Building The Brand with James Burtt

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Building The Brand is a Top 50 business podcast for people who don’t just want success stories - they want to understand how success is actually built. Hosted by James Burtt, each episode features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, and creators behind standout brands. This isn’t surface-level storytelling. This is a tactical break down of real decisions, trade-offs and lessons behind standout brands Past guests include world-renowned business and entrepreneurial figures Gary Brecka, Grant Cardone, Joe Foster, Mark Victor Hansen and John Lee Dumas. Not how to. This is how you.

  1. 4d ago

    Diary Of A CEO Trailer Editor Anthony Smith: 450+ Trailers, 1.5B Views & Why Going Viral Is A Trap

    Can one self-taught editor change how an entire industry promotes its content? Anthony Smith is the former Diary Of A CEO trailer editor who helped transform podcast promotion from simple social media clips into cinematic, emotionally charged miniature movies. Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial Want more from Building The Brand - connect here: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter After struggling to break into the film and television industry without money, contacts or formal training, Ant started his own production company and taught himself to edit because he could not afford to employ an editor. That decision eventually led him to work on major campaigns involving Bond, Star Wars, Disney and Marvel before joining The Diary Of A CEO when the team consisted of fewer than ten people. Over the next four and a half years, Ant created or oversaw more than 450 podcast trailers, helping turn Steven Bartlett’s podcast into one of the world’s biggest media brands. His documentary-inspired storytelling, cinematic sound design and emotionally driven editing style helped redefine how podcasts, creators and brands promote long-form content. You will hear: ▪️Working on campaigns involving Bond, Star Wars, Disney and Marvel ▪️Joining Diary Of A CEO when the team had fewer than ten people ▪️Why Steven Bartlett told Ant not to study other podcasts ▪️Turning podcast trailers into cinematic miniature documentaries ▪️The storytelling principles behind more than 450 trailers ▪️How music, sound design and editing can provoke emotion ▪️Why Diary Of A CEO’s trailers helped define the brand ▪️Why copying the Diary Of A CEO style will not work for every business ▪️The 15-point mindset checklist used to train trailer editors ▪️Why brands must create content from first principles ▪️The difference between building a brand and chasing attention ▪️Why going viral can become an addictive and destructive cycle ▪️How vanity metrics cause brands to abandon their identity ▪️Why a million views may produce no customers or meaningful community ▪️How AI and human creativity can work together 0:00 — Has Ant Smith changed the podcasting industry? 4:00 — Growing up believing success happened to other people 8:17 — Working on Bond, Star Wars, Disney and Marvel campaigns 13:10 — Pressure, burnout and becoming addicted to difficult work 17:50 — Joining Diary Of A CEO for an “easier” creative role 19:49 — How cinematic trailers transformed the podcast 21:15 — Turning a podcast into a global media show 23:31 — Ant’s first day with Jonny Wilkinson and Wretch 32 30:01 — Why Steven Bartlett told him not to watch other podcasts 32:10 — Creating the first Diary Of A CEO trailer 34:05 — The first and final trailers that bookended Ant’s journey 37:28 — Creating and overseeing more than 450 trailers 38:25 — An estimated 1.5 billion episode views and what comes next 40:24 — Why copying successful content causes industries to stagnate 47:18 — How trailers helped define the Diary Of A CEO brand 48:50 — Why brand building should be treated as an art form 55:22 — Creating different identities for new podcast brands 59:59 — The 15-point mindset checklist behind effective trailers 1:01:32 — What brands get wrong about short-form content 1:03:27 — Why going viral can become a destructive addiction 1:05:28 — The dopamine crash that follows viral success 1:09:45 — Leaving the world’s biggest podcast 48 hours earlier 1:10:23 — Why success left Ant feeling empty and worthless 1:12:49 — The friendships behind Diary Of A CEO’s growth 1:15:10 — Leaving a powerful brand and questioning your own value 1:16:54 — What comes after Diary Of A CEO? 1:17:40 — Stepping into the unknown without another job 1:18:14 — Building a better relationship between AI and creativity 1:20:29 — Challenging the belief that employment equals safety 1:22:07 — Reflecting on a career that changed podcast promotion

    Diary Of A CEO Trailer Editor Anthony Smith: 450+ Trailers, 1.5B Views & Why Going Viral Is A Trap

