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In 1987 John co-founded The New Covent Garden Soup Co Ltd which pioneered and grew the fresh soup category in the UK. Daniels PLC bought New Covent Garden Soup Co in 1998. John then co-founded Glencoe Foods Inc., to bring the fresh soup concept to the US. In 2005, John co-founded Little Dish, which supplies healthy, natural and convenient meals and snacks to children over one year old. Little Dish created the chilled toddler food category for fresh toddler food and healthy snacks. John successfully exited Little Dish in 2017. John is an investor & Non-Executive Director providing value-added business growth advice, guidance and mentoring to business owners. John is a business thought leader and delivers keynotes on a range of entrepreneurial, management & motivational leadership topics: www.johnstapleton.eu/keynote-topics. John is resident business advisor to Bord Bia’s entrepreneurial start-up programme in Ireland and is investor director at Mission Ventures, a progressive business accelerator designed to build challenger brands in the UK, principally through Corporate Venture Partnerships (www.missionventures.co.uk). Find out more about John Stapleton via: LinkedIn and his website. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Jo Fairley is a businesswoman and writer. She co-founded the Green & Black’s chocolate company with Craig Sams, her husband, and has launched several other successful ventures since then.Jo did not enjoy school, left at 16 with six O-levels and learned shorthand and typing at a secretarial college. She got a job with a magazine publisher and worked her way up through the features department to become the UK’s youngest magazine editor at the age of 23.Her move into chocolate came when she happened to try a couple of squares of a sample sitting on the desk of her future husband, Craig Sams, a health foods entrepreneur.  Jo decided that it was the best she had ever tasted.  She bought two tonnes of chocolate for £20,000, using all of the proceeds from the flat she had just sold. She and Craig launched Green & Black’s in 1991 and sold the company to Cadbury’s in 2005. Find out more about Jo Fairley via: LinkedIn, Instagram,  & her website. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Wild is the UK’s first refillable plastic-free deodorant. Charlie Bowes-Lyon is a serial entrepreneur with a background in marketing, particularly focused on sustainable businesses. He co-founded Wild and runs their tech and marketing departments since launch. Wild sells sustainable, natural personal care products that are stylish, convenient, effective and reinvent how we think about everyday bathroom products. Launched in April 2020, Wild has a wide range of natural deodorants available on wearewild.com or in stores such as Sainsbury's, Boots and Waitrose. Wild’s products are made using natural ingredients and aim to remove single-use plastic waste from the bathroom. They are also vegan friendly and never tested on animals. With over 80 tonnes of plastic waste saved and 200,000+ trees planted around the world, Wild's mission to make the bathroom a more planet friendly place is only just beginning. Listen in to find out more about Charlie's journey to starting his business, viral marketing, fundraising and how they went about creating the UK’s first refillable plastic-free deodorant.Find out more about Charlie Bowes-Lyon via: LinkedIn. Find out more about We Are Wild via: website, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.  A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

A former lawyer, she started two ground-breaking businesses: the UK’s first coffee bar chain, Coffee Republic, which she grew to 110 stores and a £50 million market cap, and Skinny Candy, a market segment-defining brand of sugar-free sweets. Her first book, ANYONE CAN DO IT became a bestseller by demystifying the idea that entrepreneurship is an innate trait. Her latest, START UP FOREVER, stems from her experience working with large corporations over the last decade and addresses one of the most pressing questions now facing large organisations: how to be more entrepreneurial.Her mission is to connect the heart as well as the head in big business and distil the unnecessarily complex subject of innovation and entrepreneurial behaviour down into simple, actionable and human terms.Sahar is currently working on her exciting new project Buy Women Built launched in March 2022 to boost economic recovery by bringing consumer support and recognition to female founded businesses.Listen in to find out more about Sahar leaving her law career, starting a business, writing a book and starting Buy Women Built.Find out more about Sahar Hashemi via: Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Find out more about Buy Women Built via: website, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.  A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

David Buttress, who hails from Cwmbran in South Wales, joined JUST EAT in March 2006 to launch its UK business, and was appointed CEO in January 2013. David led JUST EAT in the UK from startup to becoming Europe’s largest technology IPO in a decade. JUST EAT has over 67,000 restaurant partners and 100+ cuisine types available to over 17 million customers worldwide.David is now a Partner at 83North – a global venture capital firm with offices in Israel and London. Described as one of UK’s standout entrepreneurs of the last decade, David got a taste for delivery-based businesses when he created his own newspaper-delivering service at the age of 11. David holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Law and Business from Middlesex University Business School and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Entrepreneurship. In 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 David was named Debrett's 500 Most Influential People in Britain. Named by Glassdoor as one of the UK's Top 5 CEO's 2015 and 2016. In 2014, 2015 and 2016 David was named London Evening Standard 'Progress 1000' London's 1000.Listen in to find out more about leaving corporate, taking a startup to IPO and exiting a business.Find out more about David Buttress via: LinkedIn and Twitter.   A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Best known for her time on Dragons' Den, Jenny Campbell is also widely known for her role as the founder of YourCash Europe. Having acquired her banking qualifications by attending night school, Jenny soon embarked on a rewarding career with The Royal Bank of Scotland. She was initially appointed as the Head of Operations for Hanco ATM Systems, which she ultimately had the opportunity to purchase and change into YourCash Europe. YourCash Europe flourished and boasted a huge fleet of ATMs across locations such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Jenny is favourably remembered for transforming a company with annual losses of £7 million into a thriving and highly successful business.  Before reaching the heights of fame as a celebrity investor, Jenny left school at 16 to pursue a role with NatWest as a cash-counter and cashpoint filler. Born into a family of bankers, Jenny was destined to succeed in the financial sector and later continued to enjoy a career with the Royal Bank of Scotland. When the Royal Bank of Scotland took over NatWest, Jenny was given an exciting senior role to aid in the integration of the two banks. From the first impact she had on the financial sector, Jenny has since developed strong skill sets in turning around failing businesses, exit plans, managing board rooms and investing in a business.  With such a successful career to her name, Jenny has been lucky to claim several awards. She has formerly been recognised as Ernst & Young Regional Finalist Entrepreneur of the Year and Vitalise Businesswoman of the Year in 2014. She has also claimed a Chartered Institute of Bankers prize and the Silver Award for Turnaround Entrepreneur at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2013. Outside of business, Jenny is a Vice-Chair of the Prince's Trust Enterprise Fellowship Programme and was invited to join the Guild of Entrepreneurs.  In 2020 she was elected as a Board Director of the UK Kennel Club. Founded in 1873 it is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Find out more about Jenny Campbell via: Twitter and Instagram.   A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Your Juno was founded by two sisters: Margot and Alexia. Margot de Broglie is the co-founder of Your Juno, building a financial education platform - think “the Duolingo of money”. Users can learn about any financial topics via its app, including negotiating a raise, buying a property, and becoming an investor. "Money was never a taboo at home. We were raised by a single mom who was very financially savvy and encouraged talking about finance at the dinner table." Unsurprisingly, both Alexia and Margot went on to study and work in economics and finance. “During the pandemic - as markets came crashing down - we noticed a huge difference in the types of conversations we were having with our guy - and girlfriends. Men were talking about their crypto investments and bragging about their returns, whereas women were never speaking about investing." This is when they discovered the gender gap in financial literacy. In almost every country, women are both less knowledgeable and confident when it comes to finance. Founded over 2 years ago, the company has raised over $2.5m. Margot has been awarded Forbes 30 under 30 for her work, and has been featured in the BBC, Stylist, Glamour, the Financial Times and more. Find out more about Margot de Broglie via: Twitter and LinkedIn.   Find out more about Your Juno via: website, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Alex Partridge is one of the pioneers of social media content the way we know it today. At age 21 in 2010, whilst a student at Oxford Brookes University, he founded UNILAD, one of the most popular social news and entertainment Internet companies in the world with an astonishing following of 50 million people around the globe. In 2012, Alex founded LADBible which would also grow to become a social media juggernaut. In 2017 Alex was involved in a major legal dispute over the ownership of UNILAD – he had left his editorial role in 2013 while remaining a shareholder – and won the case. Now fully detached from both brands, Alex is a mental health advocate. He has been praised for his raw vulnerability; unashamedly opening up to audiences about how litigation turned him into an alcoholic. After a three year legal tussle that ended in the high courts, Alex was successful in winning his company back. However, the excessive drinking landed him in hospital twice and nearly cost him his life. At age 34 years old, Alex was diagnosed with ADHD and now has quickly become a leading voice on LinkedIn around neurodiversity. His impassioned views on entrepreneurship and neurodiversity has quickly amassed him a following of over 30,000 people. Find out more about Alex Partridge via: LinkedIn and Instagram. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Rosie Fortescue - the jewellery designer and famous alumnus of the original Made in Chelsea. With her trend setting, enviable fashion sense, Rosie Fortescue has always been a go-to for style advice and inspiration. Rosie began running her successful blog, At Fashion Forte in 2014 and has been collaborating with desirable fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands since entering the media limelight in 2011. In 2015, Rosie launched her own London based Demi-Fine jewellery line, Rosie Fortescue Jewellery where her hand cuffs, heartbeat rings and huggy hoops garnered the attention of recognised fashion royalty including Olivia Palermo, Ella Eyre and fellow influencer, Niomi Smart. On her Instagram, Rosie has collaborated with brands including Bicester Village and Victoria Secret, and is a long term Ambassador for Jo Malone. Listen in to find out more about Rosie’s journey from starting her blog site and business through to joining the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business UK Programme and her favourite pieces from her collection. Find out more about Rosie Fortescue via: Instagram and LinkedIn.   Find out more about Rosie Fortescue Jewellery via: website, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.   A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

This week's guest is Chris Sheldrick, co-founder & CEO of what3words. what3words is a global address system that has assigned three-word labels to all of the 57 trillion 3-meter squares that make up the surface of the earth. With a background in the music industry, Chris noticed that traditional addresses for venues and precise stage doors or loading bays were not accurate enough. As a result, he set out to make a simpler version of addresses using just three words…meet what3words. Focusing on the entire world, Chris and his co-founders faced a huge challenge during targeting. Receiving lots of opinion on where to direct the business, the team identified a combination of these which worked for them. Having never fundraised previously, Chris explains that there’s no written playbook and talks through just some examples of funding which may be suitable for some businesses. There’s a lot to learn from such an industry changing business in a unique space. Partnering with large companies such as Intel, Mercedes, Ikea, Sony, Deutsche Bahn, Subaru, Motor Corp, Channel 4, Aramex, ITV, Horizons Ventures, & Alpine Electronics is an essential part of what3words’ strategy.Listen in to find out more about what3words. Find out more about Chris Sheldrick via: LinkedIn and Twitter.   Find out more about what3words via: website, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Harriet Hastings launched Biscuiteers in 2007 after identifying a gap in the market for luxury food gifting. Over the past 15 years she has grown the business from a small startup to a unique artisan business working at scale and employing over 150 people.  Biscuiteers’ beautiful hand-iced biscuits are sold directly online as post-able biscuits and are available to buy in retailers including Selfridge’s, Hamley’s, Harvey Nichols, and at the Royal Palaces. Outside of the UK, Biscuiteers ships to countries around the world, with the US and Australia the next biggest markets after the UK. Corporate clients include Google, Barclays, Chanel and Christian Dior.   The business is headquartered in Wimbledon at the Ministry of Biscuits, a purpose-built head office and bakery, where over 3 million biscuits are iced each year. In 2012, Biscuiteers expanded its offering, opening the world’s first ever Icing Cafe located in Notting Hill where both adults and children can learn how to ice like a Biscuiteer. It now has an additional flagship location in Belgravia (opened in 2021) where customers can see live icing on display for the first time.  Biscuiteers holds the license for Paddington, Mr Men, Beatrix Potter, The Snowman, the RHS and Monopoly, and has achieved some impressive biscuit feats over the years, having recreated Covent Garden, Leeds Castle and Waddesdon Manor in gingerbread, the latter taking 500 hours to complete. In 2022 it even got the royal seal of approval with a Biscuiteers x Buckingham Palace collection created with the Royal Collection for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Listen in to find out more about Harriet's journey and how she was able to collaborate with fantastic brands. Find out more about Harriet Hastings via: LinkedIn. Find out more about Biscuiteers via: website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing!   Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!   Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Nick Telson is an exited founder from DesignMyNight in 2017 for $30-$40m and has since invested in over 55 startups across US, UK, Latam and Africa, through his investment arm, Horseplay Ventures.Nick’s career started off in marketing at L’Oreal before starting DesignMyNight in 2010. DesignMyNight grew to 100+ employees, 15,000 SaaS customers and 8 million monthly uniques on the website with minimal angel funding. Nick and his co-founder exited to Access Group in 2017. Nick has been recognised as one of the UK's leading entrepreneurs by The Huffington Post and won startup awards from The Guardian and RealBusiness/Disrupt. He has a global top 3 business podcast around investing and pitching called Pitch Deck and is now co-founder of his second startup, in the sales operations space, called trumpet. Find out more about Nick Telson via: website, Instagram and LinkedIn. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you! Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Nick Wheeler first had the idea for Charles Tyrwhitt shirts - to make the best shirts, using only the finest materials, at great value, with unbeatable service - whilst studying Geography at Bristol University in 1986; He used his middle names - Charles Tyrwhitt – more anonymous (and better sounding!) than “Nick Wheeler shirts” The first brochure was a one-page leaflet with 8 shirts and 8 ties.  