40 Minute Mentor

“I was most unhappy at work when I was making the most money and the biggest amount of success.” From a successful career at Google, to the journey of making 1 billion people happy.That is the story of Mo Gawdat, the former Chief Business Officer of Google X, author of Solve for Happy and Founder of One Billion Happy. It’s an episode full of wisdom, honesty and candid reflections. In today’s 40 Minute Mentor Replay, Mo shares his incredible story, including spending 25 years in tech and the devastating experience of losing his son in 2014 which set him on a completely new path. Today’s episode topics: ➡️  Heartbreak and loss, finding a new purpose in pain [04:31]➡️  The beginning of his happiness journey [06:34]➡️  Going viral with 1 Billion Happy [07:44]➡️  Committed acceptance in the face of grief [09:29]➡️  Anger lessons from Gandhi’s grandson [13:26]➡️  Mo’s work as a happiness engineer [15:27]➡️  The three ingredients for success [20:14]➡️  Finding your purpose by knowing what doesn’t resonate [23:12]➡️  The infinite game called life [25:08]➡️  Finding micro-purposes in the everyday [27:40]➡️  The power of making happiness a choice [33:05]➡️  Definition of happiness is and the golden age of compassion [34:32]➡️  Allowing yourself to be a mentee, using your circle of support [37:31] ➡️  The problem with being remembered… [39:34]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Mo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mogawdat/➡️ Find out more about One Billion Happy: http://onebillionhappy.org/➡️ Listen to Mo’s podcast, Slow Mo: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slo-mo-a-podcast-with-mo-gawdat/id1508914142 ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Globally, a third of all the food we produce each year gets thrown away. Meanwhile, 800 million people go to bed hungry, who could be fed with a quarter of the food we waste in the Western world.” Did you know that roughly one third of the world's food is wasted?Meanwhile, 1 in 9 people on our planet are either starving or malnourished...This is something today’s 40 Minute Mentor is on a mission to change. In today’s replay episode, we’re joined by Tessa Clarke, the Co-Founder and CEO of the popular sharing app Olio. Tessa’s career has taken her down many paths, including consulting and publishing to MD of eCommerce at Dyson. We first shared this episode three years ago, and the message is as important as ever, if not more so. Tune in to explore:➡️ Pivoting from consulting to Startup Founder [02:30]➡️ Creating your path in consulting [05:06]➡️ Transitioning from consulting to industry [06:40]➡️ The excitement of feeling the fear in new roles [08:15]➡️ Taking Dyson on a digital journey [09:14]➡️ Leadership lessons from James Dyson [12:53]➡️ The importance of surrounding yourself with people who will challenge you [14:06]➡️ Building a mission-driven career plan, Tessa’s journey to entrepreneurship [15:20]➡️ The lightbulb moment that started Olio’s journey [17:08]➡️ Tackling the food waste pandemic [18:19]➡️ Ambassadors helping you scale your mission-driven business [19:45]➡️ We are ‘theoretically more connected’ but more lonely - a focus on community [23:21]➡️ Championing diversity and prioritising at the board level [24:34]➡️ Advice for diverse Founders tackling biassed questions in fundraising [27:28]➡️ Recruiting from your community to tackle the hiring challenge [30:05]➡️ Top tips: How we can all contribute to combat the global food waste problem [32:54]➡️ Finding mentorship organically and learning from your peers [35:55] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Tessa Clarke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tecook/➡️ Find out more about Olio: https://olioapp.com/en/➡️ Check out Tessa’s ‘Where Are They Now’ episode: https://jbmc.co.uk/insights/40-minute-mentor/tessa-clarke-scaling-olio/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sir Clive Woodward, World Cup winning England Rugby coach, discusses topics such as learning from failures, handling pressure, creating psychological safety, and the transferable learnings between sport and business. He also emphasizes the importance of mentorship, learning from different perspectives, and embracing a fun and inclusive team culture.

That's a wrap on Series 10! And what a 12 weeks it has been. We have been joined by some incredible Founders and leaders, who have been refreshingly vulnerable, sharing the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journeys, with lots of wisdom and mentorship shared along the way. From building the Uber of volunteering, to changing the world with ethical AI, we have covered SO much in our tenth series and hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have. Thank you so much for all your support along the way - today your host, James Mitra, reflects on this latest series and what we have coming up next... ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Every business that I’ve founded has been on the brink of disaster, and one of the big lessons is that the business you started is never the business you end up with.”And just like that, we have made it to the final episode of Series 10 of 40 Minute Mentor.For our series finale, we’re joined by multi-exit Founder, Investor, board advisor and author - the brilliant Debbie Wosskow OBE. We cover a range of topics with Debbie, including her whirlwind journey as an entrepreneur - building and exiting incredible businesses, including PR and marketing consultancy Mantra (sold in 2007), Love Home Swap (sold in 2017) and AllBright (exit in 2022). All the way to today and her latest ventures - WJV LLP, a boutique investment and strategic innovation firm, championing diversity, wellness and economic empowerment, and The Better Menopause, empowering women’s performance at midlife through science-backed products. Debbie shares some truly candid insights from her journey as a Founder, including: ➡️ Growing up in an entrepreneurial family [04:20]➡️ Early beginnings selling scrunchies [06:30] ➡️ The power of being a “simple” entrepreneur and controlling margins [07:07]➡️ Bringing business & entrepreneurship into schools [08:33]➡️ A brief stint in management consulting & building her first business at 25 [11:36]➡️ How a Christmas film inspired the start of Love Home Swap [13:37]➡️ Serendipity and combining purpose with profit [15:35]➡️ Reflections on having fun, making money and not working with ar$eholes [17:17]➡️ Finding the resilience to keep getting back into the Founder seat [19:55]➡️ Making the shift from operational CEO to board advisor [21:34]➡️ Self-doubt, exhaustion, relationship strains: Founder realities [22:55]➡️ Finding comfort in a routine when things are falling apart [26:39]➡️ Building a network for women, by women - the early days and growth of AllBright [29:00]➡️ Building WJV LLP and going beyond angel investing [33:20]➡️ Putting women’s health top of the agenda & building The Better Menopause [36:54]➡️ Driving awareness at pace and supporting women through the menopause [40:22]➡️ Realities of building a business to exit & the conflicting emotions you’re left with as a Founder  [41:45]➡️ Audience question: Being remembered for the future of female entrepreneurs [46:45] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Debbie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiewosskowobe/➡️ Find out more about WJV LLP: https://www.wjv-llp.com/about-us➡️ Find out more about The Better Menopause: https://thebettermenopause.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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Paying people well and giving them lunches when they come to the office can be really good… but the best people are motivated by their growth and development.”For the final Monday episode of Series 10, we're joined by Steve Coulson, Founder and CEO of Kitt - the business that creates and manages custom HQs for the world’s most vibrant brands. Before Kitt, Steve built B2B parking platform and B2C app, JustPark, to 50,000+ locations and 5m+ drivers. Today, we discuss Steve’s entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned along the way, including: ➡️  From investment banking to Startup life [1:12]➡️  Entrepreneurial environment & his upside down career [04:35]➡️  Leaving JustPark and Kitt’s origin story [07:50]➡️  The deafening silence of entrepreneurship [11:12]➡️  From serving startups to the biggest brands in the world [13:49] ➡️  Building momentum & early lessons learned [14:55] ➡️  Navigating the pandemic and finding silver linings [18:44]➡️  The post-pandemic rush and revisiting fundraising [22:52]➡️  Unpacking the future of the office [25:30]➡️  Creating an amazing space for your team & culture [28:52]  ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-coulson-1521a743/➡️ Find out more about Kitt: https://www.kittoffices.com/en/➡️ Hear more from Kitt’s Co-Founder & COO, Lucy: https://jbmc.co.uk/insights/coo-secrets/coo-secrets-with-lucy-minton-co-founder-coo-at-kitt/ ⭐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 on  https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We live on an ocean planet, and we have this strange relationship where we assume it’s all been discovered, but it actually hasn’t…” For the penultimate week of this Series of 40 Minute Mentor, we’re joined by Steve Etherton, President EMEA of DEEP - an international research and development organisation who aim to become the NASA of the ocean. Having placed Steve Etherton with DEEP, when they were still in stealth mode, we’re so excited to finally be able to welcome him to the podcast and find out about DEEP’s mission to radically advance how humankind access, explore and inhabit underwater environments. Before joining DEEP, Steve spent 12 years in the British Army and a decade growing one of Africa’s fastest growing FinTechs. Tune in to discover:➡️  Finding the balance between entrepreneurship and the rest of life [03:35] ➡️  Starting his career in the Military & leadership lessons [06:51] ➡️  Transitioning out of the Army [08:02] ➡️  How Africa’s rocketship FinTech began and went on to raise $90 million [09:25] ➡️  Figuring out what type of COO you want to be [10:59] ➡️  DEEP’s mission to make humans aquatic [13:24] ➡️  Coming out of stealth mode & learnings from early build [18:04] ➡️  Tackling the climate crisis [21:10] ➡️  Developing underwater habitats [24:46] ➡️  Being driven, fearless and curious: an insight into DEEP’s culture & hiring practices [26:49] ➡️  Evolution of leadership styles [30:24] ➡️  Audience question: Understanding the oceans, a note for underwater living sceptics [32:48]  ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-etherton-91190a24/➡️ Find out more about DEEP: https://www.deep.