Runway to Excellence - The Official SJR London Podcast

Stephanie Jackson
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Welcome to the Runway to excellence! The exciting new podcast hosted by Stephanie Jackson of SJR London.

  1. Aug 10

    How to Build a Luxury Jewellery Brand From Nothing | Hannah Martin (Cartier, Central Saint Martins)

    How do you build a luxury jewellery brand from nothing? Jewellery designer Hannah Martin (Central Saint Martins, Cartier Paris) reveals how she built her independent fine jewellery business over 20 years — surviving near-bankruptcy, a business partner betrayal, and building a cult luxury brand without investors.In this episode of Runway to Excellence, the luxury fashion and jewellery industry podcast from SJR London, host Stephanie Jackson sits down with Hannah Martin, the iconoclastic British jewellery designer who trained at Central Saint Martins, won a scholarship into the high jewellery department at Cartier Place Vendôme in Paris, and walked away to launch Hannah Martin London — a bold, gender-fluid fine jewellery brand designed to make your heart beat faster.Hannah shares the real story of starting a jewellery business with no money: sending DIY lookbooks to fashion editors, the business partner who signed 50% of her shares to himself and nearly destroyed the company, and how she rebuilt to create one of the most loved independent luxury brands in the UK. From designing jewellery for musicians and Wayne McGregor's dancers to getting her pieces on Lola Young at the Brit Awards without a PR agency — this is a masterclass in creative entrepreneurship, luxury branding, resilience, and playing the long game in business.We also discuss Hannah's book, Iconoclast — a 20-year retrospective for the creatives, dreamers, and rule breakers — available at hannahmartinlondon.com.This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, the trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment. To discover how SJR London delivers talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com.In this episode on building a luxury jewellery brand, you'll learn…⏱️ 01:38 — How Hannah Martin became a jewellery designer: from origami to art school⏱️ 05:06 — Studying jewellery design at Central Saint Martins: "love at first sight"⏱️ 06:26 — Working at Cartier Paris: inside the high jewellery department at Place Vendôme⏱️ 10:32 — The Cartier design lesson she still uses: obsessive attention to detail⏱️ 12:05 — How to start a jewellery brand with no money: the DIY press strategy that worked⏱️ 15:32 — What Central Saint Martins is really like — and the mindset that creates icons⏱️ 21:43 — Career advice for creative graduates: follow your gut, even when it's not "smart"⏱️ 24:03 — Designing emotional jewellery: The Perfect Drug collections explained⏱️ 28:07 — Hidden luxury: the upside-down gemstone ring that became a bestseller⏱️ 34:03 — Designing jewellery for performers: musicians, dancers, and Wayne McGregor⏱️ 37:37 — How to build a brand community: why word of mouth beats advertising budgets⏱️ 40:55 — Hiring luxury sales staff: what makes a great luxury salesperson⏱️ 42:32 — Luxury retail snobbery: "never judge anyone for what they look like"⏱️ 46:28 — How creative founders run a business: creativity vs spreadsheets⏱️ 54:10 — Celebrity product placement without a PR budget: Lola Young at the Brits⏱️ 57:10 — Pricing luxury products: justifying fine jewellery prices as gold doubles⏱️ 1:00:18 — What luxury customers really want in 2026: scarcity, story, and craftsmanship⏱️ 1:06:05 — The business partner betrayal that nearly bankrupted the brand⏱️ 1:08:47 — Appointment-only retail: why a private gallery beats a Bond Street shopfront⏱️ 1:16:16 — Overcoming self-doubt as a founder and asking for help in business⏱️ 1:21:48 — Overnight success vs the long game: building a sustainable business⏱️ 1:24:54 — Iconoclast: the book behind 20 years of rule-breaking in luxury jewellery⏱️ 1:31:19 — What defines excellence in business: integrity in everythingConnect with SJR London:🌐 Website: https://www.sjrlondon.com/🎙️ Listen to Runway to Excellence on Spotify & Apple Podcasts📲 Follow SJR London on Instagram, TikTok & LinkedIn

