James Reed: all about business

Most people think successful entrepreneurs spot brilliant ideas.Sahar Hashemi believes the opposite.In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Sahar Hashemi, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Buy Women Built. They talk about Sahar’s journey over three decades building businesses, backing herself, and why entrepreneurship is far simpler than most people make it.Sahar shares the hard lessons from scaling Coffee Republic to 110 stores and what happened when they handed the business to the professionals. What she learned about founders staying close to their customers, why bureaucracy is the silent killer of entrepreneurial culture, and why the moment you lose sight of who you are serving, is the moment a business starts to decline.Together they explore what a startup mindset actually looks like in practice, how to know when a growing business is quietly losing its edge, and why the single most important thing any leader can do is keep their people connected to the customer. Sahar also makes the case that something done badly is better than if it’s not done at all, and that the best thing any aspiring entrepreneur can do is start somewhere, however small.Timestamps3:13 Discovering New York-style coffee9:30 The decision to leave law12:19 First Coffee Republic16:54 Going public26:39 The tweet that sparked Buy Women Built35:05 The Rose Review of Entrepreneurship40:43 The startup mindset51:17 No plan, just purposeLinksFollow James Reed on LinkedInFollow Sahar Hashemi on LinkedInFind out more Buy Women BuiltSubmit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HEREAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

How do you turn a bold idea into a national institution that changes lives?In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Jenifer Rosenberg OBE, entrepreneur in fashion and social impact leader, about building purpose-driven organisations that create lasting change.Jenifer shares her journey from spotting a gap in support for families facing serious illness, to co-founding Heart Cells Foundation and growing it from a kitchen-table startup into a nationally recognised charity. She reflects on navigating funding challenges, building credibility with clinicians and policymakers, and leading through the emotional realities of mission-led work.The conversation explores scaling a purpose-driven organisation sustainably, balancing commercial discipline with social impact, and the importance of governance, partnerships, and long-term strategy. Jenifer also shares lessons from stepping back from founder leadership, earning an OBE, and staying resilient while driving systemic change.A thoughtful conversation about entrepreneurship with purpose, leading with conviction, and building something that truly lasts.Timestamps02:18 From post room to senior role08:07 Quality and innovation with Marks & Spencer16:28 Branching out into fashion26:40 The power of innovation30:23 A personal journey with heart failure35:24 Founding the Heart Cells Foundation48:37 Maintaining energy and healthLinksFollow James Reed on LinkedInFollow Jenifer Rosenberg OBE on LinkedIn: Find out more the Heart Cells Foundation here: Be part of the million job giveaway HERE All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

How do you build a creative business from scratch and ensure it steadily grows without compromising on quality, craft, or values?In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Penelope Chilvers, English footwear designer and founder of the eponymous luxury brand, and they talk about building a resilient business rooted in craftsmanship, customer closeness, and long-term thinking.Penelope shares her unconventional journey from training as a painter to launching a footwear business in London as a single parent. She reflects on learning her trade from the ground up, building a brand without formal business training, and why necessity — not strategy — drove her early entrepreneurial decisions.Penelope talks about the importance of craftsmanship, materials, long-term supplier relationships, and how staying close to customers has shaped everything from design to retail strategy.James and Penelope discuss growth, from opening stores and expanding internationally, to raising investment and introducing clothing alongside footwear. Penelope shares why steady, organic growth has served her better than chasing trends, how slow fashion has become a competitive advantage, and why durability, purpose, and trust now matter more than ever.This is a thoughtful conversation about learning your craft, respecting the people who help you build, and creating a business designed to last.Timestamps:02:59 From painter to designer07:59 The first big orders15:00 Sustaining quality and craftsmanship22:52 Family and business dynamics29:50 Expanding into the American market35:52 Men's range and iconic products47:58 Slow fashion and ethical productionFollow James Reed on LinkedIn:Follow Penelope Chilvers on LinkedIn: Find out more about Penelope Chilvers store here: All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

