Crisis What Crisis with Andy Coulson

Andy Coulson
  • 4.5 (17)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Biweekly

Hard-earned lessons from people who've faced the worst and come back stronger. Hosted by Andy Coulson. Follow for weekly insights into the art of the rebuild. Crisis What Crisis? is powered by Kingsley Napley — the lawyers you want in your corner when the pressure is on. Visit kingsleynapley.co.uk

  1. HOMESERVE FOUNDER: Going from broke to billions | Sir Richard Harpin

    23h ago

    HOMESERVE FOUNDER: Going from broke to billions | Sir Richard Harpin

    Sir Richard Harpin wanted to be an entrepreneur since before he knew the word. He sold conkers in the playground, bred and sold rabbits in his garden, ran a tuck shop from his school locker, and by 15 was bunking off chemistry to cash cheques with the bank manager. In this special episode of Crisis What Crisis – recorded in front of a live audience at the Walbrook Club in the City of London – Andy sits down with the founder of HomeServe, the company Richard built over 30 years and sold in 2023 for £4.1 billion. Richard was knighted in the 2024 New Year Honours. His Sunday Times bestselling book, How to Make a Billion in Nine Steps, is out now. This episode is for anyone who has ever wanted to start something, scale something, or is simply looking for guidance on how to manage the day-to-day crises of running a business. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters, and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley. Visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. FIVE BUSINESS LESSONS FROM SIR RICHARD HARPIN 1) Copy. Richard didn't invent the HomeServe model – he openly admits that he copied it (and then did it better). If someone else is doing it and it works, the risk is lower. 2) Prove the model before you scale it. HomeServe burned through half a million pounds trying to grow a loss-making business. With modern technology, Richard says, you really don't have to do that. 3) The best time to build is when conditions are hardest. Comfortable conditions produce cautious thinking. The best businesses are built with their backs against the wall. 4) Admitting the mistake is often the fastest route out of it. Richard told the stock market he'd wasted £130 million, wrote off the assets, and said sorry. The share price went up £250 million the same day. The market doesn't punish honesty. It punishes opacity. 5) Not taking a risk is itself a risk. Staying still has a cost that compounds invisibly. The test isn't whether the risk is scary. It's whether you can live with not taking it. CHAPTERS 04:52 – Why Richard wanted to be an entrepreneur 10:35 – His first businesses 13:28 – What working at P&G taught him 19:22 – How HomeServe started 19:22 – Running out of money at Christmas 21:07 – Taking investment at the wrong terms 22:00 – The moment he nearly quit 23:00 – The £50 letter that saved the business 24:43 – The importance of copying 25:34 – Why he hired someone to replace himself 27:06 – Breaking America 30:01 – The £100m mistake he made publicly 30:59 – How he structures his day 36:10 – Negotiating a £4.1bn exit 37:37 – What selling actually feels like 38:55 – Why he's still working 42:25 – His advice on AI and careers 44:46 – Starting over with nothing BUY SIR RICHARD'S BOOK How to Make a Billion in Nine Steps – Sunday Times Bestseller https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Make-Billion-Nine-Steps/dp/034944644X FOLLOW SIR RICHARD HARPIN LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharpin/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/richard_harpin/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@richard.harpin FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod FOLLOW THE WALBROOK CLUB This episode was recorded live at the Walbrook Club, London. Special thanks to Philip Palumbo and his team for hosting us. Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thewalbrookclub/

    46 min
  2. ANYA HINDMARCH'S CRISIS COMPASS

    May 26 ·  Bonus

    ANYA HINDMARCH'S CRISIS COMPASS

    Dame Anya Hindmarch started her global fashion business on a gap year trip to Italy aged just 18. Four decades on, she is the founder of one of Britain's most recognisable brands – worn by the Princess of Wales and a new holder of a royal warrant from Queen Camilla. In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Anya to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns on her darker days – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. CHAPTERS: 01:00 A Person 01:36 A Habit 03:01 A Comfort 03:45 A Piece of Advice BUY ANYA'S BOOK If In Doubt Wash Your Hair – https://www.anyahindmarch.com/products/if-in-doubt-wash-your-hair-paperback-book-in-paper-off-white FOLLOW ANYA: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anyahindmarch/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@anyahindmarch FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    4 min
  3. ANYA HINDMARCH “Everyday is a crisis when you’re running a business”

    May 20

    ANYA HINDMARCH “Everyday is a crisis when you’re running a business”

    Dame Anya Hindmarch started her global fashion business on a gap year trip to Italy aged just 18. Four decades on, she is the founder of one of Britain's most recognisable brands – worn by the Princess of Wales and a new holder of a royal warrant from Queen Camilla. Anya joins Andy for a candid conversation about courage, control and how treating fear and excitement as the same emotion has proved to be her superpower. This is a masterclass in resilience from a founder who has dealt with the ‘daily stomach punches’ of being an entrepreneur POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by @kingsleynapley – visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. FOUR BUSINESS LESSONS: Doubt is your friend. Don't try to silence it. The moment you stop being scared is the moment things will go wrong.Cling on to your equity. Getting investment isn't winning a prize. When you do it the hard way, you stay in control.Be honest about the journey. Admitting what you've got it wrong buys you more credit than pretending you've got it right.Sometimes you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette. You will get things wrong. Get them wrong, correct, and learn. CHAPTERS: 03:09 – Learning to accept that in life you’ll never be fully satisfied 06:47 – How Thatcher's Britain created a generation of founders 08:19 – Dyslexia and the entrepreneur's brain 15:55 – Starting at 18 with no network, no internet, no clue 18:09 – "Stupid determination" – the trait every founder shares 20:09 – The lonely years of building a business 21:17 – Anxiety vs stress 24:07 – Why imposter syndrome is healthy 24:58 – I'm Not A Plastic Bag: changing national behaviour with a £5 product 27:35 – Honesty as a brand strategy 30:10 – Building a blended family without dropping the business 35:06 – The mistake of stepping away as CEO 40:16 – Buying it back: how to turn a crisis into a restructure 41:32 – Localising in a global business 44:20 – Her creative process 46:30 – Outside investment: why she'd tell founders to wait 48:08 – Perspective: what a child's illness teaches a CEO 52:06 – Brand Britain – what we're selling and what we're missing 54:41 – AI: "Stop moaning and get really good at it" BUY ANYA'S BOOK If In Doubt Wash Your Hair – https://www.anyahindmarch.com/products/if-in-doubt-wash-your-hair-paperback-book-in-paper-off-white FOLLOW ANYA: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anyahindmarch/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@anyahindmarch FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    57 min
  4. ESTHER GHEY'S CRISIS COMPASS

    May 12

    ESTHER GHEY'S CRISIS COMPASS

    Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington in February 2023. What followed — the campaigning, the memoir, the forgiveness, the compassion — has made her one of the most consequential reform voices in contemporary British life. In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Esther to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns on her darker days – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. Esther is the founder of the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project and Peace in Mind UK, a social enterprise focused on mental health in schools. She launched the Phone Free Education campaign, has campaigned in parliament, and last month received an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester. She was named The Independent's Most Influential Woman of 2024. Her memoir Under a Pink Sky, published by Penguin, is out now in paperback. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. CHAPTERS: 01:16 A Person 02:04 A Habit 03:10 A Comfort 03:39 A Piece of Advice FOLLOW ESTHER GHEY: Instagram – www.instagram.com/esther.ghey/ Peace in Mind UK – www.peaceinminduk.com Under a Pink Sky – available now in paperback FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    5 min
  5. ESTHER GHEY: The fight to free children from their phones

    May 5

    ESTHER GHEY: The fight to free children from their phones

    In February 2023, Esther Ghey's 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in a park near their home in Warrington, in a premeditated attack by two 15-year-olds. Today, Esther is a bereaved mother, but she is also one of the most significant voices for social reform in contemporary British life. She founded the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, co-launched the Phone-Free Education campaign with Kate Winslet, and has helped force a national reckoning on children, smartphones and social media. She was named the Independent's Most Influential Woman of 2024 and a GQ Hero. Her bestselling memoir Under a Pink Sky - now available in paperback - is a searing and hopeful account of love, loss and rebuilding. It is one of the most breathtaking tales of resilience I have ever read. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. FIVE LESSONS FROM ESTHER: Grief doesn't get easier – you learn to build your life around the hole the person left.Don't blame other people for your own decisions.Perception is everything: You can walk the same street looking down at the dog mess or up at the blossom – the choice is yours.Mindfulness isn't a wellness trend. It's a tool that rewires how you respond to stress.Compassion costs nothing. CHAPTERS: 03:56 – The cherry blossom and the sign 05:20 – Growing up with mum 07:55 – Leaving school with no GCSEs, becoming a mum at 18 09:13 – The sludge-green walls and the addiction 12:17 – Why she refuses to blame anyone but herself 15:43 – Going back to school in her 30s 16:07 – Discovering mindfulness 17:51 – When Brett became Brianna 21:17 – The phone, the bedroom, the 3am email 27:24 – The day it happened 30:16 – The dream that became acceptance 32:47 – What she'd say to anyone in early grief 34:35 – Grieving in public 36:33 – Why she won't name the killers 37:55 – Meeting Emma 43:23 – Building Brianna's legacy 48:05 – Could I have done more? 51:16 – Phones don't build resilience 54:26 – Where the campaign goes next FOLLOW ESTHER GHEY: Instagram – www.instagram.com/esther.ghey/ Brianna Ghey Legacy Project – www.instagram.com/briannagheylegacyproject/ Phone-Free Education – www.instagram.com/phonefreeeducation/ BUY ESTHER'S BOOK: Under a Pink Sky – www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Pink-Sky-Esther-Ghey/dp/0241738733 FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    56 min
  6. KATE BOWLER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 points of navigation for when life flips upside down

    Apr 28 ·  Bonus

    KATE BOWLER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 points of navigation for when life flips upside down

    Kate Bowler is one of the most thought-provoking voices on pain and suffering you'll ever encounter. Living her dream life – married to her high school sweetheart, a baby boy, and her dream job – she was diagnosed with stage four cancer just as everything fell into place. In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Kate to discuss her Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that she turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. We'd love to know yours, let us know in the reviews... Kate is a four-time New York Times bestseller, professor at Duke University, host of the Everything Happens podcast, and author of an exceptional Substack. Her latest book, Joyful Anyway, hit the shelves this month. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. CHAPTERS: 00:49 A Person – Be a Roger: the quiet librarian who showed her what service really looks like 01:47 A Habit – Praying with her son every night 02:27 A Comfort – Roadside America, a 40-foot ceramic turtle, and how she befriended Tom Holland 03:49 A Piece of Advice – "It comes undone though, so don't skip to the end" BUY KATE'S NEW BOOK: Joyful Anyway – www.amazon.co.uk/Joyful-Anyway-Finding-Delight-Impossible/dp/1037202562 FOLLOW KATE BOWLER: Instagram – www.instagram.com/katecbowler/ YouTube – www.youtube.com/@katecbowler TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@katecbowler Substack – https://katebowler.substack.com/ Podcast – Everything Happens FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    5 min
  7. KATE BOWLER: Everything DOES NOT happen for a reason

    Apr 21

    KATE BOWLER: Everything DOES NOT happen for a reason

    At 35, Kate Bowler had the life she'd always wanted: she was a Duke University professor, married to her high school sweetheart, with a one-year-old son. Then she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Today, Kate is a five time New York Times bestselling author, host of the Everything Happens podcast and one of the most inspiring and unique voices on the subject of suffering, the myth of the prosperity gospel and the reality of the human condition. POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. FIVE LESSONS FROM KATE: Don't trust your 2 am self. Your 2 a.m. self is despairing and terrified.People want to help. Give them small, specific ways to show they love you.Put an expiry date on bitterness.Saying yes opens up untold opportunities – often it’s worth it.Happiness is cheap. Meaning isn't. A happy person isn't necessarily living a meaningful life – they're often just extremely lucky. CHAPTERS: 04:42 – Defining resilience 10:49 – Growing up with depressed person 14:46 – The prosperity gospel 16:48 – When it all came apart 20:33 – The diagnosis 22:07 – Performing gratitude 35:23 – Rules for surviving cancer 43:33 – The reality of being cured 45:12 – Joyful Anyway 48:19 – The happiness industry 51:23 – On stoicism 55:35 – Fear, sharks and risk 58:18 – Tasked with love BUY KATE'S NEW BOOK: Joyful Anyway – www.amazon.co.uk/Joyful-Anyway-Finding-Delight-Impossible/dp/1037202562 FOLLOW KATE BOWLER: Instagram – www.instagram.com/katecbowler/ YouTube – www.youtube.com/@katecbowler TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@katecbowler Substack – https://katebowler.substack.com/ Podcast – Everything Happens FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    1h 1m
  8. NICK WHEELER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools for navigating crisis

    Apr 14 ·  Bonus

    NICK WHEELER'S CRISIS COMPASS: 4 tools for navigating crisis

    Charles Tyrwhitt founder, Nick Wheeler, started the business with just £99, a Morris Minor (with a hole rusted through the floor), and zero understanding of how you make a shirt. Today, it’s a £400m global empire – but his story is one not short of tragedy. In this bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis, I sit down with Nick to discuss his Crisis Compass. The four points of navigation that he turns to in order to help survive a crisis – a person, a habit, a comfort and a piece of advice. We’d love to know yours, let us know in the reviews... POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY: I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on. This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details. CHAPTERS: 00:49 A Person – Learning from your children's fresh perspective 01:33 A Habit – 474 days of Duolingo (and still can't speak Italian) 02:32 A Comfort – Singing on a Brompton around London 03:12 A Piece of Advice – Stop stressing about what you can't change FOLLOW CHARLES TYRWHITT: ‪@charlestyrwhitt‬ Instagram – www.instagram.com/charlestyrwhitt/ YouTube – www.youtube.com/c/charlestyrwhitt TikTok – www.tiktok.com/discover/charles-tyrwhitt Website – https://www.charlestyrwhitt.com/uk/home FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

    4 min
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Hard-earned lessons from people who've faced the worst and come back stronger. Hosted by Andy Coulson. Follow for weekly insights into the art of the rebuild. Crisis What Crisis? is powered by Kingsley Napley — the lawyers you want in your corner when the pressure is on. Visit kingsleynapley.co.uk

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