  2. Jul 22

    Danny Gray: From Scaling Steven Bartlett’s Diary Of A CEO To Partnering With Beta Squads’s Sharky Launching LVLS In 750 Retail Stores From Day One

    Can losing your father, losing the business you built in his honour and taking a job you never expected become the foundation for your biggest opportunity? Danny Gray is an entrepreneur, commercial strategist, former Commercial Partnerships Director within Steven Bartlett’s business ecosystem and co-founder of LVLS, a wellness brand launched into 750 Boots stores from day one.  After losing his father to Parkinson’s disease, Danny became driven to build businesses that improve people’s health, going on to launch an award-winning functional nutrition restaurant before joining Steven Bartlett’s early team, helping build the commercial engine around The Diary Of A CEO.  Through his Venture Capital fund building, he has now co-created Hide, stocked in 1,000 Tesco stores, and launched LVLS alongside Beta Squad’s Sharky, brokering a deal to get the product into 750 Boots stores from day one.  In this episode, Danny explains how Levels secured major retail distribution before launch, reduced its funding requirements through smart payment terms, built authentic creator partnerships and set out to make wellness more fun and accessible for everyday people.  Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial  Join the Building The Brand newsletter: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter Key Moments:  0:00 — Losing His Dad Two Weeks After Launch 1:21 — Danny Gray: Entrepreneur and Levels Co-Founder 2:14 — How Money, Shame and Family Created His Drive 6:53 — His Father’s Battle With Parkinson’s Disease 10:58 — Opening a Restaurant Before Losing His Father 15:05 — Creating a Functional Medicine Restaurant 18:54 — Building One of London’s Breakout Restaurants 20:09 — Manifestation as Tactical Business Planning 23:38 — The Final Phone Call From His Father 27:00 — Sleeping in the Restaurant to Pay Staff 30:09 — Why Founders Cannot Outwork Grief 34:41 — Scaling Into Google, Chelsea FC and Retail 39:22 — Pivoting From Restaurants to Healthy Ready Meals 42:45 — Joining Steven Bartlett With Three Bullet Points 45:39 — Commercialising The Diary Of A CEO 48:40 — Leaving Steven Bartlett to Become a Founder 51:33 — Why Taking a Job Is Not a Step Backwards 55:58 — Launching Hide Into 1,000 Tesco Stores 57:46 — Athlete Equity Deals and Business Ownership 1:01:01 — Identifying the Mainstream Wellness Opportunity 1:03:46 — Launching Levels Into 750 Boots Stores 1:05:34 — Retail First vs Direct-to-Consumer Strategy 1:07:24 — How to Structure a Mutually Valuable Deal 1:09:40 — Partnering With Sharky From Beta Squad 1:11:33 — Why Creator Equity Beats Celebrity Endorsements 1:18:32 — Why the Wellness Industry Is Too Serious 1:21:25 — Building a Wellness Brand for Everyday People 1:23:18 — Entering the Crowded Electrolyte Market 1:28:20 — Building a Business to Make His Son Proud 1:31:15 — Funding a 750-Store Retail Launch 1:32:19 — Negotiating Payment Terms to Protect Cash Flow 1:34:16 — Taking Risks and Building Without Regret

    Danny Gray: From Scaling Steven Bartlett’s Diary Of A CEO To Partnering With Beta Squads’s Sharky Launching LVLS In 750 Retail Stores From Day One

  3. Jul 15

    Bedroom Startup To $100M Exit In Under 10 Years… But What Is The Cost Of Success?

    Can a working-class entrepreneur build a £50 million revenue business from his spare bedroom, sell it for $100 million and still hold on to the things that matter most? Andrew Hulbert is the founder of Pareto Facilities Management, the bootstrapped business he grew from a laptop in his bedroom to £50 million in annual turnover, 550 employees and a $100 million business exit. Watch more episodes:https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial Want more from Building The Brand? Connect here: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter Andrew explains how Pareto competed against multibillion-pound facilities management companies by being more agile, flexible and customer-focused. He reveals how that strategy helped the company grow organically from £18 million to £32 million in a single year. ▪️How Andrew built Pareto Facilities Management from his bedroom to £50 million in turnover ▪️The working-class upbringing that shaped his ambition and work ethic ▪️Why his original financial freedom target was only £2 million ▪️How customer-first flexibility helped Pareto grow during COVID ▪️Growing organically from £18 million to £32 million in one year ▪️How smaller businesses can compete against multi-billion pound corporations ▪️Why hiring senior leaders helped scale beyond the founder ▪️Building a powerful B2B brand in an unglamorous industry ▪️Using networking, PR, awards and major client names to create authority ▪️Winning brands including Twitter, Yahoo, Bulgari and London Zoo ▪️How Pareto won a £2.3 million contract while turning over only £1.5 million ▪️The brutal family sacrifice behind Andrew’s business success ▪️Answering 835 due diligence questions and completing a $100 million exit KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 — The real sacrifice behind Andrew’s $100 million exit 2:10 — Going all-in on Pareto for 10 years 3:24 — Working-class roots and the original £2 million exit target 6:45 — Why the founder eventually becomes the bottleneck 10:36 — How COVID became the catalyst for Pareto’s growth 13:43 — Growing organically from £18 million to £32 million 16:46 — Turning a business crisis into a competitive opportunity 26:56 — PAUSE POINT: Building a B2B brand around mission 29:29 — The £104 billion facilities management opportunity 39:30 — Learning business inside a chaotic SME 43:29 — The corporate takeover that triggered Pareto 46:06 — Networking before you need something 49:17 — Using awards to build authority and credibility 54:31 — Risking his marriage, house, money and reputation 1:11:47 — Winning a £2.3 million contract at £1.5 million turnover 1:17:35 — PAUSE POINT: Choosing premium clients intentionally 1:21:10 — Putting his daughter down to answer a customer 1:33:41 — 835 due diligence questions in three and a half weeks 1:36:54 — Decompressing after the exit and rebuilding family life 1:45:17 — Andrew’s next 10-year chapter

    Bedroom Startup To $100M Exit In Under 10 Years… But What Is The Cost Of Success?

  4. Jul 8

    3.3B Views A Month... How Benjy Leslie Built The UK's No.1 Social First Talent Agency In Just 6 Years!

    Can a 20-year-old with no experience turn one TikTok creator into a £250,000 opportunity and build one of the UK’s most respected social-first talent agencies?Benjy Leslie is the founder and CEO of Connect Management, one of the UK’s leading creator talent management and influencer marketing agencies. In just six years, Connect has grown from a lockdown start-up into a major force in the creator economy, working with social-first talent, YouTubers, TikTok creators, brands, agencies and some of the biggest names in modern media.Want more from Building The Brand - connect here:https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterConnect with Benjy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjy-leslie-837b64144/In this episode, Benjy explains how he made £250,000 from one creator in three months, why social media is “the free lottery” for founders, how Connect Academy generated £1m for micro-creators in its first year, why brands need to move beyond one-off influencer campaigns, and why the future belongs to creators, entrepreneurs and businesses that can build attention, adapt quickly and turn content into long-term brand value.▪️How Benjy Leslie built Connect Management during lockdown ▪️Turning one TikTok creator into £250,000 revenue ▪️Why energy, belief and naivety can beat experience ▪️How creators become salespeople, media brands and business owners ▪️How Connect Academy generated £1m for micro-creators ▪️Why brands need to move beyond one-off influencer campaigns ▪️How YouTube shows are shaping the future of branded content ▪️Why social-first creators are changing TV and media ▪️Building culture through incentives, rewards and high standards ▪️Why founder content drives clients, talent, trust and recruitment ▪️Why social media is the free lottery for entrepreneurs ▪️Launching Connect Management in America without losing culture KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 — Why social media is the free lottery 1:33 — 3.3 billion views and the bedroom start-up story 3:43 — Making £250,000 from one TikTok creator 5:14 — Naivety, belief and early-stage founder energy 6:05 — What Connect Management does for creators 7:02 — Connect Academy and the creator pathway 10:06 — What makes a creator commercially valuable 13:21 — Using data and AI to track creator trends 15:05 — Scaling to 60 staff while staying bootstrapped 19:51 — PAUSE POINT: Culture as a business growth strategy 24:53 — Best boss PR, incentives and sales motivation 30:52 — Why brands get influencer marketing wrong 31:05 — YouTube shows and the future of branded content 33:08 — Why creators need patience and consistency 37:57 — Targeted sales, attention and commercial logic 40:24 — Why great salespeople listen and move on 47:17 — Why TV is not dying, it is evolving 49:39 — 360 talent management and creator brands 51:30 — PAUSE POINT: Evolution, relevance and content strategy 54:41 — Why founders should treat social media as the free lottery 58:11 — Recruitment, founder brand and social proof 1:00:14 — Launching Connect Management in America 1:02:43 — Selling Fletcher Holman to Wolves through social media 1:03:59 — PAUSE POINT: Finding million-pound ideas in unexpected places 1:06:58 — Scaling without losing company culture 1:10:30 — Ronaldo, Haaland and authentic content

    3.3B Views A Month... How Benjy Leslie Built The UK's No.1 Social First Talent Agency In Just 6 Years!

  5. Jul 8 ·  Bonus

    PREVIEW: Benjy Leslie On Building a 3.3B View Creator Agency

    Benjy Leslie is the founder and CEO of Connect Management which has grown from lockdown start-up into a social-first talent agency representing the biggest names in modern media.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE NOW

    PREVIEW: Benjy Leslie On Building a 3.3B View Creator Agency

  6. Jul 1

    YO! Sushi Founder Simon Woodroffe: Prison, Rock ’N’ Roll, Starting At 45 & Building One Of Britain’s Most Iconic Brands

    Can rebellion, enthusiasm and one strange idea change your entire life? Simon Woodroffe, founder of YO! Sushi, YOTEL and the wider YO! brand, shares the extraordinary journey from boarding school, rebellion, prison, rock and roll stage design and TV rights to launching YO! Sushi at 45 and building one of Britain’s most recognisable modern brands.  Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial Want more from Building The Brand - connect here:https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter Get Simon’s book YO! Man:https://yo.co.uk/yoman/ ▪️Why Simon believes enthusiasm is the trait behind his success ▪️Why rebellion can become entrepreneurial fuel ▪️Going to prison and how it changed Simon’s life ▪️How Simon became a rock and roll stage designer ▪️Working around Rod Stewart, Queen, ABBA, Jethro Tull and major live shows ▪️Spotting the opportunity in music TV rights before the market existed ▪️Why the best founders can be early to a market without being reckless ▪️How a lunch meeting sparked the idea for YO! Sushi ▪️Why conveyor belt sushi, robots and Japanese culture felt like the future ▪️Launching YO! Sushi at 45 with his own money on the line ▪️How word of mouth turned YO! Sushi into an iconic British brand ▪️The story behind YOTEL and building a brand across multiple verticals ▪️Why Simon still believes in YO! Home, YO! Airships and future YO! concepts KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 — The trait behind Simon’s success 2:06 — Boarding school, authority and rebellion 7:17 — Getting arrested and going to detention 12:43 — Working on yourself as a founder 16:31 — PAUSE POINT: Work on yourself 23:31 — Intensity, enthusiasm and leadership 28:32 — Becoming a rock and roll roadie 32:06 — Band, brand and live spectacle 38:00 — Spotting the music TV rights opportunity 43:06 — Being early to new markets 45:04 — PAUSE POINT: Early or mistaken? 49:24 — The lunch that sparked YO! Sushi 52:04 — Researching and believing in the idea 55:13 — Gut instinct vs market research 56:35 — YO! Home and future living 1:02:09 — Opening YO! Sushi to an empty room 1:02:50 — The queue that lasted five years 1:05:24 — Growing YO! Sushi and YOTEL 1:08:26 — PAUSE POINT: Unrelenting enthusiasm 1:13:57 — Simon’s advice for entrepreneurs

  7. Jul 1 ·  Bonus

    PREVIEW: Yo! Sushi Founder Simon Woodroofe: Prison, Rock N' Roll & Conveyor Belt Sushi

    Simon Woodroffe, founder of YO! Sushi, YOTEL and the wider YO! brand, shares the extraordinary journey from boarding school, rebellion, prison, rock and roll stage design and TV rights to launching YO! Sushi at 45 and building one of Britain’s most recognisable modern brands. Full episode out now on APPLE | SPOTIFY | AMAZON MUSIC

