia60% of startups FAIL after losing a Co-Founder: How Daniel Botcherby of Kalda bounced backDaniel Botcherby is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kalda, the world's first LGBTQIA+ mental wellbeing app that provides self-guided therapy programs and daily reflection journaling. Formed in Antler and grown in Unrest, two top accelerators in the UK, Daniel recounts his rocky early-stage founder journey in this vulnerable interview.Steph and Daniel discuss:🏳️🌈 Early stage problem/solution validation 🏳️🌈 Antler and Unrest accelerator experiences🏳️🌈 The *new* MVP = Minimal Pathway to PMF!🏳️🌈 The importance of an advisory board🏳️🌈 Recovering from co-founder fall outTry Kalda for FREE here: https://www.kalda.co/UPDATE: Since recording, Kalda raised £300...2025-02-0537 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"Karren Brady is my hero!" | Lamees Butt, Co-Founder & CEO of RISERLamees Butt is the Co-Founder & CEO of RISER, the video-led AI career matchmaking app that puts the manager at the forefront of the job hunting process. Think Bumble, for your next boss.She's also the host of the In Her Shoes podcast, on a mission to change the sad statistic that only 9% of the C-suite in the UK is filled by women. The show is in the Top 10 of UK podcasts, listened to in 64 Countries.Tune in to Lamees and Steph discuss...- Lamees' serial entrepreneur journey- Why Lamees never thought...2025-01-2938 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaBehind the scenes of podcasting | S&T x The Millennial Entrepreneur crossoverPodcasters Stephanie Melodia and Sina Sadrzadeh sit down for this special crossover episode of Strategy & Tragedy // The Millennial Entrepreneur, where they discuss...🎙️ The behind-the-scenes of podcasting🎙️ Unexpected surprises and lessons learnt🎙️ Funny stories along the way🎙️ The mission of their showsWe'd love to hear from you! What did you think of this episode?Leave us a comment and follow us on social:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/🙏🏼 Sup...2025-01-2351 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Joanna Montgomery, Little Riot | PLUS! Some Blue/Red Monday HappinessJoin Steph for this solo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Joanna Montgomery, the Founder & CEO of Little Riot and creator of the viral sensation, Pillow Talk.Steph also shares your answers from social media on what makes you HAPPY! As it's Blue Monday (Red Monday in the US) here's to injecting a bit of positivity in your world today.Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review...2025-01-2042 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaBritain's Strongest Woman comes back STRONGER: "My own investors tried to destroy me" | Joanna Montgomery, Founder & CEO of Little RiotJoanna Montgomery is the Founder & CEO of Little Riot - behind the viral internet phenomenon "Pillow Talk,” a wristband that picks up your heartbeat and sends it in real time to your loved one, now used in over 70 countries.Joanna has also spoken at TEDx and WIRED Conference. Fun fact: she's also Britain's former Strongest Woman!In this interview, Steph and Joanna discuss:👉 What it's like to have your product go VIRAL👉 Achieving product validation early on👉 The bittersweet experience of COVID-19👉 Investor red flags and the disastrous story that nearly ended t...2025-01-1554 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaHELLO 2025! Exclusive reveal: new guests + mantras for your best year aheadTop 20 Female Founder, Keynote Speaker, Growth Consultant & Mentor, Stephanie Melodia, exclusively reveals some of the new guests coming in 2025 and some mantras to help you make the most of the new year.Get involved in the conversation.Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Subscribe to the podcast:🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NuiaWjWsOXpsFx2euglVe🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia/id1711083280🎧 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3N0cmF0ZWd5YW5...2025-01-0825 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaTop 5 Entrepreneur Interviews of 2024Top 20 Female Founder, Public Speaker, Mentor, and Podcast Host/Presenter, Stephanie Melodia, shares the Top 5 interviews of 2024 featuring her key takeaways and best soundbites from each episode.Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Subscribe to the podcast:🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NuiaWjWsOXpsFx2euglVe🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strategy-tragedy-ceo-stories-with-steph-melodia/id1711083280🎧 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3N0cmF0ZWd5YW5kdHJhZ2VkeS9mZW...2024-12-1855 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Simon Alexander Ong | Energise & visualise for 2025 successSolo episode debriefing on last week's interview with Simon Alexander Ong - life coach, business strategist, international keynote speaker, author of Energise, and 2019's Life Coach of the Year. Get involved in the conversation!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!2024-12-1616 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaGet ready for 2025 with Simon Alexander Ong, Life Coach of the YearSimon Alexander Ong is a life coach, business strategist, international keynote speaker, author of Energise, and 2019's Life Coach of the Year. Simon’s work has got him invited to speak on Sky News, BBC Radio London and LBC Radio; his insights have also been featured in the likes of Huffington Post, Forbes, Virgin and The Guardian.In this episode, Steph and Simon discuss:- Energy management vs time management - including the SEVEN different types of energy!