What if the future of food isn’t bigger, faster, and more centralised, but local, decentralised, and community-powered?In this episode of the All About Business podcast, James is joined by Pete Russell, Founder of Ooooby and Co-Founder of DECENT, to explore how technology, ethical entrepreneurship, and optimism can transform the global food system from the ground up.Pete shares his journey from running a highly profitable industrial food business to building one of the UK’s leading local food platforms, connecting independent farmers and producers directly with their communities. The conversation dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship, scaling purpose-led businesses, and the challenges of building alternatives to industrial food supply chains.A key theme of the episode is steward ownership, a business model that separates profit from control. Pete explains how steward ownership protects mission, prevents mission drift, and ensures long-term impact over short-term returns, offering a compelling alternative to traditional shareholder capitalism.James and Pete also explore the future of commerce and AI, with Pete presenting a bold vision of a shift from the attention economy to the intention economy. As artificial intelligence reshapes how we discover and buy products, Pete argues that traditional marketing and advertising may become obsolete, replaced by systems that prioritise values, trust, and genuine human needs.Timestamps00:00 Intro02:03 Meet Pete Russell: The Visionary Behind Oooby’s Food Revolution03:06 What Is Oooby? Decentralizing the Global Food Supply Chain06:25 Farm-to-Table Logistics: How Oooby Empowers Local Farmers10:12 The 1.9% Disruptor: Why Low-Margin Tech is Saving Small Farms14:45 Debunking the Myth: Why Local Food Costs Less Than Supermarkets19:30 The Awareness Gap: Why Traditional Food Systems Still Dominate27:05 17 Years of Resilience: Pivoting Through Near-Death Business Challenges33:40 The Software Pivot: Solving the Logistics Nightmare of Local Food40:00 Future of Food: AI, Agentic Commerce, and Decentralized Platforms56:15 What wakes you up on a Monday?Follow James Reed on LinkedinFollow Pete Russell on LinkedinFind out more about Oooooby and how to sell local food onlineAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Winning Olympic gold is one of the highest achievements in sport, but what are the skills that you can apply to build an elite team in your business?In this episode of All About Business, James meets Adrian Moorhouse MBE, three-time Olympian and gold medalist. Adrian talks about his journey from the pool to the boardroom, exploring big hairy audacious goals (BHAGs), the power of curiosity, and heart-driven leadership in challenging times, and why mindset, meaning, and community matter more than ever for sustained success in sport and business.Adrian discusses his entrepreneurial transition, launching Lane Four in 1995, growing it through high-performance culture and client impact, and navigating its sale to EY in 2021, while confronting common entrepreneur pitfalls. He also shares how escaping school bullying through swimming ignited his drive and why choices over sacrifices defined his path.Timestamps01:20 Transition to business04:44 Challenges and learnings07:58 Creating a winning team12:41 Resilience and focus techniques17:16 From athlete to entrepreneur32:30 Navigating the 2008 financial crisis36:46 Mentoring and leadership insights48:53 The intersection of sports and business57:09 The importance of curiosity in leadershipFollow James Reed on LinkedInFollow Adrian Moorhouse on LinkedinFind out more about The Tom Dean Swim SchoolAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey, is one of the most famous houses in the world. But what does it really take to run it as a modern business?In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Fiona, Lady Carnarvon, custodian of Highclere Castle, about managing a 1,300-year-old heritage estate with roots dating back to 749 AD. She shares how Downton Abbey transformed Highclere’s global profile, what it is like to live and work alongside a major film production, and how the castle evolved into a year-round destination.Lady Carnarvon discusses her entrepreneurial approach, from Christmas events and behind-the-scenes tours to virtual experiences, bestselling books, and Highclere Castle Gin, while confronting the hard economic realities of British farming and long-term stewardship.The conversation also explores Highclere’s ghost stories, its sense of community, and why heritage, kindness, and authenticity matter more than ever in a changing world.Timecodes04:29 Christmas at Highclere09:56 Tutankhamun and Downton Abbey18:41 Challenges of modern farming27:11 Ghost stories and blessings36:45 The mysterious death of Lord Carnarvon43:38 The success of Highclere Castle Gin48:03 Building a brand and community56:43 Final thoughts and future plansFollow James Reed on Linkedin:Find out more about Lady Carnarvon and Highclere Castle:All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more hereThis podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk