Conversations of Inspiration

For women, the world ends at 40 and your dreams drift off into the abyss. 

You’ll be pleased to know that the above sentence is NOT by any means true, and instead is an idea, embedded within society with no proof, sense or logic behind it – and Holly is here to break this notion. 

This week, Holly recalls her conversation with Skincare Expert, Author and YouTuber Caroline Hirons, who is a living example of why it’s never too late to follow your passion and start your own business, on your own terms. 

Holly examines the very reasons why age is but a number, and why women are actually at an advantage when founding a business in their later years. She also explains the freedom that being a founder gives you, and talks of her own experience of setting up Holly & Co, and why she’s even happier doing it the second time round, in a way that feels truer to her. 

Taken from Caroline’s Conversation of Inspiration – she explains why following her dreams has allowed her to achieve success. We often automatically think that ‘success’ means financial freedom, but Caroline shares exactly what it actually represents to her…

As one of 10 very special episodes, Holly is also joined by Karishma Gupta, founder of Satatland and member of Dell’s Women's Entrepreneur Network, who has shared her very own Lightbulb Moment, too. 

You can listen to Caroline Hirons' full episode here. 

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

A leading expert in the farming industry, Tim Mead CEO of Yeo Valley, delves into a number of crucial topics around responsible farming, environmental consciousness and reveals how farmers can help to reverse the carbon crisis. This is an unmissable conversation that won’t only help our generation, but many to come. 

Tim’s family have been farming in Somerset for over 500 years and are known across the country for stocking our shelves with delicious organic milk, cheese and yogurts. However what we didn’t know is just how much hard work and grafting has gone into the Yeo Valley brand over the years. 

Tim grew up in the family business, but a tragic accident left Tim holding the reins aged just 26. Since then, he has been on a quest to not only continue his father’s legacy, but to follow his true north star which is encouraging, educating on and producing food that is made in a healthy, natural way. 

Having witnessed the introduction of industrial manufacturing, Tim shares that 55% of what we eat is classified as ultra processed food – and offers unmissable advice on how we can start to change that statistic to not only help ourselves, but our young and the environment. 

Contemplating the introduction of alternative milks, the importance of community and the marketing genius that changed the Yeo Valley brand forever, Tim’s story is one of hard work and determination that binds both legacy and heritage with adaptability and future proofing. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also enjoy Holly’s episode with Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford.

This Conversations of Inspiration podcast episode is brought to you with support from Adobe Express.

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice. 

Is it selfish to feel drained by other people's energy? No, and you really need to listen to this episode to hear why…

It’s remarkable how as humans, we’re so affected by the energy of others around us isn’t it? Just one person in our presence has the ability to build us up as tall as the Eiffel Tower, or bring us lower than we’ve ever been. 

This week, Holly explores why founders and dreamers have a vulnerability that must be protected, and offers advice that has taken her a long time to understand when it comes to surrounding yourself with happy, selfless people in order to prioritise the most important person in your life — yourself. 

Holly opens up about her own experiences of negativity, and shares her thoughts on why it’s okay to make that decision that those ‘drainers’ might just not be the right company for you and your dreams anymore. 

Holly’s Lightbulb Moment was sparked when she met with Sir Tim Smit KBE, and he so eloquently read his letter to his younger self. Full of life-changing tips and hard hitting realisations, Tim shares his recipe for how to live a life where you will feel no regrets when looking back as your older self.  

Both Holly and Tim explain the magnificent effect that surrounding yourself with the right (or wrong) types of people, can have on so many other elements of your life — this is not one to be missed.

You can listen to Sir Tim Smit’s full episode here. 

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

A story of strength and courage, this remarkable account is full of thought-provoking advice that will quite literally change your life. This conversation is truly going to make you reevaluate not only the way you live, but how you react, think, feel gratitude and express yourself, too. 

“If I survive today, tomorrow I will be free.” These are the words of 16-year-old Edith Eger whilst imprisoned in the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz, in World War Two. Now one of the last Holocaust survivors on the planet, Edith shares her fascinating take on why, “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference,” and also so inspirationally explains how she learnt to turn hate into pity throughout her time at Auschwitz. 

