The Entrepreneurs

How can smart leaders turn a crisis into an opportunity? Summa Equity’s Norwegian founder Reynir Indahl talks about how the 2008 financial crash inspired him to rethink traditional investment models and focus on tackling global challenges. Plus: how a health scare led to a career shift for the founder of a German company helping business people to speak for themselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medical-doctors-cum-entrepreneurs Paul Jaklin and Amanda Bianca sought a creative escape from their high-pressure jobs. In 2020 the couple launched Dazurelle, a Zürich-based lifestyle brand that contrasts the monochromatic hospital environment with the colours of everyday experiences.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Stefano Canali, CEO of the Canali Group, a family-owned luxury menswear brand celebrating its 90th anniversary. He discusses the role of physical retail in delivering a comprehensive brand experience and what it means to be “Made in Italy”. Plus: Monocle’s Natalie Theodosi joins the show with a fashion-industry forecast.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaëtan Gaye launched Alpagota in October 2023 after spotting a gap in the €130bn eyewear market. Less than a year later, the brand is growing rapidly across Europe and Asia, bringing a fresh approach to eyewear maintenance. Gaye stops by Midori House to tell us how it happened.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s Petri Burtsoff tours the Northvolt Ett factory in Sweden, one of the largest EV battery plants in the world, to explore the company’s mission to revolutionise green energy. Plus: Andrei Danescu, co-founder and CEO of Dexory, discusses how his business’s autonomous robots and AI-powered platform are transforming warehouse operations for major clients such as Maersk and DB Schenker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you tackle urban loneliness? Kindred founder Anna Anderson talks about creating a community space in Hammersmith that blends co-working, dining and events to foster real connections. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Josh Bradshaw and Charlie Karlsen, founders of luxury catering company Opus 11, who tell us about creating high-end, bespoke dining experiences for their impressive roster of clients, including major fashion brands such as Chanel, Cartier and LVMH. Then we head to Switzerland to meet the owner of a Zürich-based watch brand focused on local craftsmanship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia Lisovska discusses the origins of Tivoli, her family-run furniture company in Ukraine, and its mission to overcome the challenges posed by Russia’s invasion. She discusses the company’s response to the crisis, the resilience of Ukrainian businesses and the importance of showing Ukrainian design to the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gonzalo Gout and Larissa Lawrence, co-founders of Vinos Enteros, turned their shared passion for wine and hospitality into a successful wine-import business in Mexico City. They discuss how cultural exploration has shaped the company, allowing them to bring unique Old World wines to Mexico’s culinary scene, and the operational challenges of running a business in the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janaïna Milheiro shares the story behind her specialisation in featherwork and her mission to rethink luxury design through materials. She talks about her creative process, the sustainability of using feathers as a byproduct and the growing interest in the discipline among young designers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.