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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I want to create my own space. I don't want to have to fit into someone else's whitewashed marketing… I want to create fashion that shows people like me.” In this week’s 40 Minute Mentor takeover, Samuel Tholley. Founder of Hidden Pages, is joined by Rosette Ale, Founder of Revival - a sustainable fashion label redesigning discarded clothes into contemporary designs for a cleaner and cooler planet. Samuel and Rosette know each other from university and have a really insightful and refreshing conversation in today’s episode, covering the following topics: ➡️ The start of Revival and the mind of a young entrepreneur  [01:31]➡️ Challenges of entering the fashion world [04:49]➡️ Mentorship, crowdfunding and being bold [07:34]➡️ Fostering a good mentor mentee relationship [12:06]➡️ The importance of representation and breaking down barriers [15:02]➡️ Diversifying the fashion industry [17:59]➡️ Shifting diversity from a tick box exercise [19:52]➡️ Accessibility to sustainability & mentality shifts [21:42]➡️ Doing your part towards living more sustainably and saving the planet [25:46]➡️ Where to follow Revival & Rosette’s journey [31:38] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Sam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-tholley-758135105/ ➡️ Connect with Rosette: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosette-ale/➡️ Find out more about Hidden Pages: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hidden-pages/ and https://www.instagram.com/_hiddenpages/?hl=en➡️ Find out more about Revival: https://www.revivalldn.com/ PLUS! If you want to hear more from Samuel and Hidden Pages, listen to his episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF_-blY_kUQ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You’ll make mistakes but that doesn’t matter - it’s all about speed and growth, but at some point you’ll have to go and clean up the room.” Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is Nicolas Brusson, Co-Founder & CEO of BlaBlaCar - the world’s leading community-based travel app enabling 26 million active members a year to share a ride in 21 countries.BlaBlaCar’s environmentally and human-friendly mobility network saves 1.6M tons of CO2 and enables 120M human connections every year.On top of leading BlaBlaCar, Nicolas is also an investor in many mission-driven brands, such as Ankorstore, Home Exchange and Dust, to name a few, so there is plenty to unpack in today's episode, including: ➡️ Becoming a father and closing a $10 million fundraising round [4:41] ➡️ Missed opportunities and keeping up with competition [06:42] ➡️ Bringing entrepreneurship into schools [09:55] ➡️ From Physics to VC and Entrepreneurship [12:32] ➡️ Rebuilding after mass layoffs [14:55] ➡️ The main lesson from the ups and downs of startup life [17:03]➡️ Advert: More about Kitt [25:29] ➡️ The origin and evolution of BlaBlaCar [26:39] ➡️ The shift in the sharing economy and building the ‘Airbnb for cars’ [29:00] ➡️ Recognising and surviving different phases of the business [32:35] ➡️ The danger in doing too many things, a turning point for BlaBlaCar [34:47] ➡️ Becoming a multi-model platform, expanding the carpool idea [36:46] ➡️ Navigating Covid without layoffs [37:39] ➡️ Reshaping and evolving your company culture [40:30] ➡️ ️Questioning company values and when they’re more than just a word on a wall [42:26] ➡️ Creating a culture of mentorship [43:50] ➡️ Audience question: The future of BlaBlaCar [46:54]⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Nicolas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasbrusson/➡️ Find out more about BlaBlaCar: https://www.blablacar.co.uk/➡️ More about our sponsors, Kitt: https://www.kittoffices.com/en/ ⭐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 on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I'm not surrendering to the peaks and troughs of social ways, acceptance and rejection. I'm standing firm in my core principles.”Today's podcast episode is a special one - it's a Hidden Pages' takeover. In this episode, Samuel Tholley, Founder of Hidden Pages is joined by Faith Locken, Founder and CEO of We Rise In - an award-winning business network with the mission to inspire, elevate and develop the careers of black professionals. Tune in to discover:➡️  We Rise In: on a mission to improve diversity at senior levels [2:46]➡️  How frustration led to Faith’s first startup [6:09]➡️  George Floyd and the resurgence of Black Lives Matter  [From 7:35]➡️  Finding mentorship in different forms [9:11]➡️  Building resilience on the lonely Founder journey [12:39]➡️  Mental barriers and supporting families in the black community [14:47]➡️  Backing yourself to work on your side hustle [19:20]➡️  Being passionate and discovering your why [26:19]➡️  Accountability and shining a light on reverse mentorship [27:11]➡️  Scaling We Rise In [29:44] ⛳ Helpful links:➡️ Connect with Sam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-tholley-758135105/➡️ Connect with Faith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faith-locken-710b2263/➡️ Find out more about We Rise In: https://www.werisein.co.uk/➡️ Find out more about Hidden Pages: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hidden-pages/ and https://www.instagram.com/_hiddenpages/?hl=en🎧PLUS! If you want to hear more from Samuel and Hidden Pages, listen to his episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF_-blY_kUQ ⭐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 on  https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices