Anatomy of a Leader with Maria Hvorostovsky

Vote for us here - Vote for us in Listener’s Choice category at British Podcast Awards - click the link to vote - https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Nick Beighton - former CEO of ASOS and Matches Fashion. He is here to show you what it takes for a CEO to grow a company from 200 million to 4 billion. If you’re a CEO looking for tips on hiring well, growing your company’s success, or are wondering if you’ve got what it takes to pivot into a new leadership role, then tune in. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer and Introduction 02:17 - Learning to Take Care of Your Brain 10:59 - Losing His Father and Being Shaped by the Experience 13:01 - Jumping On New Opportunities 17:11 - Becoming a Finance Controller at Matalan 20:21 - How Did You End Up at ASOS? 23:13 - How Did You Make the Transition From CFO to CEO? 24:57 - The Advantages of a Finance Background 27:25 - When a Phrase Becomes a Part of ASOS’s Core Values 29:42 - How a Chameleon Phone Helped ASOS Avoid a Cash Flow Crisis 31:58 - What Is the Main Reason for ASOS’s Success? 34:46 - What Has Been Your Biggest Failure? 35:36 - It’s Not Failure; It’s a Learning Experience 37:05 - Pivoting From CFO to CEO 39:32 - How Do You Create Followership? 42:23 - Starting a Role at Matches 44:16 - What Went Wrong at Matches?  48:36 - What Do People Need to Know About E-Commerce? 51:43 - The Future of E-Commerce 53:36 - Advice for Aspiring CEOs 01:03:03 - Have You Hired Someone and it Went Wrong? 01:08:24 - Advice to Your Younger Self 01:11:45 - The Importance of Resilience 01:18:41 - What’s in Store For the Future? Nick Beighton is the former CEO of Matches Fashion, a leading global online luxury retailer. In 2015, Nick became CEO of ASOS. During his time as CEO, ASOS grew twenty-fold, both in the UK and around the world. Previous to ASOS, Nick was Head of Finance at Matalan in 1999. Before Nick moved into the fashion sector, however, he qualified as a chartered accountant, and worked at KPMG for ten years. Currently, he’s the Chairman of Secret Sales and Non-Executive Director at Raging Bull. Nick Beighton: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nick-beighton-3867023X: Website: https://x.com/asos_nickb Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvoX: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.comPodcast filmed, edited and produced by:https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Vote for us here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting Alison Cork is the youngest female founder of a publicly quoted company. She is also founder of Alison at Home and National Women’s Enterprise Week. She’s here to show you how to find your calling, how to succeed in business and how to live well. If you’re an enterprising female entrepreneur, or are seeking ways to improve your quality of life, you need to watch this episode. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer and Introduction 02:16 - Why We Need More Female Role Models 04:25 - Supporting and Nurturing your Child’s Instinctive Skills 11:07 - Is Being an Entrepreneur an Innate Trait? 13:51 - Leaving Cambridge University to Run a Publishing Company 24:09 - Needing Authenticity in Marketing 29:25 - Going Through Fraud 38:48 - Stepping Back From Bad Friends 44:32 - Are Women More Flakey Than Men? 46:41 - Why Talented Women Aren’t Retained in the Workforce 52:22 - What Do You Do in Your Second Half of Life? 01:00:59 - What the UK is Getting Wrong With Food 01:09:06 - Getting a New Lease on Life at 60 01:11:31 - The Benefits of Strength Training 01:15:45 - Starting National Women’s Enterprise Week 01:17:50 - What Can be Done About the Disparity of Funding for Female Founders? 01:20:21 - How Can People Help Support Female-Led Enterprises? 01:23:55 - What’s Next? Alison Cork is an interiors expert, entrepreneur, author, and TV presenter. She is the founder and CEO of alisonathome.com and Make It Your Business. She has also started National Women’s Enterprise Week - a week of events and activities designed to celebrate female entrepreneurs throughout the UK. In 1992, she co-founded Carnell Ltd with John P Gommes. She debuted on ITV in 1996 with Home In The Country and has since presented various home interest shows, including Countdown To Christmas, Domestic Magic, Homes & Property, 60 Minute Makeover, Help I Hate My House!, and Secret Removers. Since 2014, she has regularly appeared on QVC with her interiors collections. Alison Cork: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisoncork_home/ X: https://x.com/AlisonCork?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Website: https://www.nwew.co.uk/ Website: https://alisonathome.com/ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Join the waitlist for Anatomy of a Leader events: https://form.typeform.com/to/eDtmkFff Berta Maso is an HR strategist and leadership coach. She is here to teach you how to reinvent yourself. If you want your professional life to fully align with your life’s vision, then this episode is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer and Introduction 08:26 - Mothers Need a Support Network 11:45 - Starting a HR Consultancy 13:59 - Becoming Passionate About Helping People Reinvent Themselves 15:34 - Why You Should Try Things Out 17:50 - When is the Right Moment to Quit Your Job? 23:48 - Advice For Figuring Out Your Superpowers 27:55 - You’re Not As Self-Aware as You Think 29:26 - When Did You Discover Your Strengths? 32:35 - Why You Get Lightbulb Moments When You Least Expect Them 35:13 - Are Companies Getting On Board With People Taking Time Off? 38:18 - How the HR Function Has Changed Since Covid 41:04 - Is it More Possible For Women to Work in Corporate Jobs Now? 44:02 - Freelancers Learn Skills They Wouldn’t Learn in Corporate 45:01 - What’s Holding Corporate Companies Back from Hiring Freelancers? 49:13 - What’s Wrong With the Luxury Fashion Industry? 51:31 - What Will it Take to Have More Women at the Top? 54:48 - The System Doesn’t Help Mothers 01:01:29 - Are Things Changing too Slowly? 01:02:17 - Advice for Making Connections 01:01:57 - How Can You Find Berta Maso? Berta Maso has been working with leaders for over 25 years now; firstly as a HR executive for luxury brands such as Burberry, Dior and Michel Kors, and then as a performance & leadership coach for C-suite executives and small business owners. In 2018, she pivoted from Corporate HR into entrepreneurship, creating a boutique HR consultancy firm which provided HR services to emerging and well established Luxury Brands. Berta Maso: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertamaso/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berta_maso/ Website: https://www.bmscoaching.eu/ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Connie Nam, Founder of Astrid & Miyu, shares her journey from finance to founding a jewelry brand. Topics include hiring good fits, transitioning from founder to CEO, managing childcare as a founder, and the future of the brand. She discusses the challenges and successes of the business, building a team, and balancing work and personal life.

Join the waitlist for Anatomy of a Leader events: https://form.typeform.com/to/eDtmkFff Brett Wigdortz OBE is the co-founder of Tiney and founder of Teach First. He’s here to tell you why early years education is vital for making the world a better place. If you want to understand the impact of quality childcare on society and how innovative leadership can drive social change, this episode is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer and Introduction 02:17 - Founding Teach First, Teach for All and Tiney 05.06 - Why We Need More Early Age Educators 08:42 - Why Brett Started Teach First 12:17 - Tackling the Challenges of Running a Charity 14:32 - In What Way Has the Education System Gotten Better 18:06 - How to Recruit and Retain Talent 20:04 - How Tiney Helps Talented Childminders with Their Careers 26:09 - The Biggest Challenge with the Business 30:55 - How is Tiney Different From Its Competitors? 33:34 - Why a Combination of Care is Better for Young Children 37:20 - What Do Fathers Need Support With to be Fully Involved? 38:22 - How Do We Get More Male Early Years Educators? 42:01 - How Will Tiney Develop Over the Next Few Years? 45:46 - What Does Tiney Do Better Than Anyone? 46:50 - How Can People Reach Out to Tiney? Brett co-founded Tiney.co in 2018,with a vision to enable affordable childcare for parents, high quality early education for children and amazing careers for childminders. Previously, he founded and led Teach First, building it into a $100 million company, and co-founded Teach For All, serving in various leadership roles for 12 years. He stepped down as CEO of Teach First in October 2017. Since December 1, 2018, he has also been the non-executive chair of NCS Trust, the UK's largest youth engagement program. Brett Wigdortz: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brett-wigdortz-obe-5ba64b X: https://x.com/Wigdortzref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Website: https://www.tiney.co/ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by:https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Join the waitlist for Anatomy of a Leader events: https://form.typeform.com/to/eDtmkFff Mark Curry is the co-founder of skincare brand The INKEY List. He’s here to tell you why you should embrace change, learn to experiment and develop your strengths, NOT work everything out straightaway. If you’re a fellow entrepreneur or an aspiring one, and are looking for inspiration on what makes a business flourish, then this episode is for you. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer and Introduction 04:49 - How Did the Idea of The Inkey List Arise? 07:30 - When Did You Realise You Wanted to be an Entrepreneur? 11:35 - Encountering Opportunities at University 16:03 - Getting Comfortable with Thinking Differently as a Teacher 23:40 - Have a Strengths-Based Career 28:50 - Why You Should Fail More 32:31 - How Do You Know When You’re Failing? 36:09 - Planning for Failure 40:13 - Early Objectives of the Inkey List 43:39 - Which Categories Worked? 48:15 - From Business Partners to Life Partners 54:57 - What Makes a Good Partnership? 01:00:35 - Conflict Resolution 01:00:53 - How Do You and Your Co-founder Differ? 01:05:07 - Inkey List’s Senior Leadership Selection Process 01:09:58 - What is the Biggest Business Lesson you’ve Learned? 01:23:06 - Why Copying is Good 01:25:12 - Advice for Your Younger Self 01:28:37 - Advice to Your Future Self Mark started out as a science teacher after graduating from university. He then pivoted to entrepreneurship in 2014, founding MAD Brands and We Are Sass, respectively. But it wasn’t until 2017 that skincare powerhouse - The INKEY List - was founded, together with his co-founder Colette Laxton. Mark Curry: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mark-curry-0472626b Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark__curry/ Website: https://uk.theinkeylist.com/ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Join the waitlist for Anatomy of a Leader LIVE events: https://form.typeform.com/to/eDtmkFff Follow Maria Hvorostovsky:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvoX: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovskyHVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by:https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Join the waitlist for Anatomy of a Leader events: https://form.typeform.com/to/eDtmkFff Geeta Sidhu-Robb is the founder of W CORP - certification and a movement to help organisations become spaces where women (whose needs, especially biological, have been largely ignored) can thrive. She’s an entrepreneur, life coach and activist. Geeta is here to share her story, and tell you why we all need to create systemic change in the infrastructure of the workplace. If you’re a leader wanting your company to be more inclusive and accessible to women’s needs or are a female executive deciding which company will be invested in your success, then tune in. Timestamps: 08:08 - Not Fitting into a Corporate Role 16:43 - The Trauma of Single Motherhood 26:17 - The Dangers of Being Completely Dependent 29:02 - Information is Your Only Gateway to Freedom 32:00 - Spotting the Reg Flags Earlier 35:18 - Do You Have a Better Radar for Bullshit? 38:20 - How W Corp Got Started 48:08 - W Corp’s Goal 49:02 - The Infrastructure is a Broken Pipeline for Women 50:55 - Where Can Female Candidates Go to Work? 51:39 - The Womanist Movement 52:28 - Why Women’s Rights are Starting to Reverse 53:24 - Have You Had Any Backlash From Men About W Corp? 57:34 - What Needs to Happen so a Woman With Children Can Work? Geeta Sidhu-Robb: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geetasidhu/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@geetasidhurobb?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geetasidhurobb/?hl=en W Corp: https://www.wcorporation.org/ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: Make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave an Apple Podcasts REVIEW

Join the waitlist: https://form.typeform.com/to/eDtmkFff Clara Batten is a TikTok comedienne, actress and author of “Gin and Phonics”. She’s here to show you that it’s never too late to find your passion. If you’ve got a passion you’re not sure about pursuing and need a friendly nudge to go get it, are interested in acting and comedy, or just want to have a laugh, then tune in. Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer and Introduction 02:40 - Starting a TikTok Account During the Pandemic 07:39 - Why Posting on Social Media is so Time Consuming 09:32 - More Followers More Problems 10:58 - Getting Noticed by Peter Andre, Jeremy Clarkson and Amanda Holden 14:47 - Taking Everything in Your Stride 16:53 - Turning 40 19:31 - Why Your 20s Aren’t the Best Years of Your Life 22:18 - The Endless Possibilities of Acting 28:44 - Stand Up Comedy 33:21 - Clara’s Bridget Jones Alter Ego 36:10 - Why Performing Live is Better than TV or Film 38:44 - Why a Lot of Actors Go Back to Doing Theatre 40:47 - The Creative Process 43:53 - Unexpected Challenges In Creating Content 46:16 - Using ChatGPT to Write Comedy Sketches 46:06 - Censoring Humour 49:04 - Posts She’s Regretted Posting 51:01 - Dealing With Haters 53:48 - Lip Syncing Trump and Taking the Piss Out of Boris Johnson 01:01:09 - Writing a Sitcom After giving up on her acting career and raising her kids, Clara Batten broke into the movie industry in her 40s. All thanks to social media. She started posting self-deprecating comedy sketches on her TikTok account during the pandemic, quickly garnering a huge following. She is co-writing a comedy series and recently acted in the Sky Original film A Christmas Number One. Clara Batten: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clara_batten_/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clara_batten_ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.

Donna Air is an actress, producer, and philanthropist. She’s here to talk about living life in the spotlight. If you’re a Donna Air fan and want to know more about her life, career and business ventures, then tune in to this episode! Timestamps: 00:00 - Similarities Between Actors and Entrepreneurs 06:51 - Why Donna Wanted to Be an Actress 16:41 - Scrutiny as a Child Star 19:34 - Why We Should Protect Kids From Social Media 24:18 - Going With the Flow 25:30 - Stressing About Everything in Your 20s 28:58 - Figuring Out Her Taste for Business 50:42 - How Your Goals Change Drastically From Your 20s 58:35 - Not Worrying About What Other People Think 59:55 - Not Needing to be the Star of the Show 01:08:53 - Why the Old School Business Model Doesn’t Work Anymore 01:12:52 - Advice for Female Entrepreneurs 01:17:43 - Donna’s Dream Role 01:22:25 - Why Do Young Women Put So Much Pressure on Themselves? 01:23:09 - Competitiveness and Competition 01:26:48 - Asking for Help is a Strength Donna Air began her acting career on the CBBC show Byker Grove, when she was just 10 years old, later forming the band Byker Groove! At 15, she moved to London, continuing music with Crush. In 1997, she joined MTV UK and later presented The Big Breakfast. She left MTV in 2000 to focus on acting, appearing in TV dramas and films like The Mummy Returns. She also presented on Live from Studio Five. Donna participated in ITV's Splash! in 2013 and Dancing on Ice in 2017. Since 2020, she’s been starring in BBC One's The Split. Donna Air: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnaair/ Maria Hvorostovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahvo/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahvo/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maria_hvo X: https://twitter.com/mhvorostovsky HVO Search: https://www.hvosearch.com Podcast filmed, edited and produced by: https://www.londonbeautyphotographer.com Need help HIRING – http://www.hirewithmaria.com LEAVE A REVIEW: If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts make sure to Follow, Rate, and leave a REVIEW.