Virgin StartUp Changemakers

Virgin StartUp
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Virgin StartUp Changemakers brings you live conversations with the founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping the future of business. Recorded in front of a live audience at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, each episode explores the real stories behind building a business: the bold decisions, defining moments, setbacks, breakthroughs and lessons that rarely make the headlines. From startup founders to industry leaders, these conversations cover entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, purpose, growth and the challenges of building businesses that create lasting impact. Expect honest stories, practical insights and unfiltered conversations from people changing industries and challenging convention. If you're building a business, leading a team or simply looking for inspiration from founders who've been there, this is your front-row seat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Changemakers: Connie Nam

    08/13/2025

    Changemakers: Connie Nam

    This week's interview is with Connie Nam, Founder and CEO of jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu. Connie was inspired by childhood memories to create something different in the stale high street jewellery space. She's since built an iconic brand, beloved by an ever growing community of admirers and - importantly - customers. 💐 Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events possible. Recorded at: Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Virgin HQ, London Hosted by Natalie Pearce. Visit www.virginstartup.org to find out about how you can start-up and thrive. You can access Start Up Loan funding and free Business Advice to get your new business off the ground.   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. The podcast is produced by Goldfish for Virgin StartUp. Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  2. Changemakers: Colette Laxton

    07/30/2025

    Changemakers: Colette Laxton

    In this episode of Changemakers, recorded live at Virgin HQ, Natalie Pearce sits down with Colette Laxton, co-founder of The INKEY List – the cult skincare brand on a mission to make skincare simple, affordable, and backed by science. Colette’s story is one of bold moves and big learnings. She shares how a failed pitch to ASOS taught her the power of selling the dream, how Reddit inspired The INKEY List’s entire approach, and what it really takes to scale a business at speed while staying true to your purpose. From burnout and imposter syndrome to billion-view TikToks and retail deals with Sephora, Colette doesn’t hold back. This is a masterclass in building a brand with integrity, grit and heart. Whether you’re a skincare obsessive, early-stage founder, or just someone who needs a reminder to back themselves – this one’s for you. 🎧 Subscribe now and listen wherever you get your podcasts. 💐 Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events possible. Recorded at: Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Virgin HQ, London Hosted by Natalie Pearce. Visit www.virginstartup.org to find out about how you can start-up and thrive. You can access Start Up Loan funding and free Business Advice to get your new business off the ground.   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. The podcast is produced by Goldfish for Virgin StartUp. Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  3. Changemakers: Freddie Garland

    07/16/2025

    Changemakers: Freddie Garland

    In this episode of Changemakers, recorded live at Virgin HQ, Natalie Pearce sits down with Freddie Garland, founder of Freddie’s Flowers — the subscription flower service that brought fresh blooms, creativity, and colour into thousands of UK homes. Freddie’s story starts with a milk float and a dream. From door-to-door sales and DIY Excel Gantt charts, to building a beloved household brand, his journey is anything but ordinary. He shares openly about the pressures of startup life, the power of simplicity, and how he’s finally stepping into the spotlight ten years on. Whether you’re a founder, florist, or fan of floral joy, this conversation is full of lessons in resilience, creativity, and staying grounded while growing something special. 🎧 Subscribe now and listen wherever you get your podcasts. 💐 Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events possible. Recorded at: Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Virgin HQ, London Hosted by Natalie Pearce. Visit www.virginstartup.org to find out about how you can start-up and thrive. You can access Start Up Loan funding and free Business Advice to get your new business off the ground.   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. The podcast is produced by Goldfish for Virgin StartUp. Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  4. Changemakers: Harriet Hastings

    07/02/2025

    Changemakers: Harriet Hastings

    Host Natalie Pearce sits down with Harriet Hastings, the innovative founder of Biscuiteers—a luxury biscuit-gifting brand that transformed the food gifting space. Harriet shares how her entrepreneurial leap came after stepping away from a successful career in publishing and PR, seeking greater control and flexibility as a mother of four. Starting Biscuiteers in her husband’s catering kitchen, Harriet spotted a gap in the market for stylish, personalised gifts and turned it into a business now icing nearly three million biscuits each year. Key insights include: The power of storytelling and organic PR in building a brand.How Harriet strategically leveraged corporate partnerships with global brands like Dior, Cartier, and Emma Bridgewater.Her experience navigating challenges in manufacturing, scaling operations, and managing multi-channel sales strategies.Advocacy for female founders through her initiative “Buy Women Built,” tackling systemic funding issues and championing women-led businesses. Hosted by Natalie Pearce. Visit www.virginstartup.org to find out about how you can start-up and thrive. You can access Start Up Loan funding and free Business Advice to get your new business off the ground.   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. The podcast is produced by Goldfish for Virgin StartUp. Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  5. Changemakers: Simon Squibb

    06/17/2025

    Changemakers: Simon Squibb

    Changemakers is back - and we're kicking off this new season with a bang (or should we say a dream!) Welcoming star of social media and serial founder, Simon Squibb. Find out how Simon went from homeless to selling his business for millions to PWC, and why he's dedicating his time to making other founders' dreams come true. Hosted by Natalie Pearce. Visit www.virginstartup.org to find out about how you can start-up and thrive. You can access Start Up Loan funding and free Business Advice to get your new business off the ground.   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. The podcast is produced by Goldfish for Virgin StartUp. Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  6. Introducing Founder to Founder

    Trailer

    Introducing Founder to Founder

    Subscribe to our new feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Take a look at our lineup for our new podcast launching next week!  We’ve been behind the scenes with some of the UK’s boldest business minds - who all happen to be Virgin StartUp Mentors — David Abrahamovitch (GRIND), Pip Murray (Pip & Nut), Olivia Jenkins (D. Louise), Andy McNulty (Touch Stay), Abi Selby (Spabreaks.com), and Alex Partridge (UniLad & LADBible) — to talk growth, grit, and the power that mentoring has had on their startup successes.    The first episode drops this Wednesday, featuring viral media pioneer and host of the ADHD Chatter podcast, Alex Partridge. Subscribe to our new feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 sec
  7. BONUS: Tiwa Adebayo, Founder of Confident and Killing it

    02/25/2025

    BONUS: Tiwa Adebayo, Founder of Confident and Killing it

    We're back with a bonus! This week we meet the founder of Confident and Killing It, Tiwalola Adebayo. Tiwa's hosting our International Women's Day panel event alongside Grace Andrews and Michelle Feeney. Grab your ticket now at: https://www.virginstartup.org/events/leading-with-confidence-women-making-moves/ Follow Tiwa and Confident And Killing It on Instagram. The brand Tiwa mentioned is Kai Collective: https://kaicollective.com/ The book and video Tiwa mentioned are by John Maxwell. This podcast is produced for Virgin StartUp by Goldfish Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min
  8. Changemakers: Jamie Crummie, Co-founder of Too Good To Go

    12/11/2024

    Changemakers: Jamie Crummie, Co-founder of Too Good To Go

    It's the last episode of Changemakers for 2024 😭 We're going out with a bang though, with the co-founder of Too Good To Go, Jamie Crummie, who's helping millions of us reduce food waste with their tech platform built around a strong purpose. See you in 2025 for more inspiring conversations with founders creating sustainable impact across the UK. Are you a new or aspiring founder? Our Community has launched, providing a new home for founders in the UK. Explore membership options here. Visit www.virginstartup.org to find out about how you can start-up and thrive. You can access Start Up Loan funding and free Business Advice to get your new business off the ground.   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. The podcast is produced by Goldfish for Virgin StartUp. See virginstartup.org for more. We're bringing you this podcast in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. The Jump is produced by Goldfish Studio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
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Trailer

About

Virgin StartUp Changemakers brings you live conversations with the founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping the future of business. Recorded in front of a live audience at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, each episode explores the real stories behind building a business: the bold decisions, defining moments, setbacks, breakthroughs and lessons that rarely make the headlines. From startup founders to industry leaders, these conversations cover entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, purpose, growth and the challenges of building businesses that create lasting impact. Expect honest stories, practical insights and unfiltered conversations from people changing industries and challenging convention. If you're building a business, leading a team or simply looking for inspiration from founders who've been there, this is your front-row seat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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