The Business Leader Podcast

Built and sold a company, struggled with alcohol and mental health and launched an investment firm – and he’s still under 30. Dominic McGregor co-founded the award-winning marketing agency behemoth Social Chain, boasting clients such as Apple, McDonald's, BBC, and Boohoo.Social Chain grew to a business worth over £300m with 700 staff, alongside Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett. After exiting the business at the age of 27 and having gone through struggles of his own at the start, McGregor was certain that he could assist founders in their business ventures by imparting his knowledge and experiences gained from working at Social Chain. He co-founded Fearless Adventures, a venture capital firm that provides funding and support to founder-led businesses.We spoke to Dominic about developing his leadership style at a young age, tips to raise funding in a turbulent market, his sobriety and much more.Here's what we discussed:What would a younger you say about your career path to this point? (02:53)Could you give us an overview of your career? (04:19)How did you develop your leadership style? (09:09)Do you believe that being young worked in your favour when setting up The Social Chain? (12:20)After selling Social Chain, did you have any reservations about not having a business partner by your side in your next venture? ( 14:06)Could you tell us about Fearless Adventures? (16:19)You set up Fearless Academy, which is a fully funded course to make education free for anyone who doesn't have the means to be able to afford it. Why was this such an important part of the business that you wanted to start? (18:21)Why did you go back to university to study History after you sold Social Chain? (20:32)You've been open about having a problem with delegation previously, what advice would you have for people who are going through the same experience? (21:51)An early venture you started didn't work out, how did you handle that failure? (23:33)What was the most significant challenge you faced?(25:21)How do you personally deal with stress? (27:53)Social Chain came around at the perfect time in history. Do you think that you would have been successful at a different time in life? (30:22)How did you find your experience working with Government on its social media strategy? (32:44)What tips do you have for entrepreneurs going through the fundraising process?(33:34)The Good News Postcard: What was the defining moment for your company?(37:43)What makes a great business leader? (39:24)Thanks to Kiaran from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marmite: beloved by some, and loathed by others. Over the past few years, Matt Gubba has solidified himself as social media Marmite. What began as outspoken talk about the Government’s handling of the Covid-19 lockdowns developed into a rallying cry about the potential for Governments around the globe to limit personal freedom. But there is much more to this business leader than many social trolls are willing to find out.In this conversation with Matt Gubba, Founder and CEO of BizBritain, we cover the changing funding landscape, failure, creating the International Liberty Forum, and much more.Here's what we discussed:Could you tell us a little bit about your early entrepreneurial journey? (00:37)Could you tell us about what BizBritain does and what led you to set it up? (05:55)Where did your drive to support SMEs come from? (08:42)How has the funding landscape changed since you first set up the business in 2012? (10:33)How did you find taking the reins as CEO of BizBritain? (15:16)You’ve been a CEO for over 10 years now. Many leaders say the role can be quite isolated. How do you handle this? (17:26)Do you experience moments of self-doubt, and if so, how do you overcome them? (21:34)Do you believe the general view of failure has changed in recent years? (23:24)Do you feel that having entrepreneurialism in the family helped get you to where you are today? (26:29)Could you tell us about the International Liberty Forum? (29:00)With being very vocal during the Covid lockdowns and setting up the International Liberty Forum, you've been very vocal on behalf of the 'little guy'. Where do you think this mentality has come from? (32:40)Would you say you are a happy person? (36:14)The Good News Postcard: Who is your inspiration in business? (39:07)What makes a great business leader? (41:22)Thanks to Maria from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s safe to say that firing yourself is a rather unique experience in business. But this is an entrepreneur that has made a career of challenging the norm and thinking differently. Whether it’s taking on the male-dominated insurance industry or questioning the culture of high company valuations (AKA “Ponzi schemes”), she’s not afraid to blaze her own trail.With refreshing honesty and unwithering self-reflection, in this conversation with Sam White, Founder of Freedom Services Group & Stella Insurance, we cover being “unemployable”, leading teams across the globe, raising funding as a woman, and much more.Here's what we discussed:If we listed your achievements to date to a younger Sam White, what would her reaction be? (00:23)Were you an entrepreneurial person from a young age? (01:03)Could you give us an overview of your career to this point? (02:17)You describe yourself as “unemployable”, is that something you notice in your peers too? (05:28)You started a psychology degree at university, you have a podcast called “Human Business”, where does your fascination with the mind and what makes people tick come from? (07:20)You’ve fired yourself as CEO – could you tell us about that story? (10:16)You’ve always been a disruptor with your businesses, but as this disruptive native always been within you and how did it manifest itself? (13:43)Did you find that leading teams in the US and Australia were different to ones in the UK, and if so, how did you adapt your leadership style? (15:21)What has your funding journey been like? (19:25)You touch on female funding in your own podcast, have you been shocked at the stories you’ve heard on the podcast and in the female entrepreneurs you come across? (23:10)Have you noticed an improvement since you first started fundraising to now? (25:41)Do we need to change the relationship and view of failure, and did you notice a difference in the attitudes towards failure between the US and elsewhere? (31:47)What are your thoughts on the trend of companies raising a lot of money, with wild valuations, before even turning a profit? (37:48)The Good News Postcard: What is the hardest challenge you've ever faced as a business? (42:06)What makes a great business leader? (43:28)Thanks to Oscar from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest on The Business Leader Podcast rose to fame on Dragon’s Den having founded the male cosmetics brand War Paint. Danny Gray's most recent venture is JAAQ, an interactive mental health platform that gives users access to knowledge from experts and known figures with lived experience. We talk to Danny about building a brand in the face of hate, revolutionising an entire industry, and helping people manage their mental health.Here's what we discussed:What was your motivation for starting War Paint? (0:46)You got offers from all of the Dragons after your appearance on Dragons' Den. What was the post-show experience like? (02:41)What were you doing prior to founding War Paint? (04:34)The types of products you have in the War Paint range, like bronzer, foundation, primer, and concealer, are all things that have been a part of the make-up routines of many women for decades. Why do you think these products haven’t typically been adopted by men historically? (07:31)This industry is interesting because make-up branded for men is not saturated at all and you can look to the women’s cosmetic industry to see specific trends and issues. I think one issue that comes up in women’s cosmetics is make-up as a way to achieve perfectionism. How can you be an empowering cosmetics brand instead of perpetuating the issue you were trying to resolve? (13:08)How did you manage to deal with the initial hate you received on social media towards your brand from a business sense? (15:34)Is there such a thing as bad press? (19:29)Could you tell us about your new venture JAAQ? (22:17)Because mental health is sensitive and giving advice on health is serious. How do you ensure the platform is giving sound advice and abides by any ethical rules? (25:23)What is your strategy for scaling your businesses? (28:04)Founding a business, you inadvertently become a leader whether you like it or not. Are you a natural leader? (29:44)How do you manage your own mental health, along with the stress that comes from being an entrepreneur? (32:02)The Good News Postcard: What was the highest and lowest point in your career and how did you get through it? (37:05)What makes a great business leader? (39:08)Thanks to Heneh from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest on The Business Leader Podcast is Ezechi Britton MBE, a tech founder, early-stage investor and a seasoned NED. In addition to roles as chairman of Uome and Strategic Board Advisor for Venture Studio from Crisis, he is also a founding member at VC firm Impact X Capital and Code Untapped, which aims to help coding and tech professionals from minority and ethnic backgrounds access roles in financial services.Here's what we discussed:Could you tell us about your journey to this point? (01:45)What is it that motivates you to get involved in a business? (08:21)In a climate of uncertainty we're in currently, do you have a piece of advice that you give to the companies that you work with that could be relevant to our listeners? (12:33)Would you encourage business founders to remain confident through this period of uncertainty? (14:36)Can founders be optimistic about raising investment? (17:38)How could you get people from minority backgrounds to get investment in a way that's