After a stint with strategy consultancy Bain & Co, Nick went “full-time” in 1990.  After being left £8,000 from a great aunt, Nick used the money to purchase the English dream: an Aston Martin DB1. One year later he sold the same car for an eye-watering £75,000 profit. This profit became the funding that set Nick up to become the powerhouse he is now.  Success was steady, but the leaflet grew to four catalogues a year. This led to the opening of a shop on Jermyn Street in 1997, a website in 1998 and overseas expansion with stores in Paris (2001) and Madison Avenue, New York’s (2003). There are now 45 stores worldwide.  The product range has developed from just shirts and ties to suits, shoes and a full casual offering. Today the business is a multi-channel retailer and a leading British brand.  Charles Tyrwhitt’s mission today remains true to Nick’s founding principles - to provide quality and value, and to deliver them to the customer with unrivalled customer service.  Nick is also a non-executive director of The White Company. He is married to Chrissie Rucker, founder of the White Company. They have four children and live in Oxfordshire.  Find out more about Charles Tyrwhitt via: website, Instagram and LinkedIn. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you! Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Morten Toft Bech is an entrepreneur and investor who started Meatless Farm in 2016 to help reduce the world’s dependency on intensively farmed meat. He and his family had struggled to find a meat replacement that the whole family enjoyed and that wasn’t too expensive. In 2018, the company launched its original fresh mince in UK retailer, Sainsbury’s. It is now one of the UK’s fastest growing plant-based brands, available in over 20 countries with major retail and foodservice partners.  Morten has a finance background and is a serial entrepreneur within the technology sector. He has combined his passion for plant-based eating, entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen to help create a brand ripe for global growth. Listen in to find out more about Morten's first venture, Meatless Farm's journey and how to scale your business globally .Find out more about Morten Toft Bech via: LinkedIn.  Find out more about Meatless Farm via: website, Instagram and LinkedIn.  A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you! Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

W Series is a free-to-enter championship that provides equal opportunities for women and eliminates the financial barriers that have historically prevented them from progressing to the upper echelons of motorsport. By placing all participants in identical cars, the series ensures that talent takes precedence. Since its inaugural season in 2019, W Series has created the greatest number of professional women racing drivers of all time. In 2021, W Series entered a new landmark partnership with Formula 1 and supported the world’s premier motor racing series at seven Grand Prix weekends. This year, W Series will stage 10 races at eight Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends across three continents, including a first-ever race in Asia. Catherine Bond Muir may not seem the obvious candidate to have founded the world’s first all-female single-seater motor racing championship. A former intellectual property solicitor, in 2000 she moved into corporate finance and spent more than a decade working on sports and gaming deals. This included the sale of Chelsea FC to Roman Abramovich and the acquisition of Aston Villa by Randy Lerner. After a career break following the birth of her first and only child relatively late in life, she was ready for a new challenge.  W Series was born at Catherine’s dining table. As a lifelong motorsport fan with treasured childhood memories of watching James Hunt racing on the television, she saw that, while women’s sport was generally enjoying a boom in popularity, the situation was only getting worse for women in motorsport. It has now been 46 years since a woman competed in a Championship Formula 1 Grand Prix, and it is W Series’ mission to change this.  Catherine Bond Muir was voted one of the Top Ten Most Influential Women in Sport in 2021 by iSport connect. She is currently a Board Director of Motorsport UK and Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Motorsport UK.  Listen in to find out more about W Series and Catherine's thoughts on Lewis Hamilton taking the knee at Formula One.  Find out more about Catherine Bond Muir via: LinkedIn and Instagram.  Find out more about W Series via: website, Instagram and LinkedIn.  A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you! Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Named by Debrett’s as one of Britain’s 500 most influential people, Darren Westlake is co-founder and CEO of Crowdcube, the pioneer and leader of the equity crowdfunding industry. Inspired by his own experiences as an entrepreneur raising finance, Darren’s idea for Crowdcube was driven by the ambition to democratise investment and diversify the sources of funding available to businesses. Since launching Crowdcube in 2011 with co-founder Luke Lang, Darren has helped establish Crowdcube as a mainstream funding option for ambitious startups and growth-stage businesses, such as Monzo, Revolut, CityMapper, Pip & Nut, Mr & Mrs Smith, what3words and Freetrade. To date, Crowdcube has helped more than 1,300 companies successfully fundraise. With more than 1.3bn members, a total of £1bn has been invested on the platform to date. Today, Darren is leading the company’s vision to create a world where everyone has a share in business. Connect with Darren Westlake via: LinkedIn. Find out more about Crowdcube via: website, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!  Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Monga’s has held an imperial legacy of fine craftsmanship in Haute and Pret Couture since 1996. India-born founders, Mr Arun Monga & Mrs Reena Monga started their humble journey. The company began by exporting fashion to other designer boutiques in the UK in 1996, but customer popularity led the business to open its first boutique in London in 2004. Since then it has built up a reputation as one of the leading Asian designer brands in the world. Now the family’s young millennial Ankit Monga and Akriti Monga who have expanded Monga’s avenues to a great extent are holding the baton of the company. Opened new stores in Green Street, London in addition to a bigger store in 60-66 The Broadway, Southall and soon will be launching a brand new bespoke haute couture studio in New Delhi and the Midlands. Monga’s manage its manufacturing unit in India with more than 700 skilled employees and artisans. With an immense experience of more than three decades of creating artful creations. Monga specialises in designing outfits from inspirational pictures or something clients have imagined! Listen in to find out more about how Monga’s started, Ankit’s experience of joining the family business, managing teams around the world and the celebrities they have dressed. Find out more about Ankit Monga: LinkedIn and Instagram. Find out more about Monga’s via: website and Instagram. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!  Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Elizabeth Scarlett Petrides is an entrepreneur, conservationist and artist. One of the UK’s fastest-growing luxury accessories, homeware and personalised gifting brands. The brand has sold directly to over 120,000 customers in the UK alone and is stocked in Anthropologie, John Lewis, Fortnum & Mason, as well as other leading luxury boutiques and stores nationwide. Encouraged by her grandad, an entrepreneur and hobbyist painter, Elizabeth has painted animals and wildlife from a young age.  Inspired by nature and travel, Elizabeth’s iconic hand-drawn designs are embroidered onto beautiful fabrics to create design-led collections. Each year, the brand commits to giving back to the wildlife that inspire the designs. To date, over £200,000 has been raised for wildlife charities. Elizabeth has built exciting partnerships with the likes of The White Company, Birchbox, Bobbi Brown, L’Occitane and Estee Lauder. Looking forward, Elizabeth’s mission is to reduce Elizabeth Scarlett’s footprint and become a leading benefactor of wildlife charities across the world. Listen in to find out more about how Elizabeth Scarlett’s journey began! Find out more about Elizabeth Scarlett via: website and Instagram. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!  Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Vivien Wong is the co-founder of Little Moons, a mochi ice cream brand. Vivien grew up in North West London and spent many of her formative years helping out at her parent’s bakery. It was there that her passion for high quality ingredients and artisanal recipes was first sparked. She went on to study at the University of Reading before beginning her career at Barclays where she qualified as a chartered accountant and worked for four years. Spotting the opportunity to bring mochi ice cream to Europe and believing that her and her brother Howard were in the perfect position to do so, she left her job in the city and set up Little Moons in 2010. It took two years to perfect the process and recipes before Little Moons began selling their mochi into restaurants, including high street favourites such as Yo! Sushi and Wagamama as well as higher end restaurants like Nobu and Sushi Samba. The business went from strength to strength and in 2015 Little Moons launched into Whole Foods, subsequently gaining listings on Ocado in 2016 and in Waitrose in 2017. Little Moons is now available across a range of supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrison's and Asda.  Connect with Vivien Wong via: LinkedIn. Find out more about Little Moons via: website, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!  Connect with Start Up. Start Now. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Dhruvin Patel is an optometrist and entrepreneur encouraging a healthier relationship with technology in the digital age. Since receiving a development grant from City University in London, he has built Ocushield into an internationally distributed, MHRA medically rated product and established himself as a leading authority on blue light, its impact on vision and quality of life.It all started with a dissertation, which led to a research project, which led to the products Ocushield sell today.  Dhruvin has been featured on Dragons' Den, Forbes, The Guardian & USA Today - talking about eye health and blue light. With Ocushield, Dhruvin has helped sell over 200,000 + Ocushield products in 70 countries to protect consumers eyes. He was also named a finalist for Health Tech Founder of the Year at the 2018 Tech Founder Awards and Health Entrepreneur finalist at the 2021 Great British Entrepreneurs Awards.Watch Dhruvin on Dragon's Den Connect with Dhruvin Patel via: LinkedIn and Instagram. Find out more about Ocushield via: website, Instagram and Twitter. A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you!  Connect with Start Up. Start Now. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.