    PREVIEW: Yo! Sushi Founder Simon Woodroofe: Prison, Rock N' Roll & Conveyor Belt Sushi

  8. Jun 24

    He Lost His Fashion Empire… Then Raised £4M To Build A Brazilian Beer Brand Taking On The Drinks Industry Giants

    Can you lose a multi-million-pound fashion business almost overnight… and still come back to build a brand in a completely different industry? Charles Gay is the founder of Favela, the Brazilian-inspired beer brand bringing sunshine, culture, gluten-free lager, hospitality partnerships and premium party energy into the UK and European drinks market. Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficial Want more from Building The Brand - connect here:https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter In this episode of Building The Brand, Charles shares the incredible story of going from fashion entrepreneur and brand creator to launching Favela Cerveja, a Brazilian beer brand built around culture, community, purpose and one very clear gap in the market. But this conversation is not just about beer, hospitality or building an alcohol brand. It is about losing everything, having to shut down a successful fashion business almost overnight, dealing with the pressure of staff, suppliers and cancelled orders, rebuilding from scratch, raising investment, learning a new industry, cold-calling bars, driving beer across Europe himself, and proving that brand-building principles can transfer across completely different markets. He also breaks down the realities of the drinks industry, from brewery partnerships, wholesalers, distributors and hospitality groups through to premium venues, football sponsorship, Ibiza activations, Amazonico, Dubai, Marbella, O Beach Ibiza and the strategic move into aluminium bottles. Connect with Favela:https://www.favelacerveja.com/ IN THIS EPISODE: ▪️How Charles Gay went from fashion entrepreneur to beer brand founder ▪️Why Brazil inspired the creation of Favela Cerveja ▪️Spotting the gap for a Brazilian beer brand in the UK drinks market ▪️Creating a gluten-free, vegan and purpose-led beer brand ▪️The role of brand design, packaging, IP and trademarks ▪️How Charles raised his first £1M to launch Favela ▪️Why investors backed the founder, the story and the purpose ▪️How to build a drinks brand through bars, restaurants and wholesalers ▪️Why cold-calling and hand-delivering product still matters ▪️How Favela partnered with O Beach Ibiza and Amazonico ▪️The strategic importance of aluminium bottles in beer ▪️The difference between on-trade, off-trade and supermarket distribution ▪️Why the right venue partnerships matter more than being everywhere KEY MOMENTS: 0:00 — Charles Gay on raising £1M, Ibiza and building Favela 1:05 — From fashion entrepreneur to Brazilian beer brand founder 3:15 — Creating a gluten-free, organic, vegan beer concept 5:22 — Spotting the gluten-free trend before the market caught up 9:25 — PAUSE POINT: Market gaps are easier to see from outside the industry 11:37 — Losing the fashion business and saving Favela 19:18 — Relaunching Favela and raising the first £1M 22:06 — The Favela Foundation and building a purpose-led beer brand 23:45 — PAUSE POINT: What survives when a business collapses? 26:37 — Rebuilding the brewery, team, marketing and distribution 30:05 — Cold-calling bars and hand-delivering beer in Glasgow 33:33 — Starting again, swallowing your ego and leaving fashion behind 39:15 — Why aluminium bottles are a major opportunity for Favela 42:15 — Getting Favela into O Beach Ibiza 47:01 — Driving beer through Europe to Ibiza with his dad 48:44 — PAUSE POINT: Founder mode means doing whatever it takes 52:25 — Amazonico, Dubai, Monaco, Miami and premium global venues 56:29 — Why on-trade comes before supermarket retail distribution 1:00:15 — The biggest lessons from losing a multi-million-pound business 1:03:40 — World Cup activations, Dubai, Spain and Favela’s next stage

    He Lost His Fashion Empire… Then Raised £4M To Build A Brazilian Beer Brand Taking On The Drinks Industry Giants
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Building The Brand is a Top 50 business podcast for people who don’t just want success stories - they want to understand how success is actually built. Hosted by James Burtt, each episode features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, and creators behind standout brands. This isn’t surface-level storytelling. This is a tactical break down of real decisions, trade-offs and lessons behind standout brands Past guests include world-renowned business and entrepreneurial figures Gary Brecka, Grant Cardone, Joe Foster, Mark Victor Hansen and John Lee Dumas. Not how to. This is how you.

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