  2. Aug 3

    How to Build a Luxury Swimwear Brand From Scratch | Alexandra Miro

    How do you build a successful luxury fashion brand? Alexandra Miro shares how she went from working at Versace, Prada and Selfridges to building one of Britain's leading luxury swimwear and resortwear brands. In this episode of Runway to Excellence, the luxury fashion and retail podcast from SJR London, host Stephanie Jackson sits down with Alexandra Miro to discuss fashion entrepreneurship, luxury retail, e-commerce, branding, wholesale, product development and what it really takes to build a premium fashion business from scratch. Alexandra shares why she was fired from every office job she ever had, how luxury retail shaped her understanding of customers, how she secured Selfridges as one of her first stockists, why she brought production in-house, what she learned from opening her first physical retail store, and why there is no such thing as overnight success. Whether you're building a fashion brand, working in luxury retail, launching an e-commerce business or simply fascinated by the business behind luxury brands, this episode is packed with practical insights from over a decade of entrepreneurship. This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, the trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle recruitment. In this episode you'll learn... ⏱️ 01:43 — Growing up with a passion for fashion and creativity⏱️ 03:33 — Being fired from every office job⏱️ 04:08 — Working at Versace, Prada & Selfridges⏱️ 08:46 — Building an early luxury e-commerce business⏱️ 10:14 — Why she started a luxury swimwear brand⏱️ 11:30 — Launching with just five swimsuits⏱️ 12:07 — How she got stocked by Selfridges⏱️ 15:57 — What luxury retail teaches you about customers⏱️ 21:48 — The biggest challenges of building a fashion brand⏱️ 23:57 — Bringing production in-house⏱️ 26:08 — Opening the first Alexandra Miro retail pop-up⏱️ 29:13 — Understanding the luxury customer⏱️ 34:10 — Hiring the right people⏱️ 37:14 — Wholesale vs direct-to-consumer⏱️ 42:54 — Building a business as a single mother⏱️ 46:22 — Designing for confidence and real women⏱️ 51:45 — Why physical retail still matters⏱️ 56:58 — The biggest lessons in entrepreneurship⏱️ 1:00:31 — What excellence means in luxury fashion Connect with SJR London 🌐 https://www.sjrlondon.com🎙️ Listen to Runway to Excellence on Spotify & Apple Podcasts📲 Follow SJR London on Instagram, TikTok & LinkedIn If you enjoyed this conversation about luxury fashion, entrepreneurship, retail, branding and building a successful fashion business, please like, subscribe and share. It helps us continue bringing conversations with the people shaping the future of the luxury industry.

  3. Jun 29

    Why Great Luxury Retail Is About Emotion, Not Product with Eric Christopher Hall

    What does it really take to build a 30-year career across the world's greatest luxury houses — and why does the future of retail come down to emotion, not product? In this episode of Runway to Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with luxury retail leader Eric Christopher Hall, whose journey took him from the fish counter at Waitrose to the shop floors and corporate offices of Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Burberry, Gucci, and Prada. Eric shares the unfiltered story behind his rise: how a shy, unconfident kid found his voice on the shop floor, the moment a Selfridges manager told him "if you can sell baked beans, you can sell clothes," and the lessons that shaped him into one of luxury's most respected client experience and retail performance experts. From styling total looks at Dolce & Gabbana and learning the art of clienteling at Gucci, to relocating to Milan without speaking a word of Italian, this is a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the human side of luxury. The conversation also explores Eric's new mission — Emotive Retail — and his upcoming book, Retail Is Human: The Art of Emotive Retail, a movement to bring genuine human connection back to a sector under pressure from data, KPIs, and AI. This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, the trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment. To discover how SJR London delivers talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com. In this luxury retail podcast episode, you'll learn… - How to build a long-term career in luxury fashion — starting from the shop floor - Why the best talent is found on the floor, not in the application pile - The real difference between facilitating a sale and creating magic - The art of clienteling and building genuine client relationships - What separates good client advisors from truly exceptional ones - How to lead, empower, and inspire high-performing retail teams - Why "catalysts" on the floor drive store energy and performance- Moving from shop floor to corporate — and why so few make the leap - How to stay resilient through leadership change and reinvention - What's broken in luxury retail today — and how Emotive Retail can fix it - Why people buy from people, and emotion always beats product. Connect with SJR London: 🌐 Website: https://www.sjrlondon.com/ 🎙️ Listen to Runway to Excellence on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📲 Follow SJR London on Instagram, TikTok & LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share — it helps us bring more conversations with luxury industry leaders to those who need them.

  4. Apr 21

    What Actually Gets You Hired! How to Succeed in Luxury Retail | Leadership, Hiring & Career Growth with Roisin Hurley

    In this episode of Runway to Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with Brand & Retail Consultant Roisin Hurley to explore the realities of working, hiring, and leading in the luxury retail industry. From early career decisions to leadership roles, this conversation unpacks what separates those who succeed in luxury from those who struggle to progress. Roisin shares valuable insight into what luxury brands are really looking for when hiring, how to stand out in a competitive market, and the importance of attitude, service excellence, and cultural alignment. The discussion also explores leadership in retail environments, building high-performing teams, and maintaining standards in fast-paced, customer-focused settings. This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment - for more on how they deliver talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com/ This episode covers… What it takes to succeed in luxury retail careers How luxury brands hire and assess talent The importance of attitude, presentation, and service standards Career progression in fashion, beauty, and retail Leadership in high-performance retail environments Building and managing successful teams The difference between good candidates and exceptional ones How to stand out in competitive luxury roles Cultural fit and brand alignment in hiring Long-term career development in the luxury sector Key Moments: 0:00: From MAC Counter to Global Director at Burberry 02:40: Brazil to Ireland: Early Life and Falling in Love with Customers 08:10: Athlete Family, Corporate Athlete Mindset & High Performance 15:10: Teenage Entrepreneur: Phone Cases, Nail Art & Commercial Creativity 22:10: Getting into MAC: Fashion Shows, Beauty Retail and Art + Commerce 31:00: University, Commuting Between Cities and Building a Relentless Work Ethic 39:30: Fashion Weeks with MAC: Inside the Events Team and Backstage Chaos 48:15: Leaving MAC for Burberry: Content, Training and a Pivotal Interview Task 55:30: 9.5 Years at Burberry: Promotions, Global Travel and Positive Influence 1:03:10: What Makes Exceptional Retail: Culture, Consistency and Store Leadership 1:10:10: Feedback, Phones on the Floor and What’s Broken in Retail Today 1:16:40: Top 1% Performers, Mindset and Roisin’s Legacy in Retail 1:21:30: Closing Reflections & Takeaways for Retail, CX and Leadership

