40 Minute Mentor

In this 40 Minute Mentor bonus episode, you'll hear directly from your Host, James Mitra, as he recaps another brilliant 10 weeks of mentorship. James shares some of his own highlights from this season and shares more about our upcoming plans. If you haven't caught up on this season yet, make sure you scroll back through Season 13...and our 250+ episodes in the archives. 📣 Don't forget to check out our season sponsors: ✨ Capsule -  the neo-broker powered by cutting-edge API technology, redefining insurance for high-growth scaling businesses.  Capsule streamlines the insurance process, removing manual hassle and delivering tailored solutions that evolve with your business.  If you’re a venture-backed startup looking to outsource the buying and management of your insurance, head over to www.capsulecover.com to find out more.  ✨Foundation Partners - an Amplified People Group business, reinventing how ambitious, early-stage companies access People & Talent support. They offer a fully flexible, fractional People & Talent team with specialist skillsets and hands-on delivery that starts driving impact in just 2 weeks. As a 40 Minute Mentor listener, you can book a FREE 1-hour advisory call with a Managing Partner. Just head to www.foundationpartners.co.uk/contact and reference 40 Minute Mentor. ⭐ Enjoyed this season? ⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Adriana Restrepo, Co-Founder of crypto FinTech, Deblock.  Before building Deblock, Adriana spent 3 years at Revolut, overseeing People Operations and holding the COO role.  While she never expected to step into a Founder role, today, Adriana is building the world’s safest account for seamless management and exchange of crypto and cash, ensuring users truly own their money.  In this episode, you’ll hear more about the significant lessons she learned during her time at Revolut, the secret sauce that’s helping her build and scale Deblock, their impressive funding to date and what the future holds for Deblock and the Web3 space.  Episode Chapters:  ➡️ From Corporate life to fast-paced Revolut [04:30]  ➡️ Fundamental lessons from Revolut [11:30]  ➡️ Taking the leap into entrepreneurship [14:00]  ➡️ Building Deblock [17:00]  ➡️ More about today’s sponsor [20:00]  ➡️ Co-Founder dynamics & building a team [22:00]  ➡️ Celebrating wins [23:30]  ➡️ Fundraising & growing a diverse team [26:20]  ➡️ The impact of a great COO [35:00]  ➡️ The future of Deblock & Crypto [40:30]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Adriana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianarestrepo  ✨ More about Deblock: https://deblock.com/en-FR  📣Learn more about today’s sponsor:  Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group company.  Foundation Partners is reinventing how ambitious, early-stage companies access People & Talent support. They offer a fully flexible, fractional People & Talent team with specialist skillsets and hands-on delivery that starts driving impact in just 2 weeks.  As a 40 Minute Mentor listener, you can book a FREE 1-hour advisory call with a Managing Partner. Just head to www.foundationpartners.co.uk/contact and reference 40 Minute Mentor.  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also enjoy:  Zeynep Yavuz: Investing In Fintech, Crypto & Emerging Markets with General Catalyst Simone Maini: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome & The Future Of Crypto with Elliptic Scaling Teams & Building a High Performing Culture – A Roundtable Discussion with Amplified Group’s Dr Andy Meikle, Anouk Agussol & Andrew Richardson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining the discussion are Andrew Richardson, CEO of Amplified People Group, who specializes in finances and growth; Anouk Agussol, Co-founder of Amplified Group, focusing on leadership development; and Dr. Andy Meikle, Co-founder with two decades of experience in culture and talent. They dive into common pitfalls in building a company culture and the significance of defining core values. The trio shares insights on navigating employment laws, the emotional challenges of terminations, and the evolving role of AI in enhancing team performance.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Tamara Lohan MBE, Co-Founder and CEO of boutique hotel travel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith.  Tamara founded Mr & Mrs Smith together with her husband James in 2002.  Since then, the pair have been on an incredible journey, including scaling the business to over 1.5 million members worldwide, growing their distributed team, being awarded with an MBE for their services to the British travel industry, getting B Corp certified and being acquired by Hyatt in 2023.  In today’s episode, you’ll find out what it takes to build such an iconic brand and lots of actionable mentorship on how Tamara transitioned from CTO to COO and CEO.  📚 Episode Chapters:  ➡️ Childhood influences and early aspirations [05:20]  ➡️ The idea that sparked Mr & Mrs Smith [08:00]  ➡️ Challenges in the early days [13:00]  ➡️ Transitioning from CTO to COO [19:30]  ➡️ Transforming Leadership & navigating Covid [20:00]  ➡️ Learn more about today’s sponsors [24:00]  ➡️ Building an iconic brand [28:00]  ➡️ Hiring lessons [32:00]  ➡️ Building a remote culture [35:00]  ➡️ The resilience of the travel industry [38:00]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Tamara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaralohan  ✨ More about Mr & Mrs Smith: https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/  📣Learn more about today’s sponsor:  Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group company.  Foundation Partners is reinventing how ambitious, early-stage companies access People & Talent support. They offer a fully flexible, fractional People & Talent team with specialist skillsets and hands-on delivery that starts driving impact in just 2 weeks.  As a 40 Minute Mentor listener, you can book a FREE 1-hour advisory call with a Managing Partner. Just head to www.foundationpartners.co.uk/contact and reference 40 Minute Mentor.  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also enjoy:  Simon Franks: The truth behind exiting to Amazon and investing in hyper growth Startups with Redbus Ventures Radha Vyas: From £20m revenues to bankruptcy & rebuilding Flash Pack 2.0 Ben Stephenson: Building A Remote-First Startup Disrupting Travel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this engaging discussion, Simon Franks, a multi-exited entrepreneur and the Managing Partner of Redbus Ventures, shares his journey from founding Lovefilm to selling it to Amazon. He opens up about the bittersweet emotions surrounding that exit and contrasts the European startup landscape with its American counterpart. Simon emphasizes the importance of resilience and learning from failures, while also shedding light on his philanthropic work through the Franks Family Foundation, creating impactful projects in underserved communities.

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Nicky Goulimis and Nico Barawid, the Founders of early-stage FinTech Tunic Pay, the only fraud vendor designed specifically for scams. Prior to building Tunic Pay, Nicky scaled Nova Credit, the credit infrastructure and analytics company that enables businesses to grow responsibly by harnessing alternative credit data. And Nico built Casai, which was Latin America's largest short-term rental operator.  With so much experience in building successful FinTech ventures, this episode is a great listen for anyone thinking about starting a FinTech, or for anyone currently in the thick of scaling.  📚 Episode Chapters:  ➡️ Entrepreneurial traits from an early age [12:00] ➡️ Why FinTech [16:20]  ➡️ Key lessons from early ventures [18:30]   ➡️ More about today’s sponsors [23:20]  ➡️ Building teams without the vanity metrics [26:00]  ➡️ Flipping the script on ‘failing’ [29:00]  ➡️ The future of Tunic Pay [32:30]  ➡️ Taking the time to find investors [34:40]   ➡️ Using AI in startups [39:00]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Nicky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickygoulimis?originalSubdomain=uk  ✨ Connect with Nico: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicobarawid?originalSubdomain=uk  ✨ More about Tunic Pay: https://www.tunicpay.com/  📣Learn more about today’s sponsor:  Today’s episode is sponsored by Capsule, the neo-broker powered by cutting-edge API technology, redefining insurance for high-growth scaling businesses.  Capsule streamlines the insurance process, removing manual hassle and delivering tailored solutions that evolve with your business.  If you’re a venture-backed startup looking to outsource the buying and management of your insurance, head over to www.capsulecover.com to find out more.  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also enjoy:  Sho Sugihara: Financial Inclusion & Finding Your Purpose As A Founder Avion Gray: Raising the largest pre-seed round as a female Founder in EuropeDr Ben Maruthappu: Saving the UK Government £1 million every day by building Cera – the UK’s largest HealthTech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Dr Ben Maruthappu, Founder and CEO of Cera - the UK’s largest HealthTech and one of the fastest-growing startups in Europe.  We’ve all come across the headline of increasing pressures on the NHS and especially hospitals.  Cera is revolutionising Healthcare, using technology and AI to shift care from hospitalisation to patients’ homes, creating a more sustainable model for an ageing population.  In today’s episode, you’ll hear all about Cera’s origin story, how they have implemented AI so early on and why they’re still just scratching the surface of what’s possible within Healthcare.  📚 Episode Chapters:  ➡️ From Medicine to Entrepreneur [04:45] ➡️ Innovation within the NHS & common misconceptions [08:30]  ➡️ The personal origin story behind Cera [12:30]  ➡️ Early challenges [17:00]   ➡️ More about today’s sponsors [21:50]  ➡️ Leveraging AI in Healthcare [23:15]  ➡️ Getting more people interested in a career in care [28:30]  ➡️ The importance of getting hiring right [33:00] 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahibenmaruthappu?originalSubdomain=uk  ✨ More about Cera: https://ceracare.co.uk/  📣Learn more about today’s sponsor:  Today’s episode is sponsored by Capsule, the neo-broker powered by cutting-edge API technology, redefining insurance for high-growth scaling businesses.  Capsule streamlines the insurance process, removing manual hassle and delivering tailored solutions that evolve with your business.  If you’re a venture-backed startup looking to outsource the buying and management of your insurance, head over to www.capsulecover.com to find out more.  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also enjoy:  Dr Sonia Szamocki: The Future of Collaborative Healthcare with 32Co James Collier: How modern diets are failing us and Huel’s incredible growth journey Where Are They Now: A Lesson in Resilience & Pivoting with James Lo, Co-Founder of Ethos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by James Collier, a registered Nutritionist, Co-Founder of Huel and author of his brand new book, ‘Well Fed: How modern diets are failing us (and what we can do about it)’’. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about Huel’s growth journey, James’ new book and plenty of simple nutrition advice for you to implement in your day-to-day, no matter how busy you are.  📚 Episode Chapters:  ➡️ From bodybuilding to nutrition [03:30] ➡️ Starting & growing Huel [09:00]  ➡️ Health challenges & bouncing back [18:00]  ➡️ More about today’s sponsors [24:20]  ➡️ Five pillars of nutrition & the benefits of eating together [25:00]  ➡️ Debunking diet myths [34:00]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescollierrnutr/?originalSubdomain=uk  ✨ More about Huel: https://huel.com/  ✨ Grab your copy of ‘Well Fed’: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/well-fed-how-modern-diets-are-failing-us-and-what-we-can-do-about-it-james-collier?variant=53486729855355  📣Learn more about today’s sponsor:  Today’s episode is sponsored by Capsule, the neo-broker powered by cutting-edge API technology, redefining insurance for high-growth scaling businesses.  Capsule streamlines the insurance process, removing manual hassle and delivering tailored solutions that evolve with your business.  If you’re a venture-backed startup looking to outsource the buying and management of your insurance, head over to www.capsulecover.com to find out more.  ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also enjoy:  Rhiannon Lambert: The truth about diets & nutrition advice for busy execs  Dr Rupy Aujla: The accidental business that helps millions of people eat healthier every day Vivien Wong: Building Little Moons from a family business to a viral global brand Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor bonus episode, we’re introducing our brand new partnership with Ethos, the next-generation expert network using AI to match industry leaders with earning opportunities.  Tune in to find out why we decided to partner with Ethos and more about what James Lo is building, who it is for and why this is such an exciting opportunity for experts.  Plus, there’s a special offer up for grabs for you, so you really don’t want to miss it!  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ More about Ethos: https://app.askethos.com/refer/s0k23bl401cb ✨ Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yfjameslo?originalSubdomain=uk  🎧 You may also enjoy:  James Lo: From protesting on the streets of Hong Kong to raising £1.5m pre-seed for Mana  Vivien Wong: Building Little Moons from a family business to a viral global brand Zeynep Yavuz: Investing in FinTech, Crypto & Emerging Markets with General Catalyst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Vivien Wong, Co-Founder of Little Moons, the popular mochi ice cream brand. Vivien started her career in banking before spotting an opportunity in 2010 to bring mochi ice cream to Europe with her brother Howard. Fast-forward to today: Little Moons is a viral brand which launched in big retail brands in the UK and internationally, and has a team of over 200. Tune into this episode to learn about Vivien’s journey from the early days of building Little Moons at the family kitchen table to the global brand it has become today. 📚 Episode Chapters: ➡️ The origin of Little Moons [08:00]➡️ Launching into retail [15:00] ➡️ Tips for entering international markets [19:40] ➡️ Find out more about today’s sponsor [21:00] ➡️ Going viral on TikTok [22:00] ➡️ The biggest leadership lessons [28:30] ➡️ Hiring advice [32:00] 🔍 Find out more: ✨ Connect with Vivien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivien-wong-07804123?originalSubdomain=uk ✨ More about Little Moons: https://littlemoons.com/ 📣Learn more about today’s sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by Capsule, the neo-broker powered by cutting-edge API technology, redefining insurance for high-growth scaling businesses. Capsule streamlines the insurance process, removing manual hassle and delivering tailored solutions that evolve with your business. If you’re a venture-backed startup looking to outsource the buying and management of your insurance, head over to www.capsulecover.com to find out more. ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 🎧 You may also enjoy: Adrienne Adhami: How to make decisions in a world of endless choiceSimmy Dhillon: From Google to building the fastest growing healthy meal subscription business with SimmerDeirdre O’Neill: Breaking taboos and transforming women’s health with Hertility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices