The Merri-Cast
The Merri-Cast is a podcast aimed at emerging leaders who are working through self-doubt and building self-belief. Host Trevor Merriden, an executive coach and author of The Confidence Shift, talks with leaders and entrepreneurs about the moments that challenged their confidence and how they overcame them. The conversations are honest, practical, and deeply human, offering insight into what leadership really feels like. Each episode explores at least one of five core themes: curiosity, creativity, clarity, commitment, and confidence. It's for anyone leading for the first time, questioning their abilities, or building something new and wondering if they are ready.
Episodes
HR’s Moment of Truth: A Time to Lead
Incoming CIPD CEO Neil Carberry OBE joins CIPD Chair Professor Chris Bones and President Chloe Smith for an exclusive Merri-Cast conversation about the future of HR, the direction of the CIPD and what the profession must do next.This week, we have a really special episode of The Merri-Cast podcast to bring to you. Neil Carberry OBE is preparing to take the reins as CEO of the CIPD later this mont
Emma Jones: ON Getting Small Businesses Paid On Time
What does it really take to build a successful business – and how can we make life easier for the people running them? This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m really thrilled to be joined by Emma Jones, Small Business Commissioner and Founder of Enterprise Nation. Emma has spent much of her career starting, growing and supporting small businesses. And today,she’s tackling one of the biggest frustrations
Dan Dunn: ON Taking Responsibility and Backing Yourself
Many dream about starting a business. Far fewer understand what it takes to succeed. This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m excited to be joined by Dan Dunn, Co-founder and CEO of Paperplanes, a business that’s helping reinvent direct mail by combining traditional marketing with modern technology and data. Dan’s journey is striking. Like many others, he took the leap into entrepreneurship with courage.
Steve Dineen: ON Thinking and Acting at Speed
Some entrepreneurs build businesses around products. Others build them around problems they can’t stop thinking about. This week on The Merri-Cast podcast, I’m joined by Steve Dineen – Founder and Chief Storyteller at Fuse Universal, and a pioneer of digital learning. From the early days of e-learning to launching fuseschool and Fuse Universal, Steve has spent decades exploring one central questio
Kate Davis: ON Escaping The Trap of Doing Everything Yourself
A common challenge founders face isn’t strategy, sales or even growth. It’s learning how to stop doing everything themselves. On this week’s episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Kate Davis – founder of Meraki People, leadership advisor and champion of building businesses where people genuinely thrive. Kate’s journey into entrepreneurship was anything but straightforward. From starting her career i
Robert Edmonds: ON Getting the right balance between Clients and Creativity
Most businesses talk about creativity. But the real question is – who is creativity actually for? On this week’s episode of The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Robert Edmonds - founder of NRG Studios, a creative agency helping organisations bring their stories to life through content, events and campaigns.Robert’s career began in broadcast television, working on major productions and building his craft
David Liddle: ON Self-Belief and Protecting Your Culture
Most businesses don’t lose their culture overnight… they lose it as they grow. On this week’s episode of The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by David Liddle – Founder and CEO of The TCM Group and the People & Culture Institute. He’s a leading UK voice on people, culture and leadership. His latest book, “People and Culture” explores many of the ideas we discuss in this episode - you can find it here. I’
Chris Mole: ON Scaling Fast, Selling Smart and Starting Again
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Chris Mole - founder of FounderON and former Founder & CEO of Molzi by Brainlabs. Chris started his first business days after finishing his A-levels. What followed was a journey fuelled by curiosity, commercial instinct and what he calls the superpower of naivety. After building and selling his Amazon agency Molzi, Chris found himself facing a challen
Alison Jones: ON The Power of Writing and Surviving the 3am Doubts
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the fantastic Alison Jones — entrepreneur, publisher, author and coach. Alison built her career in senior roles at Oxford University Press and Palgrave Macmillan before stepping away from corporate life to create Practical Inspiration Publishing – a business that deliberately broke the traditional publishing rulebook. In this honest and wide-ranging conve
Jonathan Bowman-Perks: ON Leading Calmly Through Chaos
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m kicking off 2026 with an inspiring and forward-looking conversation with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE – leadership coach, former British Army Officer, author and host of the Inspiring Leadership podcast. Jonathan’s career spans 20 years in the British Army, senior roles at PwC, IBM and Penna, and decades working with CEOs and leadership teams at the very top of global
A Year of Great Conversations: Our 2025 Highlights
This end-of-year episode is a moment to pause and reflect on some of our brilliant guest insights from the past 12 months – completely honest conversations about the entrepreneurial and leadership journey.So many great insights – and we wish we had the room to include everyone. For this round-up episode, thank you to Bobby Dutton, Assim Ishaque, Zareen Roohi Ahmed, Emily Gill, Richard Barkey, Mind
David Horne: ON Tackling Funding Inequality
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the inspiring David B. Horne – founder of Add Then Multiply and Funding Focus. In this episode, we explore his career, one that spans global finance, corporate leadership, and a mission to level the playing field for underrepresented founders. From collecting newspaper payments as a boy in Canada to raising £60 million in funding for AIM-listed companies,
Suvianna Grecu: ON Leading a Human-Centred Future for AI
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m delighted to be joined by Suvianna Grecu – Founder of AI for Change Foundation and DevCraft Agency, and a passionate advocate for ethical, inclusive and human-centred AI. Suvianna’s career story is an interesting one. A law graduate turned serial entrepreneur, she first built DevCraft, creating custom AI chatbots, before realising that the conversation around AI ne
Steve Ramona: ON Why Your Network is Your Net Worth
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Steve Ramona, host of Doing Business with a Servant’s Heart podcast. Steve is all about the network – he describes himself as a “super connector” specialising in impactful partnerships through personalised introductions. That doesn’t really cover it though. He specialises in the energy industry and is involved in $5bn dollar worth of project
Charles Skinner: ON Humility, Failure, Resilience and Reinvention
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m delighted to be joined by Charles Skinner – CEO of Restore plc.I first met Charles 30 years ago and I have a lot to thank him for. He was the man who gave me my first job in journalism at Management Today magazine. Charles’s own career and entrepreneur journey is as fascinating as it is varied. From an early career in investment banking and private equity, then mag
Jenny Garrett OBE: ON Playing the Long Game and Why AI is our Mirror
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the fantastic Jenny Garrett OBE – an award-winning Author, Speaker, Thought Leader and Founder of Jenny Garrett Global. Jenny’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t begin with a grand plan. It started cautiously, carving out one day a week to test her new coaching path. Now, it’s a thriving business that is 20 years strong. Along the way, Jenny has become a lea
Mindy Gibbins-Klein: ON Leading With Purpose and Why We Need Thoughtful Leaders
This week on The Merri-Cast podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Mindy Gibbins-Klein – Founder of The Book Midwife and Giving 1%. Mindy describes herself as an “accidental entrepreneur”, but what an accident it turned out to be! Redundancy pushed her into building a career that’s empowered thousands of authors, leaders and entrepreneurs to share their stories with the world. In our conver
Richard Barkey: ON Reinventing Yourself and Coaching through AI
This week on The Merri-Cast podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Richard Barkey – Founder and CEO of Imparta. I first met Richard almost 20 years ago, when his sharp questions about PR effectiveness left a lasting impression on me. Since then, he’s gone on to build and scale a business in a sector that is notoriously difficult to grow. How has he done it? With curiosity, resilience and inn
Celebrating the Life and Ideas of Charles Handy
After a short Summer break, we’re back with a very special episode of The Merri-Cast. We depart from our usual format to pay tribute to the late, great Charles Handy – social philosopher, visionary thinker and one of the most influential voices in leadership and management. Charles’s insights heavily shaped my own journalistic and entrepreneurial journey. And his books including The Age of Unreaso
Emily Gill: ON Believing That Anything Is Possible and Embracing Imperfection
What do you do when the career you worked so hard for no longer feels right? And how do you build something new that’s driven by purpose, not pressure?This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Emily Gill – Co-Founder of human skills platform Levra and a qualified coach. In this episode, Emily shares her fascinating career journey from lawyer to Oxford MBA student, to entrepreneurs. It’s full of i
Dani Dufresne: ON Burnout, Reinvention and Creative Freedom
We love guests who challenge the status quo – and our latest one does exactly that. This week, I’m joined by Dani Dufresne – Emmy Award Winning Executive Producer and Founder of The Auxiliary. Dani’s journey from film school in LA to reinventing how creative production works is inspiring and refreshingly honest. With over 20 years’ production experience across Film, TV, Commercials and Events, Dan
Melitta Campbell: ON How Introverts Can Win at Sales and Networking
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Melitta Campbell, otherwise known as ‘The Value Whisperer’. She is a business and leadership coach, TEDx Speaker, best-selling author and an unapologetic introvert. In this episode, Melitta shares how she went from being a shy child, who believed that no one wanted to hear her voice, to coaching female founders to sell themselves and their services with c
Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed: ON Breaking Taboos and Being Prolific, Not Perfect - Part 2 of 2
This week on The Merri-Cast, we pick up where we left off with part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed. In this episode, Zareen shares how she launched Gift Wellness without any business background, but with a powerful mission and drive. In part 2 of our conversation, Zareen also discusses: • Realising that period poverty wasn’t just abroad, but everywhere, including on her doorstep
Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed: ON Pain, Resilience and Purpose - Part 1 of 2
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Zareen Roohi, Founder & CEO of Gift Wellness, an inspiring voice in purpose-led entrepreneurship.In the first of a powerful two-parter, Zareen shares her remarkable life and career journey – from growing up as the daughter of Pakistani immigrants in the West Midlands to navigating early life challenges, building a remarkable and diverse career and the
Karl Pontau: ON The Power of Networks, Human Connection and Resilience
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Karl Pontau – entrepreneur and host of The Human Connection Podcast. Karl’s journey is nothing short of inspiring - from teenage brain tumour survivor to a purpose-driven entrepreneur, podcast host and soon-to-be author. In this episode, Karl dives into the importance of having a network and forging real human connections, especially in a wo
Rediscover your Creativity
In this episode, I discuss a topic frequently misunderstood and undervalued: creativity. The everyday creativity that fuels problem-solving, drives innovation and unlocks confidence. I explore three common barriers that hold people back in their creativity:⏳ “I don’t have time to be creative” – Time constraints aren’t a barrier. It’s what can light your creativity in the first place.🤔 “I’m not a c
Liz Sebag-Montefiore: ON Trusting Your Gut and Finding Courage
Joining me on The Merri-Cast this week is the fantastic Liz Sebag-Montefiore – co-founder of career and talent management consultancy 10Eighty. Along with current CEO Michael Moran, the pair have steered the growth of the business for over 13 years now. And in June, Liz takes over as CEO, so it seemed like a great moment to talk to her about her entrepreneurial past, present and future. In this e
Katharine Plunkett: ON Working Hard and Going Bigger
Joining me on The Merri-Cast this week is the wonderful Katharine Plunkett. I first met Katharine around 25 years ago when we both worked for Haymarket Media Group. She made a big impression on me then - and continues to do so in this episode. Katharine is an entrepreneur and commercial business leader with extensive international experience in global business growth. And today, she runs two busin
Assim Ishaque: ON The Importance of Trust and Giving Business Ideas Time
Joining me this week is the fantastic Assim Ishaque. He is the Founder & Director of Envirup and Simbrix Ltd as well as being a Business Coach, Speaker, Inventor, Investor and NED. Assim’s career journey is truly fascinating. From early redundancies, dyslexia and industry barriers to building multiple, successful business ventures, his story is one of true resilience, adaptability and innovati
How to Build Your Curiosity Skills
What is the best possible question you can ask, when you're curious about someone or something?The #MerriCast is the podcast show that puts you on the fast track to business confidence. And this week I'm taking a more personal look on the role that curiosity played in building my confidence.When I was younger I lacked a lot of personal confidence. I developed it through asking lots of qu
Sandra Healy: ON making the leap from intrapreneur to entrepreneur
For our latest episode of The Merri-Cast podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sandra Healy, Co-Founder and CEO of inclusio. For 20 years, Sandra excelled in engineering and leadership roles in the global tech sector. She eventually took a leap and started inclusio, alongside her co-founders Deborah Murphy and Arthur Lubambo in 2020…just as the pandemic hit. At one point, Sandra pitched th
Bobby Dutton: ON The Power of Freedom and Control
Do you love what you do enough to do it for free? Most would probably say no. But our latest guest sees life differently…For our first episode of 2025, I’m delighted to be joined by the fantastic Bobby Dutton – Entrepreneur, Keynote Speaker, Performer and Philanthropist. Bobby’s entrepreneurial adventures are rooted in his purpose and passion. His first business GBM6 stems from his passion for mus
2024 Highlights: A look back
Our final episode of The Merri-Cast podcast this year is now live! 😊We’ve had some fantastic guests over the last 12 months, all with unique stories to tell and valuable advice on what it takes to be an entrepreneur. In this episode, we look back at a few of my favourite guest moments. A huge thank all our guests this year for your brilliant contributions, stories and insights: Adam Twidell &
Liz Barclay: ON Late Payment perils and the need to Speak Up
Our last guest of the year on The Merri-Cast Podcast is the fantastic Liz Barclay – Small Business Commissioner and entrepreneur. Liz’s entrepreneurial spark has always been a part of her DNA. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, her work has always been centred around helping others and making a difference. After spells in the voluntary sector and becoming an entrepreneur herself, Liz became t
Per Wimmer: ON How his adventures fuel his entrepreneurial drive
Our 50th episode of The Merri-Cast podcast is now live! We’re thrilled that joining us on this milestone episode, is the brilliant Per Wimmer – entrepreneur, adventurer, philanthropist and recent winner at the Business Book Awards. From working at prestigious organisations like Goldman Sachs and McKinsey, space training, skydiving over Mount Everest to founding multiple businesses including Wimme
Polly Barnfield: ON Sticking to your vision and making AI your ally
This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Polly Barnfield OBE, CEO and Founder of Maybe* which helps companies save time and improve results through the use of AI. Polly’s career started with riding horses and working for a web design company, before deciding that taking instructions from others wasn’t for her. After setting up various business and charitable ventures, she set up M
Adrian Moorhouse: ON Controlling Your Destiny and Keeping It Simple
This week, I am joined by Adrian Moorhouse MBE - Entrepreneur and Consultant, co-founder and former Managing Director of Lane4 - and of course an Olympic Gold Medallist.Following a hugely successful swimming career as an individual, Adrian decided that he wanted to be part of something bigger in building a business. So, in 1995, he co-founded leadership development consultancy Lane4. In this inter
Anne Fulton: ON Just Giving It A Go - and Learning from It
On this week’s episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by Anne Fulton, Founder and CEO of Fuel50, the business that helps clients create career pathways for their employees. She’s led the firm’s rapid growth to more than 100 employees – or “Fuellies” as she likes to call them – in supporting a number of world-class brands. A single moment, at the age of 14, led Anne on a lifelong journey to create a ca
Simon Shepard: ON Being Driven by Progress and Embracing New Opportunities
On this week’s episode of The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by my good friend, the brilliant Simon Shepard - Founder and CEO of Optima-Life. Simon is a physiotherapist by training but has turned into a fantastic entrepreneur. In this episode, he shares his unique career journey and the lessons he’s learnt along the way. He’s also in the middle of an exciting new venture, which you’ll hear more about at t
Matthew Phelan: ON Finding his Own Happiness
On today’s episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Matthew Phelan - Co-Founder of The Happiness Index, an employee engagement and happiness platform. From working on a farm at a young age, to creating a business plan in Wetherspoons, and founding a business with friends - Matthew’s career journey is certainly unique. In this episode, Matthew shares the key moments which have led him on his own path t
Karina Murray: ON Finding Your Purpose and Realising Your Capabilities