- Deep life advice to achieve your goals, and the difference between motivation and ins...2024-12-1133 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Dimple Patel | Nature or Nurture?Some people are just built different ...or are they?Tune into this solo episode where Stephanie Melodia debriefs on last week's interview with the Cambridge, Yale, *and* Harvard-educated 3X CEO, Dimple Patel. Join the conversation: Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!2024-12-0924 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"We were 24HRS away from being homeless" | Dimple Patel - ex-Trouva, ex-Love Coffee, now CEO at NatureMetricsAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Dimple Patel is the 3X exited BAME female founder (and graduate of Cambridge, Yale AND Harvard!!) Recognised as a Top Asian in ImpactTech UK 2024, Dimple is the ex-CEO of Trouva, and now CEO at NatureMetrics, a world-leading intelligence platform for biodiversity. In this episode, Steph and Dimple discuss:- Dimple's early influences- Going from the trading floor at the finance day job to cleaning toilets at the weekend with her first business, Love Coffee- The Trouva chapter: her j...2024-12-0444 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Maxine Laceby ft. Anna Pearce-Roberts + Mike Stevens | Starring in the AC campaign, risk tolerance in entrepreneurship & moreStephanie Melodia hosts The Debrief as part of the Strategy & Tragedy podcast, this time debriefing on the Maxine Laceby interview - Co-Founder of the £42M valued Absolute Collagen - with panellists Anna Pearce-Roberts, and Mike Stevens.Anna Pearce-Roberts is the host of the Her Shift Podcast and founder of Cordelia & Co, a luxury makeup artist business. She also starred in an Absolute Collagen campaign herself! Dubbed, the girl in the yellow swimsuit.Mike Stevens is serial entrepreneur, advisor to consumer brands, founder of Peppersmith, and former guest of Strategy & Tragedy (listen to EP39 here: https://o...2024-12-0323 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"I made £42M from my kitchen!" Meet the 58-year-old collagen queen, Maxine Laceby of Absolute CollagenAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Maxine Laceby is the 58-year-old Co-Founder of Absolute Collagen, a D2C beauty product created in the kitchen with her daughter, Darcy Laceby, now worth over £42M. Maxine is a force to be reckoned with and stands as an exemplary pro-age entrepreneur.In this episode, Steph and Maxine discuss:💛 The story behind a wildly successful beauty product💛 The mistakes - and lessons - learnt along the way💛 Finding the "goldilcoks" of investors💛 Founder mental health - from managing anxiety to building confi...2024-11-2739 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP51: “We gave out free condoms!” | Hannah Chappatte, Founder & CEO of HYBRManaging international teams? Unburden yourself with Deel, the all-in-one global people platform. From cross-currency payroll to expense tracking, from EOR to consolidated HR compliance, get a demo of Deel here: https://bit.ly/4f6yef1Hannah Chappatte is the Founder & CEO of HYBR, the UK's #1 Accommodation Platform on TrustPilot with press featured in the likes of The BBC, the Evening Standard, and The Times.In this episode, Steph and Hannah discuss:🏡 Going from idea to validation (on both sides of a marketplace startup)🏡 MVP as proof of concept with monetisation🏡 Scrappy financing...2024-11-2036 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP50: Top 10 Rules of EntrepreneurshipAre you one of the 24 MILLION people who want to become an entrepreneur?Learn the 10 Commandments of Entrepreneurship in under 20 minutes from Top 20 Female Founder, Stephanie Melodia.Leave a comment on what resonated most with you. I wanna hear from you!Follow Steph on social media:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517🎧 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend!🤍 About Steph:As ex-CEO of a...2024-11-1319 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Simon Franks ft. Josh Hanning + Daniel McCoy Andrade | Profit vs purpose, and entrepreneurialism as a force for goodAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Stephanie Melodia hosts Josh Hanning, Founder & CEO of Hanubu - an acquisition platform for the automotive aftermarket - and Daniel McCoy Andrade, startup BD & messaging strategist.In this debrief episode, we discuss...- Could we have *actually* had our own Netflix?- Profit & purpose: is it one or the other? - Business exits, share options, wealth - Entrepreneurialism as a force for good - Failed politics + outside thinking for problem-solvingOther podcast episodes mentioned in this con...2024-11-1030 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"We almost had the NETFLIX of Europe" | Simon Franks, Co-Founder of LoveFilm and Redbus VenturesManaging international teams? Unburden yourself with Deel, the all-in-one global people platform. From cross-currency payroll to expense tracking, from EOR to consolidated HR compliance, get a demo of Deel here: https://bit.ly/4f6yef1Simon Franks is the co-founder of LoveFilm, the DVD rental company, which sold to Amazon for £200M back in 2011. This was only one of multiple business exits, as in 2005 he also sold Redbus Film Distribution to Lionsgate for £20M. This business was the UK’s fastest growing company between 2000 and 2004, with a growth rate of 280% - it was also behind famou...2024-11-0653 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaDON'T GET A JOB; GET AN OCCUPASSION | Cynthia Davis CBE, Founder & CEO Diversifying GroupManaging international teams? Unburden yourself with Deel, the all-in-one Global People Platform. From cross-currency payroll to expense tracking, from EOR to consolidated HR compliance, get a demo of Deel here: https://bit.ly/4f6yef1Cynthia Davis is the multi-award winning Founder & CEO of Diversifying Group, a social change organisation that helps talent and employers live the definitions of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion. In addition to her role as leader of Diversifying Group, Cynthia also sits on numerous boards. She has won countless industry awards in the tech and diversity arenas, with the most notable being her...2024-10-3044 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia"AI is the only thing that will get us out of this MESS!" Nigel MorrisManaging international teams? Get a demo of Deel here: https://bit.ly/4f6yef1Nigel Morris is an AdLand legend, top angel investor, chairman of The Upside and IDX, and sits on the boards of Landvault, Profitwheel, and Actioncy Tech.He also works with leading AI businesses including Synthesia, Faculty, and Metica. Finally, he is the President & Trustee of Working Options in Education, a unique charity for youth employability.Phew!Tune into this episode to hear Nigel's takes on the UK economy, how AI will revolutionise productivity, and pearls of wisdom f...2024-10-2354 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Nikki Wheeldon, VocoLab | The case for lifestyle businessesAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517In this shorter solo episode, Steph Melodia shares her key takeaways from last week's interview with former actor and now serial entrepreneur, Nikki Wheeldon of VocoLab.Tune into hear what stuck with Steph from the interview and the biggest lessons to underscore for all you budding or early-stage entrepreneurs!