more sustainable? (21:09)What trends are you noticing in the tech space when it comes to diversity? (23:47)Do you feel the pandemic has deepened inequality in the tech sector? (28:55)Do you think the UK tech scene has the potential to match Silicon Valley? (31:23)The Good News Postcard: If you weren't a business leader, what would you be and why? (35:28)What makes a great business leader? (36:49)Thanks to Aleyna from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest on The Business Leader Podcast is Or Lenchner, the CEO of public data collection platform Bright Data. He is also the founder of the Israel-based digital media agency Dmarketing, and was a part of the founding team and head of customer relations for Trophit, a patent-pending technology company.We speak to Or about Bright Data's lawsuit against Meta, the differences between the Israeli and American tech scenes, the importance of public data for businesses, and much more.Here's what we discussed:Can you tell us a bit about your journey to where you are now? (00:38)Did you always want to be a CEO? (03:12)How does the CEO role differ to other C-Suite positions? (05:49)How important is it for businesses to utilise data to inform business decisions? (07:22)There has been a societal awareness about the use of data and controversy around data being unknowingly collected, or data breaches where information is leaked. How do you ensure that Bright Data technology is ethical and safe? (12:00)At the beginning of this year, Bright Data filed a lawsuit against Meta to protect access to public data that the tech company - formally Facebook - has tried to close access to. Why did you think this was important? (14:12)What’s the secret to scaling a business successfully and what characteristics are important to have in your core leadership team? (18:39)Did you come across any challenges working in a company that had been acquired? (21:25)Could you tell us about your journey to founding your own company before working at Bright Data? (23:21)How has your military experience helped your career in business? (25:50)As CEO, you have an important role in influencing and cultivating a company culture – what values do you think are important in this culture? (28:14)How does the tech scene differ in markets across the globe - for example Israel and the US? (30:16)The Good News Postcard: If you could choose to be any fictional character, which would it be and why? (32:56)What makes a great business leader? (33:45)Thanks to Tasmin from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest on The Business Leader Podcast is Manny Medina, the co-founder and CEO of Outreach, a Seattle-based sales tech company that reached unicorn status in 2018 and is valued at $5bn. He has previously held positions as CEO at the hiring platform GroupTalent and Director of Business Development for Microsoft.We talk to Manny about the secrets to facing adversity as a CEO, how he scaled a billion-dollar company, and the importance of product-market fit to success.Here's what we discussed:Can you tell us a bit about your journey to where you are now? (00:48)Do you believe your background being different to the normal story of a tech CEO has made you a better leader? (03:01)What attracts you to the idea of being a CEO of a company? (05:37)What do you think is the most important thing in leading a company as a CEO? (07:31)What is the secret to scaling a business to unicorn status? (10:51)When thinking about business development, what is the most important aspect of it? (14:13)How is the economic climate impacting your company and your users? How are you preparing the business for external strain? (17:21)What is the most challenging thing about being a CEO? (20:27)What does it take to be a great CEO and do you ever have moments of self-doubt? (25:49)How did you find the process of restructuring your business and transforming company culture? (29:08)Do you think diversity has been an integral part of Outreach’s success? (33:36)The Good News Postcard: What is the best and worst thing about your job? (35:39)What makes a great business leader? (37:14)Thanks to India from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest on The Business Leader Podcast is Sian Gabbidon, the Founder of Sian Marie, a UK-based premium loungewear company. She is a media personality with over 100K followers on Instagram and was the winner of the hit BBC show The Apprentice in 2018. Sian has grown her business from a small swimwear brand she founded in her bedroom, to a known loungewear brand with over 60K followers on Instagram.We talk to Sian about the secrets to creating a unique fashion brand, her experience on The Apprentice, and the role her personal brand has in the success of her business.Here's what we discussed:Could you tell us about your business journey up to this point? (00:45)What was it like becoming an overnight star from your appearance on The Apprentice and how did it affect your business? (05:34)Do you feel that the exposure from being on The Apprentice was more valuable to you then the investment? (07:39)You recently ended your partnership with Lord Sugar. What was the reason for this and was it an amicable split? (09:19)We're in a cost-of-living crisis and a recession is looming - how have you prepared your business for this? (10:52)Do you have any tips on how fashion brands can stand out in a saturated market? (13:48)You have 114,000 followers on Instagram – how important is it for your business for you as a person to cultivate your own personal brand? (16:33)Do you ever just want to turn off the public-facing part of your life because it must require a lot of upkeep? (21:32)Do you feel you received positive support from other business leaders after your win on The Apprentice? (24:40)You’ve expressed your opposition to fast-fashion brands and how unethical they are – how do you make sure your supply chain and the production of your clothing is ethical? (27:53)Does there need to be a collective psychological shift in the way consumers purchase clothing because of the impact its having on people and the planet? Will this change in our lifetime? (31:28)How did you develop your leadership style? (33:09)What qualities are lacking among today’s leaders? (36:14)The Good News Postcard: If you could live in any decade, other than this one, what would it be and why? (38:30)What makes a great business leader? (40:08)Thanks to India from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Embracing YouTube before most people had even heard of it, through perseverance and grit, Caspar Lee rose to become one of the biggest content creators on the planet.From his bedroom as a teenager in South Africa, he built his channel amassing a seismic following and leading him to collaborate with many of the world’s biggest stars including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Ed Sheeran and Kevin Hart.Caspar leveraged his success and co-founded a global influencer marketing business. The company operates globally with 100+ employees and boasts many of the world’s leading brands as clients, including Coca-Cola and Google. He also co-founded Creator Ventures, a $20m VC fund investing in start-ups alongside a syndicate of top creators, musicians, athletes and actors.Here's what we discussed with Caspar LeeCould you explain your background for our viewers? (00:47)When did people start to accept your career as a YouTuber? (02:56)When it comes to becoming a YouTuber, what would you say are the secrets to success? (04:17)What would you say to businesspeople who said they couldn't monetise YouTube? (05:36)How have you found the transition from YouTuber to entrepreneur? (07:32)How have you learnt your leadership skills? (09:31)Running a business of 100+ people is difficult, but especially at the moment. How are you finding this? (10:58)Are there any other markets you'd see yourself going into? (12:44)What do you look for in the businesses you invest in? (14:17)When investing, are you looking for a yield and exit at a certain time or do you have a long-term view of it? (16:23)There was a trend of companies celebrating fundraising instead of focusing on making money. Do you think this is starting to change? (18:04)What are your tips for people looking to raise investment? (19:56)Why do you do what you do? (21:51)Do you find yourself learning from other cultures a lot? (23:14)Do you feel that failure can be a good thing? (24:43)What makes a great business leader? (26:19)Would you like to go into TV? Dragons' Den for example? (27:12)Some people see money as the by-product of doing well - do you agree with that? (28:05)Answer the Internet: What does it mean to build a personal brand? (29:14)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is the founder and CEO of JBM, an executive search firm working with fast-growing tech start-ups and scale-ups. He is also the host of his own podcast, 40 Minute Mentor, which is one of the top careers podcasts in the UK.We talk to James Mitra about pivoting a business, the executive search market and much more. Here's what we discussed:Can you tell us a bit about your journey up until this point? (00:50)What has been a significant challenge you’ve faced in growing your business and how did you overcome this? (06:18)How did you know it was the right time to pivot your business? (14:54)What is a common challenge those in executive roles are facing right now? (18:44)It’s well-reported and known that we are experiencing a skills shortage in the UK. Why would say are we experiencing this? (25:37)Some experts have said that businesses that focus on talent acquisition will be one of the lucky businesses to succeed this year. Is there any way you are preparing your business to capitalise on this? (30:16)Is success based on hard work or luck? (35:09)Good News Postcard: If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be and why? (38:54)What makes a great business leader? (40:41)Thanks to India from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.