  5. Feb 16

    #21 Pavan Beauty: I Nearly Gave Up… Then Selfridges Changed Everything

    How do you get your brand into Selfridges - and what really happens when you pitch on Dragon’s Den UK? In this episode, luxury beauty founder Pavan reveals how she built a retail-ready brand from a one-metre pop-up to national TV investment. In this episode of Runway To Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with Pavan Ahluwalia Dhanjal BEM, founder of a pioneering henna brand Pavan Beauty, that redefined experiential retail inside Selfridges and expanded globally. From holding a Guinness World Record to successfully gaining investment from Dragon’s Den (before eventually turning it down), retail trend changes, and scale-up investment conversations, Pavan shares the truth behind building and scaling a beauty business in premium retail. This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment - for more on how they deliver talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com/   This episode covers: How to get into Selfridges as a small brand Retail pop-up strategy and proof of concept What Dragon’s Den is really like behind the scenes Scaling from service to product in beauty Hiring in luxury retail environments Founder resilience and navigating grief while building a businessIf you work in luxury retail, beauty, fashion or are building your own brand - this conversation is essential. Key Moments: 00:00 – How Pavan Beauty turned niche henna art into a mainstream beauty brand 02:20 – Growing up in East London: immigrant parents, entrepreneurship and work ethic 07:50 – Retail jobs, discipline and why office life didn’t fit a creative founder 09:40 – Falling in love with henna and spotting a gap in the Western beauty market 12:00 – Breaking a Guinness World Record and pitching henna to the BBC 13:30 – Creating the first henna bar concept and landing a Topshop pop-up 15:10 – From Topshop proof of concept to 11 years in Selfridges 18:20 – The reality of retail targets, pop-ups and experience-led beauty 21:20 – How COVID changed beauty retail and forced a business pivot 24:00 – Self-funded growth, cash flow struggles and scaling a service business 27:20 – Why Pavan chose Dragon’s Den: PR, investment and learning to pitch 32:00 – Behind the scenes of Dragon’s Den: negotiation, offers and due diligence 36:30 – Losing her dad, grief during COVID and not giving up on the business 41:20 – Gratitude, kindness and building a personal brand that opens doors 46:20 – Hiring henna artists, staff loyalty and the challenge of modern work culture 52:00 – Why relationships, networking and energy are everything in luxury retail 57:20 – What’s next: product expansion, “Inking Big” YouTube and The Ink Drop newsletter

    #21 Pavan Beauty: I Nearly Gave Up… Then Selfridges Changed Everything

  6. 12/03/2025

    #20 Vicky Curry - What the Right Attitude Can Do

    This episode is a real full-circle moment for me. I first met Vicky at one of my very early assessment centres, almost 11 years ago, where I gave her a chance as a temporary employee in luxury retail. She grabbed the opportunity with both hands and has since built an incredible career managing large teams for the likes of Harrods and now lecturing at the Fashion Retail Academy.I couldn’t be prouder. I’m so excited for you to hear her story and see just how far the right attitude, resilience and work ethic can take your career.

  7. 11/05/2025

    #19 Claire Hugil - Building a Standout Career and Brand in Luxury Retail

    In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Claire Hugill, a seasoned luxury retail leader whose impressive career spans Harrods, Selfridges, and Alexander McQueen. From managing flagship retail teams to driving digital transformation, Claire has seen every side of the industry, and now runs her own consultancy, Atelier Consultancy, advising high-end brands on how to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. Claire shares her personal journey through luxury retail, offering invaluable insights on how to build a successful and fulfilling career, as well as practical advice for brand leaders looking to elevate their business. Whether you’re an aspiring retailer, brand founder, or simply passionate about the world of luxury, this episode is packed with wisdom, authenticity, and inspiration you won’t want to miss.

  8. 12/04/2024

    #18 Abigail Wilmore - Wellbeing and Leadership in Luxury HR

    In this episode, I sit down with Abigail Wilmore, an accomplished HR leader with over 25 years of experience in luxury fashion and beauty, including roles as Chief People Officer at Tom Ford Fashion, Stella McCartney, and Dr Barbara Sturm, as well as HR Director at Kering (formerly Gucci Group). Starting her career on the shop floor with no university degree, she discovered her passion for Human Resources early on and has since become a champion of human-centred workplace cultures. As the Founder of People Flow and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Abigail is dedicated to leading with empathy and driving positive change in the workplace. She is also a triple-accredited Executive Coach and a sought-after speaker who advocates for diversity, inclusion, and sustainable people strategies.

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Welcome to the Runway to excellence! The exciting new podcast hosted by Stephanie Jackson of SJR London.

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