On this week’s episode of The Merri-Cast podcast, I’m thrilled to be joined by the wonderful Karina Murray – Founder and CEO of Aunua Global. Karina’s mission with Aunua Global is incredibly inspiring and in this episode, she shares how the business came about and why she’s so passionate about helping young people. She also shares many valuable lessons including: •Finding your purpose and people w
Solomon Thimothy: ON The Importance of Sacred Days and Taking Risks
On this week's episode, I’m delighted to be joined by the brilliant Solomon Thimothy - Co-Founder and CEO of OneIMS – Integrated Marketing Solutions and Clickx. He’s helped businesses increase their revenue using his 10X Framework and is also an expert in lead generation and customer acquisition. In this episode, Solomon’s passion is clear through his positivity and energy. He shares many val
Kelly Gilmour-Grassam ON Being Resilient, Staying Curious, and Worrying Less
As entrepreneurs, it’s essential to have resilience but until we face certain challenges, we often don’t recognise how resilient we truly are. Joining us this week is someone who’s resilience shines through – the brilliant Kelly Gilmour-Grassam, Founder and Director of Making You Content. Kelly had a passion for writing from an early age and rather than going straight into a job working with other
Mark Goyder: ON The Importance of Partnerships and Building up Reserves
On today’s episode, we’re joined by the brilliant Mark Goyder, Founder of Tomorrow’s Company – “a not-for-profit think tank that exists to inspire and enable business to be a force for good.”In this episode, Mark details his early career, particularly the four people who inspired him during this time. He also shares the story of how Tomorrow’s Company came to be and how the company has evolved ove
Adam Twidell and Carol Cork: ON Believing in What You Do, Taking Risks and The Power of Telling your Story
Today’s guests are Adam Twidell and Carol Cork – co-founders of Private Fly, a hugely successful aviation business that grew and grew until it was acquired a few years ago. In this episode, they share their entrepreneurial journey of Private Fly as well as all the work they’ve done since deciding to sell the business. They also discuss:•Why you need to believe in what you do.•The importance of tak
Chris Parke: ON The Importance of Purpose and Using Data to Build a Business Case
Our last episode of the year is now live and features the fantastic Chris Parke – Co-Founder of Talking Talent. In this episode, Chris shares some brilliant insights, including:👏 The importance of purpose.📈 Using data to build a business case.👍 Making more good decisions than bad.📆 Spending enough time on planning.😊 Why you need to surround yourself with good people.📞 The more conversations you ha
Kim Ades: ON 'Being aware of your thoughts and the impact of journaling'
On today’s episode, I am joined by the fantastic Kim Ades – President of Frame of Mind Coaching and Journal Engine Software and CEO of The Journal That Talks Back. Kim’s career has been one full of variety – there’s not many interviews in which you fit a psychology degree, a balloon business, then a software entrepreneur. Because of this variety, Kim offers a lot of great insights throughout the e
The Power of Authenticity
Welcome to our latest episode of The Merri-Cast podcast!We’ve covered so many subjects that every entrepreneur has faced on their business journey and now that we’re close to 40 episodes of the podcast, we’ve listened back and noticed some issues come up time and again. One of these is the subject of authenticity. So, we thought we’d make this week’s episode a little different - a mini Merri-Cast
Jane Sunley: ON The Power of Mentoring and The Importance of Ethics
On this week’s episode of The Merri-Cast Podcast, I’m joined by the brilliant Jane Sunley –Co-founder of Hendrick & Hyde and a best-selling business author. Jane previously had a thriving career in hospitality. However, since turning to entrepreneurship, she has founded and co-founded four hugely successful businesses including Purple Cubed and Talent Toolbox. In this episode, Jane discusses t
Lucy McCarraher: ON The Unplanned Career and Why Partnerships are Vital
Having a career structure and plan is the driving force behind many people’s success. However, for my next guest on The Merri-Cast, having a largely instinctive career is what’s helped them the most. This week, I’m joined by the insightful Lucy McCarraher – Author, Keynote Speaker, Book Mentor & Publisher, and Founder of Rethink Press and The Business Book Awards. Lucy’s career has been largel
Rachel Turner: ON Hanging out with the Winners and The Balance between Fear and Aspiration'
On this week's episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Rachel Turner. Rachel began her career as a music industry entrepreneur but over the last 20 years, has been a successful coach and leadership advisor. She is the Founder of ‘Achieve Unlimited’ and Co-Founder of VC Talent Lab “which aims to put leadership talent development at the heart of the VC ecosystem”.Rachel is also author of the #1 be