-Want more?Follow Steph:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/ 🎬 Watch the interviews on YouTube: https://www.youtube.co...2024-10-2115 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP46: My acting career made me a better entrepreneur | Nikki Wheeldon, VocoLabAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517From dancing at the London Olympics to a 2X exited founder, Nikki Wheeldon is now mentor for Small Business Britain and speaker coach at VocoLab.In this episode, Steph and Nikki discuss:🎭 The resilience required for entrepreneurship from Nikki's acting career🎭 The story of two business exits🎭 Key lessons from business (including when to draw the line!)🎭 The confidence to unapologetically take up space and the subconscious ways we diminish ourselvesLearn more about Nikki here: https://linktr.ee/ni...2024-10-1649 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Gina Farran, Glaize | How to set yourself up for success as a first-time founderAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517In this solo debrief episode, Steph Melodia shares her main takeaways from last week's interview with Gina Farran, the Founder & CEO of the innovative nail brand, Glaize.From a career in corporate to taking the plunge, tune into hear what stuck with Steph from the interview and the key lessons to underscore for all you budding or early-stage entrepreneurs!Want more?Follow Steph:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/ 🎬 Follow us...2024-10-1434 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP45: Nailing Dragons' Den | Gina Farran, GlaizeAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Gina Farran is the banker-turned-entrepreneur and star of BBC's Dragons' Den. She is the Founder & CEO of Glaize, a tech-enabled D2C brand producing made-to-measure gel manicures that are chip-free, long lasting and vegan. Easy to apply, even easier to remove.In this episode, Steph and Gina discuss:💅 Going viral on TikTok💅 Finding validation early on💅 Behind the scenes of Dragons' Den💅 Sales lifecycles💅 And so much more!PLUS! Get 15% OFF your order! Use the code STRATEGY15 http...2024-10-0934 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Anthony Pierri with Liz Painter of Comma CommaAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Steph Melodia and Liz Painter debrief on last week's interview with Anthony Pierri of Fletch PMM, who has built up a highly profitable service-based business by honing in on one niche, to one customer segment, doing one thing, promoted on one channel!Naturally, in this episode, Steph and Liz debrief on the power of niching down; what that does to your creativity in the process (how to avoid going stale); and what resonated most with us about marketing, personal brand, messaging, and strategy.2024-10-0856 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia50K followers, $3k passive income & $1M+ biz from LinkedIn ALONE! Anthony Pierri, Fletch PMMAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Anthony Pierri is a partner at Fletch PMM. He helps early stage B2B founders position their products and translate that to homepage messaging. And that's all he does.In this episode, Steph and Anthony discuss:👉 The power of honing in on your niche👉 Creating repeatable processes for scale👉 Best practices in brand positioning for B2B startups👉 Personal branding and dealing with trolls👉 How to blow up on LinkedInLearn more about Fletch PMM here: https://www.fle...2024-10-021h 14Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Pippa Harman, Renude | Entrepreneurship & grieving: how loss puts business into perspectiveAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Steph Melodia shares her reflections on last week's interview with Pippa Harman, Co-Founder of Renude - the world's first dermatologist-approved AI skin advisor.One of the most unique parts about Pippa's entrepreneurial story is the theme of loss; Pippa lost her father during a company fundraise, and even had a funding round pulled due to the sudden loss of an investor's partner. It's inevitable to go philosophical here, but the silver lining to such real tragedies is how Pippa's managed to see the light...2024-09-3012 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP43: Navigating fundraising through grief | Pippa Harman, Renude✋ TW: Content features themes of grief and bereavement.Pippa is a formulation chemist turned beauty tech entrepreneur. She is now the Co-Founder of Renude, the AI personalisation platform for skincare on a mission to help people feel great in their bare skin. Renude offers personalised routines based on AI image analysis and a B2B plug-in solution for skincare retailers and brands to offer trusted, accurate recommendations to their customers.In this interview, Steph and Pippa talk about...💟 Transitioning from full-time employment to becoming a beautytech founder💟 How Marcia Kilgore inspired Pippa to becom...2024-09-2532 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Simon Squibb | Failed politician? Privileged white man? Or modern-day messiah?Stephanie Melodia debriefs on last week's Simon Squibb interview with panellists Thomas Panton, Danielle Wallington, and Cosmin Golache - including what resonated with them the most from the conversation, what surprised or shocked them, and their hot takes on Simon Squibb's philosophy as it relates to entrepreneurship and changing the world.The panellists:👉 Thomas Panton: serial entrepreneur, former pro athlete, and an early Strategy & Tragedy interview guest himself! (Listen to EP06 for the interview)👉 Danielle Wallington, founder of Flock Here, a social app that connects women who WFH to places to work from + people...2024-09-231h 01
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaSimon Squibb: "Hard work is A LIE!"Access special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Simon Squibb is the founder of HelpBnk (https://helpbnk.com/). He is also a serial entrepreneur, content creator, and investor.Simon started his first company when he was homeless at 15 years old, and sold his last company, Fluid, to PwC. He has since invested in over 70+ startups, and is now on a mission to help 10 million people achieve their dreams.Pre-order Simon's new book 'What's Your Dream?' via the link below:https://www.waterstones.com/book/whats-your-dream/simon-squibb/9781529935578?_gl=1*1...2024-09-1851 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Ranbir Arora, OneDay | Meta entrepreneurship, delusion + resilienceAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Steph Melodia shares her reflections on last week's interview with Ranbir Arora, serial entrepreneur and now Co-Founder & CEO of edtech scale-up, Oneday (https://www.oneday.org/)From finding a deep pain point in a very meta way (a serial entrepreneur helping other entrepreneurs succeed), how this clear mission helps foster a positive culture as the team scales, and of course Ranbir's attitude to success; delusion + resilience.Let me know what resonated with you from my interview with Ranbir. Get...2024-09-1616 min
Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEntrepreneurship education is BROKEN - so I fixed it | Ranbir Arora, Co-Founder & CEO of OneDayAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Ranbir Arora is the Co-Founder & CEO of edtech scale-up, Oneday, on a mission to democratise entrepreneurship. Tune into this episode to hear about...🚀 Serial entrepreneurship🚀 Finding a deep pain point 🚀 Building an international edtech platform... 🚀 And cultivating a solid team culture as it scales 🚀 PLUS! Ranbir's *spot-on* formula for entrepreneurial success!Ready to go from "one day" to Day 1 with Oneday? Start your entrepreneurial journey here: https://www.oneday.org/-Want more?Follow Steph:2024-09-1144 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP40: AMA | Scaling a business, exit strategies, thoughts on AI & moreStephanie Melodia answers your questions! Tune into this special solo episode to hear how she'd do things differently with Bloom, how to successfully exit a business, thoughts on AI, and more.Want your question featured next time? Make sure to follow Steph on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/stephmelodia/-Want more?Follow Steph:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelodia/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/videos🙏🏼 Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/use...2024-09-0413 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief ft. Johnny Khaira: Top Takeaways from Mike Stevens of PeppersmithAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Steph Melodia and special guest, Johnny Khaira, share their main reflections and top takeaways on last week's interview with Mike Stevens, Co-Founder of Peppersmith - the beloved mints brand with 20 million packs sold on supermarket shelves, coffee shops, and health stores.Tune in to hear what resonated with them both as they debrief on last week's interview.Let us know your thoughts! Follow on social:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/2024-09-0227 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph Melodia20 MILLION PACKS SOLD | Success & failure with Mike Stevens, Co-Founder & ex-CEO of PeppersmithMike Stevens is the exited founder of Peppersmith, the confectionery brand you'll recognise on supermarket shelves, in coffee shops and in health food stores. Responsible for a total of over 20 MILLION of packs sold worldwide, Mike led the company from its inception to a successful exit, achieving over £4M in annual retail sales from the likes of Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons, Whole Foods... Mike is also the bestselling author of The Direct-to-Consumer Playbook and now advises challenger brands looking to scale.In this episode, you'll hear about:🌿 The genesis of Peppersmith at Innocen...2024-08-2850 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Marla Shapiro, HERmesa | Funding female founders + savvy fundraising strategiesIn this shorter episode, Steph Melodia shares her reflections on last week's interview with Marla Shapiro of HERmesa, the angel investing syndicate for female founders.From solving the gender disparity in fundraising to business advice and top fundraising strategies, Steph shares her reflections on last week's interview with the trailblazing leadeer. Tune into hear what stuck with Steph from the interview and the key lessons to underscore for all you budding or early-stage entrepreneurs! - Want more? Follow Steph:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linked...2024-08-2132 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP38: "I WILL GIVE YOU MONEY to get rid of a spreadsheet!" | Marla Shapiro, HERmesaSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/strategyandtragedyMarla Shapiro is the founder of HERmesa, the 2X nominated Angel Group of the Year - an angel investing syndicate supporting female founders. She is also the winner of the UKBAA 2023 Diversity Champion award.In this episode, you'll hear about:💸 How to get started with angel investing💸 The ROI of investing in women (why female founders are simply "a better bet")💸 Marla's path into impact investing💸 Top tips for fundraising foundersJoin the HERmesa angel investor syndicate and start impacting gender equality her...2024-08-1433 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Kenny Ewan, WeFarm | The rise & fall of a buzzy scale-upAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517In this shorter episode, Steph Melodia shares her reflections on last week's interview with Kenny Ewan, the Founder & ex-CEO of WeFarm, now director at Nesta Studio.Tune into hear what stuck with Steph from the interview and the key lessons to highlight for all you entrepreneurs!-Want more?Follow Steph:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmelodia-keynotespeaker/🎬 Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephmelodia/...2024-08-0712 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP37: “I had lunch with BILL GATES” | From buzzy scale-up to shutting the business | Kenny Ewan, Founder & ex-CEO, WeFarm, now Director at Nesta StudioSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/strategyandtragedy Kenny Ewan is the Director at Nesta’s Mission Studio, the venture studio creating impactful solutions for the UK’s most pressing problems, from obesity to climate change. He is a highly experienced entrepreneur who led Wefarm from idea stage to become the world’s largest farming network with over 3.5 million users, 120 employees, and $35m in venture capital. In this episode, Steph and Kenny discuss: 🌱 The importance of focus for early customer adoption🌱 Baking in product network effects to + proactively driving growth🌱...2024-07-3134 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaThe Debrief: Saasha Celestial-One, Olio | Successful expansions, co-founder relationships, serial entrepreneurship & moreAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 In this shorter episode, Steph Melodia shares her reflections on last week's interview with Saasha-Celestial One, the Co-Founder & COO of the sharing app, Olio. What started out as a food-sharing app has now artfully grown into the go-to solution for all unused household items. A lot easier said than done; they managed to expand their offering without losing sight of their core mission in sustainability & circularity. Tune into hear what stuck with Steph from the interview and...2024-07-2422 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP36: My HIPPIE upbringing made me a MISSION-LED entrepreneur | Saasha Celestial-One, OlioAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Saasha Celestial-One, the Co-Founder of Olio, the carbon negative sharing app with over 7M members & counting which has succeeded in saving our planet from 181,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. In this episode, you'll hear about:♻️ How Saasha met her Co-founder - and how they now cultivate a successful relationship♻️ The benefits of serial entrepreneurship, including increased risk tolerance, trained instinct, and practical lessons learnt ♻️ Following customer demand in the evolution from a niche food-sharing app to now all things for local communities♻️...2024-07-1748 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaES2: Las 10 lecciones de emprendimiento de la fundadora de agencia premiada | Stephanie Melodia, BloomAcceda a ventajas especiales en Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Stephanie Melodia fundó Bloom, una consultora de marketing galardonada, en Londres en 2017. El verano pasado, anunció el cierre de su exitoso negocio y, en este episodio, cuenta lo que pasó y reflexiona sobre lo que salió bien y lo que salió mal.(Después de todo, Strategy & Tragedy se trata de compartir *tanto* los altibajos de los negocios, la realidad detrás de puertas cerradas, la fea verdad detrás del barniz brillante y, lo más importante, las lecciones...2024-07-1111 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP35: Capital as a force for good | Mandy Nyarko MBE, Startup Discovery SchoolSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/strategyandtragedy Mandy Nyarko MBE is the Co-Founder of Startup Discovery School & Managing Partner of Sahara Impact Ventures.In this episode, Mandy shares:👩🏾💻 Her story from bank cashier to investor, now fund manager and trailblazing impact leader👩🏾💻 The power of spirituality and manifesting (which goes hand in hand with effort, hustle, hard work!)👩🏾💻 Her work to achieve net zero in the fight against climate change 👩🏾💻 The agricultural landscape and how this is negatively impacting African women👩🏾💻 The importance of resilience - keep getting back up!Learn more about Startup Discovery School here: https://www.startupdiscove...2024-07-0340 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP34: "I built the Clueless wardrobe" | Bianca Rangecroft, Founder & CEO of WheringSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/strategyandtragedy/ Bianca Rangecroft is the Forbes 30 Under 30 Founder & CEO of Whering, the AI-enabled digital wardrobe and personal styling app with the mission of upending the buy-use-dispose model by helping Gen-Z fashionistas get the most out of their wardrobe.Bianca has raised over £2.5 million in venture capital and now has 14 full-time employees, 150 brand partners and - most importantly - over 4M users.In this episode, you'll hear about:👗 Bianca's experience on BBC's Dragons Den👗 Going from scrappy bootstrapped startup to lean, mean, metric-focused scale-up machine👗 Hire slow, fire fast: the m...2024-06-2645 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP33: “I started a £10M ARR business when I was 20” | Mark Chaffey, Co-Founder & CEO of hackajobSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/strategyandtragedy Mark Chaffey is the Co-Founder and CEO of hackajob, the candidate-centric platform for tech talent that puts the power back in the hands of the job seekers. He co-founded the business straight out of university aged 20 and now leads the HRtech scale-up with $35M in Series B funding under his belt, a team of 150 staff, and turning over £10M ARR with world domination firmly on the cards! Key points in this episode you'll hear about:🚀 Biggest challenges as a young...2024-06-1927 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP32: Delivering 1 BILLION people a moment of calm | Liv Ferdi, TRIP DrinksAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Liv Ferdi is the Co-Founder of TRIP, the UK’s number 1, best selling CBD drinks brand stocked in 25,000 stores around the UK including the likes of Selfridges, Ocado, Boots, Planet Organic, Harrods… Also in chains like The Ivy, Brewdog, Leon, Benugo, AND is the exclusive CBD supplier to Soho House!TRIP holds 88% UK market share, has raised £10M in external investment and hired a team of 50 staff!Tune in to hear about:💛 The benefit of coming in from the outside - from Li...2024-06-1241 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP31: "I'm solving the world's most PAINFUL pain point!" | DEATHTECH founder, Emily Cummin of Untangle GriefAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Emily is the Founder of Untangle, the go-to app for all of life's hard events. From sorting the mess of paperwork after a bereavement, to finding a community of other grief-stricken individuals, Untangle is there to help everyone get through the tough times. Featured in the Evening Standard and boasting 2024-06-0540 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaES1: Los TOP 4 lecciones del emprendimiento | Episodio solo especialEn este episodio especial, Stephanie Melodia reflexiona en las varias conversaciones con empresarios de los últimos 20 episodios. Escucha para descubrir las TOP lecciones del empresarialismo! (¿Puedes adivinar cuales son?) -'Estrategía y tragedía' es el podcast de Stephanie Melodia, orador y fundadora Top 20 en el Reino Unido, donde entrevista empresarios, inversores, y expertos relacionados al mundo de startups. El propósito fundamental de este show es compartir las mayores lecciones de los grandes errores que otros han cometido - otros que están en unos p...2024-06-0311 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP30: Top 10 Lessons From an Award-Winning Agency Founder & CEOAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Stephanie Melodia founded Bloom, an award-winning marketing consultancy, in London of 2017.Last summer, she announced the closure of her successful business, and - in this episode - she recounts what happened, and reflects on what went right, and what went wrong. (After all, Strategy & Tragedy is about sharing *both* the highs and lows of business, the reality behind closed doors, the ugly truth behind the glossy veneer, and - most crucially - the lessons learnt from the experience. No...2024-05-2911 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP29: B2B SaaS growth strategies with Justin Fitzpatrick, ex-Duedil (now FullCircl), Outpost AdvisorsAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Justin Fitzpatrick, the co-Founder & ex-CEO of Duedil, now FullCircl post-merger. Justin is now Founder of Outpost Advisors, the firm that helps PE- & VC-backed B2B software companies accelerate profitability. In this episode, Justin and Steph discuss:👉 The unexpected way Justin met his co-founder 👉 Key lessons learnt from scaling the B2B SaaS DueDil, which raised a combined $53.4 million in funding across 11 rounds👉 Evolving B2B SaaS growth strategies - including 'slowing down to speed up' and overcoming painfully long buying c...2024-05-2259 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP28: Unlock NEXT-LEVEL confidence through visualisation | Maya Raichoora, RemapAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Maya Raichoora, the CEO and Co-Founder of Remap Mental Fitness, who envisions a world where mental fitness is as common as physical fitness. She helps CEOs, athletes & performers become the top 1% in their field through the power of visualisation. Tune in for an interactive visualisation exercise and all of the below... 🧠 MAYA'S STORY:✨ From being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis to being the most healthy and confident she’s ever been✨ Self-confidence as a young brow...2024-05-1551 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP27: Meet the REAL Obi-Wan of Business | Farhan Lalji, LTV CapitalAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Farhan Lalji is the Founder & General Partner of LTV Capital, a platform for emerging managers & investors in world-changing ventures. He is also a Teaching Fellow at London Business School and Entrepreneur in Residence at King’s College. In this episode, Steph and Farhan discuss: 📈 The UK as a player on the global stage📈 Thoughts on venture capital scout networks (and who’s doing well)📈 When his business got acquired *during* a crowdfunding campaign (hint...2024-05-0850 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP26: "Our house BURNT DOWN - and not a *single* order went out late!" | Charlotte Ayoub, TLC SportAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 From 1984 in Cairo to 2024 in London, Stephanie Melodia interviews Charlotte Ayoub of TLC Sport, the inclusive sportswear brand featured in the likes of Cosmopolitan, The Times, Marie Claire, The Independent, The Guardian, and more. In this episode Steph and Charlotte discuss: 🧘🏽♀️ Building a body positive brand that connects with women’s empowerment🧘🏽♀️ The importance of product development in line with customer needs🧘🏽♀️ Marketing an anti-trend product in a trend-led industry🧘🏽♀️ Retailer partnerships including lessons from fashion b...2024-05-0138 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP25: From SANDY BALLS to 3x exits and 20x investments | Richard Hadler, Founders CapitalAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Richard Hadler is the 3x exited co-founder of Founders Capital, angel investor in 20 companies (including Spacegoods, Odin, Freja) and author of 'Marketing: The Bottom Line.' In this episode, Steph and Rich discuss: 🚀 Hiring strategies🚀 Lessons from a D2C cocktail brand🚀 The role of boards and gaining diverse perspectives 🚀 Rich's role as an advisor, helping to provide a helicopter view to gain perspective🚀 Leaning into your entrepreneurial gut instinct ...2024-04-2444 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP24: AI, winning teams, and overcoming a "warm intro" in VC | Ziv Reichert, LocalGlobeAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517Ziv Reichert is a VC Partner at LocalGlobe, the seed stage venture capital firm behind the likes of Citymapper, Wise and Zoopla. In this episode, Steph and Ziv discuss: 💰 Top tips on getting a busy investor's attention💰 A VC’s perspective on the fundraising environment ("we’re an easy scapegoat")💰 What gets Ziv excited as an investor (top themes and specific breakdown of favourite companies)💰 How Ziv tries to stay ahead of the curve and cultivate a futurist "crysta...2024-04-1747 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP23: Meet the Tina Turner of finance! | Norma Cassius, Think Like a BankNorma Cassius is a Money Management Consultant and Psychotherapist with 20+ years' experience in the financial Sector and 17+ years' as a qualified Psychotherapist in Harley Street, London. Our finances and mindset are so intertwined that it makes perfect sense that Norma has combined her financial and psychotherapy expertise with her mission to help people manage both their money and their mindset. Norma has successfully helped hundreds of people and delivered financial education talks to over 16,000 individuals in 2024 alone. In this episode, Steph and Norma discuss: 💸...2024-04-1047 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP22: Our merger was a fashion FAUX PAS | Vanessa Jacobs, CirculoAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Vanessa Jacobs is the exited Co-Founder of The Restory, a luxury aftercare service named as one of Walpole’s Brands of Tomorrow in 2019. She is now on her third venture with Circulo, harnessing her passion & expertise in the circular economy space to deliver her mission of reducing fashion waste.In this episode, you'll learn about:👗 Converting a personal pain point into a viable business👗 Putting the customer first via a concierge MVP (think "mechanical turk")👗 Startup pivots and i...2024-04-0345 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP21: "It 3X the business and HALVED the CAC!" | Daniel Hegarty, ex-Habito, Founder & CEO of CommunionAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Daniel Hegarty is the Founder & ex-CEO of Habito, the proptech scale-up which raised 2024-03-2743 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP20: SPECIAL SOLO EPISODE | Top FOUR Lessons in EntrepreneurshipAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 In this special solo episode I wanted to reflect on the different conversations I’ve had with entrepreneurs over the past 20 episodes, and share with you the most common themes and top lessons learnt that have come up on the show so far… Tune into to find out what they are! - Want more? Follow Steph:🤍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephmelodia/🤍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemelod...2024-03-2011 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP19: "It's entrepreneurship or STRIPPING for me!" | Anu Obe, To All My Black GirlsAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Anu Obe is the Founder of To All My Black Girls, a D2C ecomm business that specialises in naturally textured hair extensions for Afro-Caribbean hair types. In this episode, Steph and Anu discuss: 👩🏾🦱 The importance of self-belief and optimism - your reality is not your identity!💜 Having a clear mission, identifying a gap in the market, and solving one fatal customer problem👩🏾🦱 The idea of whether or not entrepreneurship is for everyone?! 💜 The powe...2024-03-1340 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP18: 4 KIDS, 3 EXITS, 2K MEMBERS, ONE WOMAN | Emmie Faust, Female Founders RiseAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Emmie Faust is the 3X exited entrepreneur-turned-angel-investor, now Founder of Female Founders Rise - the supportive and inspiring resource for female founders to help them succeed with their businesses. Emmie invests exclusively in female founders and her portfolio includes ONEWAYX, RunYourself, and Mamma Wellbeing among others, as well as her role with Ventures Together. In this episode, Steph and Emmie discuss: ✊ The impact of motherhood on self-confidence✊ Female role models, including Emmie's first pow...2024-03-0653 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP17: My failed business made me a BETTER investor | Mona Tiesler, tokentusAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Mona Tiesler is an investor at tokentus, a leading VC firm in the German blockchain ecosystem, where she invests in startups that leverage blockchain technology globally. She has several years of experience in venture capital, and has been involved in pre-seed to Series A deals across Europe, USA, UAE and Asia. With a background in strategy consulting, venture building, and entrepreneurship, Mona has a passion for supporting innovators who are building the decentralized future of the internet. She has co-founded and...2024-02-2839 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP16: We were HOURS away from a $30M deal collapse | Nick Telson-Sillett, exited DesignMyNight, now Co-Founder of TrumpetAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Nick Telson-Sillett is the exited Co-Founder of DesignMyNight (acquired for $30M) and now Co-Founder of Trumpet, a buyer enablement tool that enables sales teams to drive revenue. In this episode, Steph and Nick discuss:🎺 Founder journey from leaving the day job to growing a $30m biz🎺 Exactly when and why he raised external funding (plus comparisons between VCs vs angels vs bootstrapping)🎺 The importance of your first 10 hires as you grow🎺 What worked for DesignMyNight 10+ yrs ago vs now (hint: it's fr...2024-02-2150 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP15: Scott Galloway called me a LOSER | Kristin Cardwell, SourcerieAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Kristin Cardwell is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sourcerie, the world’s first community-powered intelligence engine. She and her team managed to raise £1.8m in pre-seed funding during one of the toughest times ever, but it was not without its trials & tribulations! (Tune in for all the tea ☕😏) As a fierce feminist too, Kristin is also a co-founder of Alma Angels (https://www.alma-angels.com/), and advisor to Women for Women International (https://womenforwomen.org.uk/) In this episod...2024-02-1449 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP14: Meet the black rose in a concrete jungle | Andy Ayim MBE, Angel Investing SchoolAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Andy Ayim MBE is the Founder of Angel Investing School which has trained 500+ angels who have invested $5M globally - including the Black Angel Group spun out of Google's Black Network which has invested over $3.5M in 30+ startups. Andy has personally invested in 17 startups, including Farmlend, Patch and Unplugged, with 70% of his angel investment portfolio led by diverse founders. In this episode, Steph and Andy discuss: 👼 The importance of relationship-building in a "humanis...2024-02-071h 10Strategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP13: I want really filthy effing rich women | Nina Mohanty, Bloom MoneyAccess special perks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Nina Mohanty is the Silicon Valley-born, London-bred founder of Bloom Money, the fintech startup that supports migrant communities with the mission of accelerating intergenerational wealth. Bloom Money is also 2X regulated and backed by the likes of January Ventures, Octopus, and Pact VC. Nina Mohanty bucks the trend as a young, female, brown entrepreneur who has backing by top venture capitalists and operates in both the finance & tech fields. In this episode, you...2024-01-3147 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP12: Our exit collapsed at the last moment | Tom Adeyoola, investor, advisor, ex-Founder of MetailAccess special perks by supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Tom Adeyoola is the exited founder of Metail, the leading virtual try-on platform, now advisor, investor and Co-Founder of Extend Ventures and Capital Angel Network. In this episode, Steph and Tom discuss: 🎙 Tom's journey leading up to Metail, and how he secured investment (including "£10k from a random guy at the top of the gherkin" LOL 🤣 )🎙 His exit story and big lessons learnt along the way - including a huge deal collapse right near th...2024-01-2454 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP11: My business *literally* fell apart | Alex Pitt, Build Your Maverick BusinessGet access to special perks and support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 In this episode, Steph and Alex take their business brunch chats over to the podcast and discuss... 🖤 The highs and lows of entrepreneurship (hint: frustrations vs freedom)🖤 The danger of "procrasti-planning" (listen to find out more!)🖤 The importance of authenticity with your brand (business or personal)🖤 The benefits of working with a business coach🖤 Money mindset and overcoming limiting beliefs I hope you enjoy this spe...2024-01-1756 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP10: I started my first business when I was THIRTEEN! Geoff Wright, TemboAccess perks and support the show on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Geoff Wright is the CTO of Tembo, the only place in the UK where you can go to get a complete picture of your property purchasing power. His path leading up to this position was anything but ordinary. Entrepreneurial as a kid, Geoff forged his own, alternative path. Instead of doing the usual by completing his studies, going to uni, and getting a job, Geoff realised he could make money doing what he loved......2024-01-1044 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP09: My tech team let me DOWN | Tanya Saha Gupta, Resale FutureAccess special perks by supporting the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=108229517 Tanya Saha Gupta is the Founder & CEO of Resale Future, a fashtech SaaS product that enables fashion brands to add a P2P resale platform to their e-commerce store. (Shoppers can easily resell their garments; the retailers get a cut where it would otherwise be sold on Depop, Vestiaire Collective, Vinted or eBay, and; it encourages everyone to get involved in the circular economy - win win win!!) In this episode, Steph and...2023-12-2053 minStrategy & 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 MelodiaEP07: I SLEPT with my co-founder | Heinin Zhang, yhangryHeinin Zhang, co-founder of private chef hire platform, yhangry, recounts the highs and lows of her entrepreneurial journey; from CO-LIVING with her co-founder during lockdown, to going on BBC's Dragons' Den; from all their bookings drying up, to getting accepted to the lauded Y Combinator startup accelerator in San Fran 🎢 In this episode, Steph and Heinin discuss:🍣 Heinin's transition from a corporate career in finance🍣 Co-founder relationships (nothing like living together to bring you closer!!)🍣 Overcoming setbacks like lockdowns and bookings drying up🍣 The strategies that have paid off for her...2023-12-0646 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP06: The ex-ATHLETE solving climate change | Thomas Panton, CanopeyWho would guess being a professional swimmer and climate activist would make you a successful startup founder? Thomas Panton, Co-Founder & CEO of Canopey, embodies ALL the characteristics of a true entrepreneur. Determined, passionate, strategic, charismatic, and insightful, Thomas was always bound to be a success. In this episode, Steph and Thomas discuss the following themes:How athleticism applies to entrepreneurshipThe solutions for climate changeFounder mental health and mindsetEntrepreneurship is not for everyone (and that's ok!) Learn more about Canopey here: https://canopey.com/ Foll...2023-11-2938 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP05: Ex-NASA engineer pushed out of OWN company | Melissa Chambers, SitehopInspirational Womxn of the Year, Melissa Chambers shares her strategies and tragedies in business - from being pushed out of her own company during a time of personal polycrises, to running a successful cybersecurity business that built the world's fastest nanosecond encryption latency. Yup. In this episode, Melissa and Steph discuss topics such as:Hiring and firing - what to do when one bad apple spoils the bunchThe importance of contracts (hint: it's worth it to pay a lawyer) Founder resilience and how to cope setback after setback Learn more about Sit...2023-11-2248 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP04: I TURNED DOWN VC FUNDING (and what GaryVee is REALLY like off camera!) | Graham Hussey, Dream FactoryFrom interviewing startup founders in the back of a van to being interviewed himself in one of his very own studios, this episode is NOT one to miss! Graham Hussey recounts his entrepreneurial journey including a failed business which made £3 profit, the early days of Startup Van, and how he built Dream Factory to a flourishing 350-member business with various locations and multiple revenue streams. In this episode, Graham and Steph discuss topics such as:Monetisation inc. pricing strategies and multiple revenue streamsHow to foster a positive team culture in a f...2023-11-1543 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP03: Forbes 30U30 on hustle culture, resilience, and navigating feast & famine | Bobby Idogho, Radically DigitalBobby Idogho is a Forbes 30U30 Founder of Radically Digital. In this episode, Bobby shares how he developed his resilience muscle, how he navigates the “feast & famine” cycle of agency life, and how his background helped propel him further in life.Please enjoy this episode and subscribe to the show!2023-11-0854 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP02: I got the CEO of HEIGHTS to invest | Varun Bhanot, Magic AIVarun Bhanot is the Co-Founder & CEO of MAGIC AI, a connected fitness product that combines physical hardware with fitness technology to provide tailored workouts - just like your very own, at-home personal trainer. Following a career in corporate law, Varun took a severe pay cut to join the founding team at Hubble HQ to learn the ins & outs of startup life. This entrepreneurial ambition combined with his own health in decline birthed the business idea for MAGIC, the smart home fitness system. After many highs and lows, MAGIC is now stocked in...2023-10-2536 minStrategy & Tragedy: CEO Stories with Steph MelodiaEP01: I made HISTORY on BBC’s Dragons’ Den | Charlotte Morley, thelittleloopCharlotte Morley is the Founder & CEO of thelittleloop, the UK's first shared wardrobe for kids. (https://thelittleloop.com/) Founded in 2019, Charlotte has achieved some enormous successes (like making history on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, winning the Junior Design and Made for Mums awards consecutively, negotiating a groundbreaking retail partnership with John Lewis, securing external investment as a solo female founder, and reducing the environmental impact of children's clothes by 80%) as well as some serious lows (like co-founder break-ups, investor rejections, last-minute let-downs, disappointments... ) If anyone knows the true GRIT behind entrepreneurship, it's C...2023-10-1849 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