After suffering unimaginable horrors including the loss of her parents, imprisonment and torture, Edith realised that freedom, when it came, was much more than being outside the gates of the heinous death camp and was actually a battle within her own mind.

After a decade of suffering from crippling survivor's guilt, Edith trained as a psychologist, reclaiming her own power and enabling her to work with patients to help them choose to free themselves from their own thoughts to ultimately liberate them. 

Edith shares with Holly her first-hand account of her time living through the Holocaust, a story that is almost unbearably hard to hear and yet one in which Edith’s enduring spirit, wisdom and love shine brightly through the darkness.

This is a must-hear episode, as Edith is one of our last living survivors able to share her perception of such a terrible times in history. Edith teaches us the most valuable of life lessons and in her very own words – “What happens to us in life is not the most important thing. Rather the most important thing is what we do with our lives.”

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also enjoy Holly’s episode with Mo Gawdat. 

This Conversations of Inspiration podcast episode is brought to you with support from Adobe Express.

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice. 

It’s been proven that women are far less likely to take risks and follow their dreams than men. As frustrating as that is to hear in our modern society, Holly uses this week’s lightbulb moment, taken from her phenomenal conversation with Julie Deane CBE, to explore the many reasons why we should. 

Using her experience, Holly ponders that very small but oh-so-powerful word – FEAR – and how it restricts women from taking that leap of faith. The fear of failure, of taking financial risks, of negatively affecting your children by starting a business. 

However, here Holly explains the many ways you can positively change your life by following your passion, and how as women, we typically play the role of CEO in our everyday lives already – in our households! Holly also opens up about what she believes to be the magic key to drive us all through those moments of self-doubt — and she’s certain we won’t look back. 

Julie’s Conversation of Inspiration really will leave you speechless as she explains why as a full-time mum she decided to change the direction of her life. Learning to code in just four days, and founding her now international business with just £600 – Julie reveals what has been her driving force since day one…

You can listen to Julie Deane’s full episode here. 

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

How can we solve some of the biggest societal issues we face? In this episode, Josh Littlejohn MBE shares his vision and blueprint for making meaningful change in our world through entrepreneurship.

Josh is founder of Social Bite as well as The World’s Big Sleepout, and has always worked hard to make a difference. He had a strong social conscience from a young age, and when a young homeless man came into Josh’s very first Social Bite cafe asking for a job, it sparked an unexpected decade of charitable work and campaigning for the homeless.

Social Bite is a business with purpose, and a mission to end homelessness, whilst advocating for those less fortunate in our society. He has attracted royalty and celebrities from overseas, is the inventor of mass sleepovers across the globe, and has built an entire village — and raised millions of pounds for — those experiencing homelessness.

As Josh shares, it hasn’t always been easy and in many instances in its early days, Social Bite was on the cusp of going under. However, through manifestation, an incredible team, a hint of luck and with a lot of hard work, Josh has achieved remarkable change — and has even bigger plans for the future. 

Holly’s conversation with Josh shines a light on the power of the people and what is truly possible when you possess that entrepreneurial ‘insanity’ which Josh so eloquently describes. It is a must-listen for anyone out there looking to support positive progress. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also enjoy Holly’s episode with Natalie Campbell, CEO of Belu Water. 

This Conversations of Inspiration podcast episode is brought to you with support from Adobe Express.

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice. 

Dare to dream it, dare to believe it and dare to do it! That’s the motto of Charlotte Tilbury MBE — the makeup guru with the Midas touch, a woman trailblazing a makeup revolution and empowering women through the transformative power it brings.

As a British female entrepreneur and one of the most influential makeup artists of her generation, Charlotte Tilbury has distinguished herself as being a true creative visionary who has completely disrupted the beauty industry. And although ‘empowerment’ isn’t usually a word associated with it, Charlotte explains how her frustration with this market as a young woman, along with her unique understanding of what women want, has helped her to build a global brand that champions the face of beauty in a different way. 

Charlotte reveals what has always fuelled her determination to pursue her passion, and how practising manifestation, living in the future and giving people the opportunity to feel their most confident self, has allowed her to surpass her greatest dreams. 

As Charlotte says, “You have to believe the dream”, and this endless belief in her ideas, self and future are only a few reasons for her inspirational success. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also enjoy Holly’s episode with Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown and Jones Road Beauty. 

This Conversation of Inspiration podcast episode is brought to you with support from Adobe Express.

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice. 

How do you know who you truly are? It’s one of life's hardest questions isn’t it, and is a quest that can often only be solved with time and perseverance as we explore life’s path. 

This week’s lightbulb moment was sparked by Holly’s live interview with Levi Roots. Renowned for founding Reggae Reggae Sauce, Levi shares his experience of growing up, not truly knowing who he was or what his purpose might be – and reveals how changing his name, changed the direction of his life. 

Their conversation really triggered a lightbulb moment for Holly as she began to reflect on who she became throughout her business journey founding notonthehighstreet, and how by focusing on everything other than you, can often mean that you lose your authentic self along the way. 

Holly shares the hurdles and flaws she has had to overcome, in order to really understand who she is and explains why it’s so important to not only know, but also love yourself – especially when you are such a key part of your brand.

It certainly hasn’t been an easy ride for Holly or Levi, but for anyone feeling a little lost with their identity, this is a moment that we think might just help you on your path to finding happiness – which comes from knowing your true self. 

As one of ten very special episodes, Holly is also joined by Tash Grossman, founder of Slip and member of Dell’s Women's Entrepreneur Network, who has shared her very own Lightbulb Moment, too. 

You can listen to Levi Root’s full episode here. 

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas, and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.

Little did Guy and Jo Schanschieff know that a chance conversation at the Taj Mahal in 1991 would spark an idea that changed their lives forever. With Bambino Mio now being the largest reusable nappy brand in the world, Guy Schanschieff MBE shares with Holly the highs and lows of their epic adventure to do business for good. 

Their mission to eliminate single use plastics from nappy production, before the rise of the internet and the conscious consumer, hasn’t always been easy. However with 90 billion nappies being thrown away every single year, and 1% of all plastic production being used to make single use nappies, we really do have to commend Guy and Jo for their sheer determination, belief in their product and ability to remain agile enough to enforce change. 

Not only does Guy share key stats and figures that explain the importance of consumer choices on the environment, but he also depicts some life changing advice that he learnt when overcoming some of Bambino Mio’s incredible challenges as the business has evolved.

Today, over 20 years later, after a wedding, three children, over 100 awards and selling in over 50 countries worldwide, Bambino Mio is a brand that we must all support, along with the incredible founders behind it. This is a conversation that encourages taking risks, having confidence and remaining committed to your vision. It’s a ‘must listen’ to take a step towards a better future. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also enjoy Holly’s episode with Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen.  

This Conversations of Inspiration podcast episode is brought to you with support from Adobe Express.

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice. 

Crushed? Overwhelmed? Scared? The more hardship you go through, the more resilient you become — but also, the more you are able to be open about what you are feeling, the more likely you are to connect with others — and that is what great brands are built on. 

It’s what founder of Bliss Spas, Fitflop and now Beauty Pie, Marcia Kilgore has come to believe too, so perhaps it’s little surprise she’s built so many incredible businesses. 

Reading a letter to her younger self, Marcia speaks in great depth about emotion when recalling her life so far, and this struck a real chord with Holly. 

Having been ridiculed in the past for being an ‘emotional’ person, Holly shares her learnings throughout her career about using emotion to achieve success. After all, why does being emotional have negative connotations? Is being an emotional being, not the greatest gift of all? Especially when marketing to women. Making connections doesn’t come through being aloof, functional or formal. It’s about being brave enough to bring your full self to work and sharing this with others. 

This truly is a lightbulb moment not to be missed, as Holly reveals why having the ability to feel, act and channel our emotions just might be the key to not only understanding yourself, but also your business and most importantly — your customers. 

You can listen to Marcia Kilgore’s full episode here. 

Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly’s weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice.