40 Minute Mentor

Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Thomas Plantenga, the CEO of Vinted - Europe’s largest secondhand marketplace and Lithuania’s first-ever unicorn.  What started as a small Lithuanian startup in 2008 has evolved into a fast-growth business with millions of users, 2,000+ employees and a €5 billion valuation.  In today’s conversation, Thomas shares the ins and outs of his journey with Vinted, how it became such a global success, the biggest leadership lessons he learnt along the way and what’s next for the business with the launch of Vinted Ventures.  If you’re a founder or operator navigating scaleup challenges, this episode is a masterclass in turnaround strategy, culture building and leading with humility.  📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ Early years & the call that changed everything  [07:30] ➡️ Realising Vinted was in trouble [16:00]  ➡️ Spotting the first signs of growth [20:00]  ➡️ The hardest leadership lessons [23:00]  ➡️ The art of hiring at scale & psychological safety [27:00]  ➡️ Launching Vinted Ventures [36:40]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-p-19651414/?originalSubdomain=lt  ✨ More about Vinted: https://www.vinted.co.uk/  ⭐ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Jevan Soo Lenox, the Chief People Officer at WRITER, a leader in agentic AI for the enterprise.    Founded in 2020, WRITER helps businesses launch products faster, run deeper financial research and clinical trials. The high-growth startup is backed by some of the best investors, including Balderton, Radical Ventures, ICONIQ Growth, Salesforce Ventures, Adobe Ventures, and many more.   Before joining WRITER, Jevan already held multiple CPO roles in hyper-growth businesses, including Blue Bottle Coffee, Stitch Fix and inistro. In today’s conversation, Jevan shares a masterclass on the modern people function - from building AI-first cultures and scaling people teams globally, to hiring with self-awareness and building high-performing cultures.  If you’re a Founder, Operator or People leader building a hypergrowth culture or looking for ways to embed more AI into your teams, this episode is packed with valuable insights for you.  📚Episode Chapters:  ➡️ From McKinsey to AI -  Jevan’s career path [03:00] ➡️ Finding a calling in People & Culture leadership [04:00] ➡️ What makes a truly great Chief People Officer [09:30] ➡️ How technology and AI are transforming the People function [16:45] ➡️ Inside WRITER: culture, values and what “AI-first” really means [18:40] ➡️ When to hire your first CPO [23:00] ➡️ How to hire exceptional leaders [34:40] 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Jevan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jevansoolenox  ✨ More about WRITER: https://writer.com/  ⭐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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Season 14 of 40 Minute Mentor!  In today’s episode, we’re joined by Claire Davenport, a seasoned tech operator whose career spans investment banking at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, Chief of Staff at Skype, CEO roles at VoucherCodes, HelloFresh UK and Not On The High Street, as well as board and angel investing.  Today, Claire is a prominent figure in the Tech world as a NED, COO at Multiverse and Angel Investor. She is also a staunch advocate for women leaders, having founded WITSEND, a fast-growing network for C-Suite women in tech.  In this conversation, Claire shares candid lessons on leading in a crisis, making the leap to CEO, landing your first non-exec role, retaining top talent, and the real state of gender balance in executive leadership.  📚Episode Chapters:  ➡️ From banking to ops - Claire’s pivots & biggest lessons [08:12]  ➡️ The hardest chapter [13:00]  ➡️ Becoming a CEO [16:00]  ➡️ How headhunters can help your career advancement [18:00]  ➡️ What great C-level leadership looks like [22:00]  ➡️ How to land your first board seat [24:13]  ➡️ Attracting & retaining top talent [29:30]  ➡️ The power of peer mentorship & community [33:00]  ➡️ Women in leadership roles - the progress & gaps [35:30]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Claire: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-davenport-online/en  ✨ More about Multiverse: https://www.multiverse.io/en-GB  ✨More about WITSEND: https://www.witsend.online/  ⭐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 like: Where Are They Now: Sophie Adelman On Building A Community For The Curious Levelling The Playing Field: A Social Mobility Special From TopGun to Boardroom with Chris Severson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Season 14 of 40 Minute Mentor!  We’re so excited to kick off the season this Wednesday, and with that, the launch of episode 300!  Before we get into this new season, here is a short preview of the brilliant conversations we’ve got lined up for the coming 10 weeks.  If you’re new to 40 Minute Mentor, don’t forget to hit subscribe so you’re the first to hear about new episodes.  And don’t forget to dive into our archives of nearly 300 episodes of pocket-sized mentorship.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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