Lisa Michaels: ON the perils of boredom and practising your entrepreneurship
On today's episode, I'm joined by Lisa Michaels - CEO of ‘Lisa Michaels’, GeniusU Mentor, and Real Estate Investor. Lisa’s career speaks for itself with over 30 years of “soul-filled business and leadership experience”, an author of several books, 20+ years as an accelerated learning workshop facilitator, and more. Her first successful business experience was the owner of a 500+ pupil ba
Felicity Cowie: ON '6 questions to always ask and the art of self-forgiveness'
This week, I am joined by Felicity Cowie – Founder of Cowiecom, Business Consultant, International Communications Trainer, Author, and an award-winning former BBC, ITV, and Panorama journalist. As a former journalist turned entrepreneur myself, I could resonate with a lot of what Felicity had to say and I’m sure you will as well. In this episode, Felicity discusses 6 questions that can work for bu
Jude Jennison: ON Being Curious, Dealing with Doubt, and Giving it a Go
Entrepreneur or not, it’s important to know the value in what you do and for our latest guest on ‘The Merri-Cast’, it’s no different.Joining me today is the fantastic Jude Jennison – Founder of Leaders by Nature, Founder of AskOpus Ltd, Coach, Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host. In this episode, Jude discusses:Having a thirst for knowledge at a young ageLooking for value in what you doBeing led by
Zoe Walters: ON trusting yourself implicitly, finding your purpose, and asking for help
Being connected to your purpose and your ‘why’ is important for any entrepreneur and for my brilliant guest Zoe Walters, it’s absolutely integral. Zoe is the Founder & CEO of The OutPlacers, a self-employed Coach & Consultant at ‘Zig Zag Consulting Ltd’, and Founder & Head Coach of ‘The Coach House Club’. In this episode, Zoe discusses knowing yourself well enough that your intuition i
Bob Quick: ON Resilience, Persistence, and Learning from Mistakes
Today, I am joined by the brilliant Bob Quick - CEO of Blue Light Global Solutions and Executive Director of Global Secure Accreditation. Previously, Bob had a hugely successful 30+year career as a detective in the police force. In this episode, he discusses:Being resilient to disappointmentThe two vital qualities you need as an entrepreneurLearning from your mistakesWhy you need people around you
Andrew Armes: ON his moment of epiphany, truly loving what you do, and asking for help
On today's episode, I am joined by the insightful Andrew Armes – Cultural Architect, Coach, and Leadership Development Expert and Founder of The Purposeful Practice Ltd. Previously, Andrew was a self-employed Leadership Development Consultant, Head of Talent Acquisition at 'Roche', and also co-founded The Spring Project. In this episode, he discusses: A life changing experience Inne
David Mellor: ON his darkest time, identfying wrong'uns, and staying in charge of your own career development
After a short break, The Merri-Cast podcast is back and I’m thrilled that my next guest is the brilliant David Mellor – Founder of David Mellor Publishing.David has had a fantastic career. Previously, he was Director of David Mellor Mentoring for 14 years, Director of Azure Partners limited for over 15 years, and also has 25 years’ experience in commercial and investment banking. He has also publi
Mac Attram: ON Overcoming his Worst Moment and the Difference between Passion and Purpose
On today’s episode, I am joined by Mac Attram – World-Class Business Trainer & Coach, #1 International Bestselling Author, International Speaker, and Founder & CEO of MindSpace Coaching. This episode is filled with incredible wisdom and advice from Mac. He discusses passion vs purpose, why you can’t improve what you don’t measure, and why your business and success can only grow to the ext
Steve Jack: ON Having an Engineering Mindset, Taking a Risk, and Letting Go
On today's episode, I am joined by Steve Jack - Owner and Managing Director of Gem Cable Solutions. Over the course of his career, Steve has been no stranger to taking risks – whether it’s moving to London with £50 in his pocket, spending his redundancy money on toys to open a toy shop, or putting himself outside his comfort zone. In this episode, he discusses having an engineering mindset, t
Peter Winick: ON Establishing where you fit in, and why now is the best time to launch something new
Knowing where you fit in and where you don’t is difficult, but according to our upcoming guest on The Merri-Cast, it’s an essential part of your entrepreneurial journey. On today's episode, I’m joined by Peter Winick – founder and CEO of @Thought Leadership Leverage. A self-confessed information junkie, Peter constantly wants to learn more and has always felt like an entrepreneur at heart -
Matt Rogan: ON Starting a Business with Others, The Importance of Having an Outlet, and Playing "hard to get" with Clients
Some people would say that starting a business with friends or family is risky, but for Matt Rogan it was a no-brainer. In September 2011, Matt, alongside his wife Claire and friend, Gareth Balch, set up Two Circles – a successful data driven sports agency that helps sports organisations build direct relationships with sports and fans.After selling the company twice, Matt is now the Founder and Di
Masami Sato: ON How Letting Go Can Be The Way Forward and Why It's Important to Enjoy What You Do
When you become an entrepreneur, it’s important to know why you’re doing it and what you want to achieve. You need to have a mission and purpose.On today's episode, I'm joined by the fantastic Masami Sato - best-selling Author, 2x TEDx Speaker, and Founder and CEO of B1G1 - a global giving movement of effective 'transaction-based' giving connecting businesses and charity organi
Ashutosh Garg: ON Being a Business Goalkeeper, The Power of Advisory Boards, and Why you Must Take Risks
We’re often told to be bold and take risks – but how many of us can say we fully think them through first? Our first guest of 2023 on The Merri-Cast, is the brilliant Ashutosh Garg, who explains why it’s essential to take risks but just as important to have all the facts first. Ashutosh is the Founder of Equation Coaching and The Brand Called You – a Media Tech global platform that brings you Lead
The Merri-Cast: 2022's Best Bits (Part 2)
Welcome to part 2 of our 2-part episode special where we look back at all our incredible guests from 2022 and listen to all our favourite moments so far. In part 2, highlights are taken from our episodes with Jim James, Robert Clay, Paulina Roach, Jackie Lapin, Bill Sherman, Joel Blake OBE, Surbhi Dedhia, Jasper Steinhausen, Marie-France Samba, and Adam Stott. We hope you've all enjoyed liste
The Merri-Cast: 2022's Best Bits (Part 1)
Today's episode is part 1 of a 2-part episode special where we'll be looking back and picking out our favourite moments from our incredible guests so far. In part 1, highlights are taken from our episodes with Steph Taylor, Terri Vincent, Paul Corke, Del Lewis, Michael Moran, Perry Timms, Neeraj Shah, Stijn Smet, Simon Fanshawe, and Cheryl Luzet. You can connect/get in touch with our hos
Adam Stott: ON Knowing your Numbers, Developing a Winning Mentality, and Learning from People Better than You
To become a successful entrepreneur, there is no one ‘right way’ but there are multiple, valuable things you can do to achieve success quicker, or achieve more than you ever imagined. On today’s episode of The Merri-Cast, we are joined by someone who provides invaluable lessons to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals., who strives off a positive attitude and has true entrepreneurial spirit – the
Marie-France Samba: ON The Importance of Personal Branding, Acting from a Place of Service, and Putting your Ego Aside
Being an entrepreneur means that personal branding is essential…but why? Well, our latest guest on The Merri-Cast is an expert in this exact topic – in fact, it’s the inspiration behind her entire business. Joining me on today’s episode is personal branding, visibility, and leadership coach extraordinaire, Marie-France Samba. Marie-France is also an entrepreneur, mentor, speaker, is incredibly pas
Jasper Steinhausen: ON Making Sustainability Profitable, The Importance of Niche Marketing, and The Art of Positivity
This week, I am joined by the fantastic Jasper Steinhausen - CEO-adviser, Business Consultant, Speaker, Mentor, and Podcaster. Jasper is the Founder of Business with Impact, Sustainable Business Advisor and Owner of Steinhausen!, and Owner of Steinhausen Holding IVS. In this episode, Jasper shares his passion on how to make sustainability profitable and why sustainability is no longer a debate. He
Surbhi Dedhia: ON 'Going from Corporate to Entrepreneurial Life, Succeeding In a New Country, and Practising What You Preach
Joining me on this week’s episode is the superb Surbhi Dedhia – the Founder and CEO of Digital Genie, Founder of JotMyBio, and host of ‘The Making of a Thought Leader’ podcast. She originally began her career in the corporate world but after moving from Singapore to Dubai, naturally moved into the world of entrepreneurship. The move opened many avenues and doors to channelise her work and launche
Joel Blake: ON The Accidental Entrepreneur, Belief In Your Own Power, and Embracing Your Vulnerability
When I ask entrepreneurs how they became one, I’m often met with the response ‘it was an accident’, ‘it wasn’t planned’, or ‘I just fell into it’ – it’s how I became an entrepreneur myself and for today's guest, it’s the same for him too. I’m delighted to announce that on today's episode, we are joined by the brilliant Joel Blake OBE – Entrepreneur, Businessman, Speaker, and Consultant.
Bill Sherman: ON Turning Your Passion into a Profession, The Importance of Clarity, and Focusing on What Really Matters
I’m thrilled that today’s guest is the fantastic Bill Sherman – COO and Thought Leadership Practice Lead for Thought Leadership Leverage, and co-host of the podcast ‘Leveraging Thought Leadership’. In this episode, Bill discusses turning your passion into a profession, the importance of clarity, and the key to a strong business partnership. He also opens up on a major health scare he had which hel
Jackie Lapin: ON Protecting Your 'Think' Time, Where To Put Your Energy, and Why Success Is The Best Revenge
Joining me on today's episode of The Merri-Cast is the brilliant Jackie Lapin. Jackie is the Founder of SpeakerTunity, the Speaker & Leader Resource Company, an author, and a lifelong pioneer and innovator. Her career has been ground-breaking. She began as one of the first women sportswriters in America, which lead her to create one of the largest and most successful sports, special even
Paulina Roach: ON Problem-Solving, Worst-Case Scenarios, and Customer Obsession
On this week's episode of 'The Merri-Cast', I have the fantastic Paulina Roach joining me. Paulina is a Business Coach and Mentor at The International Academy of Wealth, and a Facilitator, Speaker, Virtual COO, and Business Consultant at Paulina Roach Consulting. After 20 years in hospitality and building a reputation for problem-solving, a new experience helped Pauline realise she
Robert Clay: ON Never Worrying, Looking Forward, and Always Sharing Knowledge
Our guest on today's podcast is Robert Clay - a man full of entrepreneurial energy. Ideas and answers seem to come to him so naturally. His latest and possibly greatest idea of all, is all about a 628% growth, that's the average exponential growth he achieved among hundreds of his past clients. He's built various businesses over the years, all with varying success. But 37 years ago,
Jim James: ON Bravery, Cashflow, and Finding Megatrends
Joining me on today's episode is the brilliant Jim James, Founding and Managing Director of EASTWEST Public Relations, Author, and Podcast host of 'The UnNoticed Entrepreneur'. At 27 years old, Jim started EASTWEST Public Relations in Singapore and offices of the same agency in China, India, and then the UK. Jim's experiences mean he knows a thing or two about the risks of bein
Cheryl Luzet: ON Thinking Bigger, Celebrating Failure, and Hiring People Better than You
On today’s episode of ‘The Merri-Cast’, I am joined by the fantastic Cheryl Luzet.Cheryl is the Founder and CEO of Wagada – a successful results-driven marketing agency which she started up in 2011, over 10 years now. In this episode, Cheryl discusses what motivated her to start Wagada, the benefits of networking, the importance of hiring people better than you, and why celebrating failure is a go
Simon Fanshawe: ON Why Passion is Your Worst Enemy and the Power of Difference
In today’s episode, I am joined by the brilliant Simon Fanshawe, OBE. Simon is a Partner at Diversity by Design, an entrepreneur, Board Member and Chairman of various organisations, an Author, Writer, and Broadcaster, and is also an award-winning comedian, so he’s very funny. In this upcoming episode, Simon discusses why passion can be your worst enemy, why he set up his business ‘Diversity by De
Stijn Smet: ON Innovation Strategies, Making Fact-Based Decisions, and Knowing When to Kill an Idea
Joining me on today's episode is the fantastic Stijn Smet. Stijn is the Managing Director of the 'Academy for Corporate Entrepreneurship' and an innovation expert. His passion for innovation and helping 'intrapreneurs' (entrepreneurs in business) is obvious. In this insightful conversation, Stijn discusses what makes innovation programs successful, the importance of start
Neeraj Shah: ON How Having a Purpose Gives You Courage
On this week’s episode, I am joined by the brilliant Neeraj Shah. Neeraj is the Founder of Titan Masterminds and a LinkedIn Coach, Expert, Trainer, and Speaker. He is also a LinkedIn Faculty and Top Mentor for the Global Entrepreneur Platform ‘Genius-U’ so he knows what it means to be successful and an expert in his field. In this episode, Neeraj discusses how having a purpose gives you courage, t
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