Podcast
Building The Brand with James Burtt
Hosted by Phonic Content · EN
Building The Brand is a Top 50 business podcast for people who don’t just want success stories - they want to understand how success is actually built. Hosted by James Burtt, each episode features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, and creators behind standout brands. This isn’t surface-level storytelling. This is a tactical break down of real decisions, trade-offs and lessons behind standout brands Past guests include world-renowned business and entrepreneurial figures Gary Brecka, Grant Cardone, Joe Foster, Mark Victor Hansen and John Lee Dumas. Not how to. This is how you.
22episodes
Episodes
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He Lost His Fashion Empire… Then Raised £4M To Build A Brazilian Beer Brand Taking On The Drinks Industry Giants
2w ago01:06:51Tap to summarizeCan you lose a multi-million-pound fashion business almost overnight… and still come back to build a brand in a completely different industry?Charles Gay is the founder of Favela, the Brazilian-inspired beer brand bringing sunshine, culture, gluten-free lager, hospitality partnerships and premium party energy into the UK and European drinks market.Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficialWant more from Building The Brand - connect here:https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterIn this episode of Building The Brand, Charles shares the incredible story of going from fashion entrepreneur and brand creator to launching Favela Cerveja, a Brazilian beer brand built around culture, community, purpose and one very clear gap in the market.But this conversation is not just about beer, hospitality or building an alcohol brand.It is about losing everything, having to shut down a successful fashion business almost overnight, dealing with the pressure of staff, suppliers and cancelled orders, rebuilding from scratch, raising investment, learning a new industry, cold-calling bars, driving beer across Europe himself, and proving that brand-building principles can transfer across completely different markets.He also breaks down the realities of the drinks industry, from brewery partnerships, wholesalers, distributors and hospitality groups through to premium venues, football sponsorship, Ibiza activations, Amazonico, Dubai, Marbella, O Beach Ibiza and the strategic move into aluminium bottles.Connect with Favela:https://www.favelacerveja.com/IN THIS EPISODE:▪️How Charles Gay went from fashion entrepreneur to beer brand founder▪️Why Brazil inspired the creation of Favela Cerveja▪️Spotting the gap for a Brazilian beer brand in the UK drinks market▪️Creating a gluten-free, vegan and purpose-led beer brand▪️The role of brand design, packaging, IP and trademarks▪️How Charles raised his first £1M to launch Favela▪️Why investors backed the founder, the story and the purpose▪️How to build a drinks brand through bars, restaurants and wholesalers▪️Why cold-calling and hand-delivering product still matters▪️How Favela partnered with O Beach Ibiza and Amazonico▪️The strategic importance of aluminium bottles in beer▪️The difference between on-trade, off-trade and supermarket distribution▪️Why the right venue partnerships matter more than being everywhereKEY MOMENTS:0:00 — Charles Gay on raising £1M, Ibiza and building Favela1:05 — From fashion entrepreneur to Brazilian beer brand founder3:15 — Creating a gluten-free, organic, vegan beer concept5:22 — Spotting the gluten-free trend before the market caught up9:25 — PAUSE POINT: Market gaps are easier to see from outside the industry11:37 — Losing the fashion business and saving Favela19:18 — Relaunching Favela and raising the first £1M22:06 — The Favela Foundation and building a purpose-led beer brand23:45 — PAUSE POINT: What survives when a business collapses?26:37 — Rebuilding the brewery, team, marketing and distribution30:05 — Cold-calling bars and hand-delivering beer in Glasgow33:33 — Starting again, swallowing your ego and leaving fashion behind39:15 — Why aluminium bottles are a major opportunity for Favela42:15 — Getting Favela into O Beach Ibiza47:01 — Driving beer through Europe to Ibiza with his dad48:44 — PAUSE POINT: Founder mode means doing whatever it takes52:25 — Amazonico, Dubai, Monaco, Miami and premium global venues56:29 — Why on-trade comes before supermarket retail distribution1:00:15 — The biggest lessons from losing a multi-million-pound business1:03:40 — World Cup activations, Dubai, Spain and Favela’s next stage
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PREVIEW: Can you lose a multi-million-pound fashion business almost overnight… and still come back to build a brand in a completely different industry?
2w ago00:01:19Tap to summarizeMeet Charles Gay, the entrepreneur who has raised £4M to create Favela Cerveja, the Brazilian beer brand set to take on the drinks industry giants! His journey from multi-million pound fashion mogul to FMCG challenger brand is a wild ride - you'll love this!Get the FULL EPISODE now, on your favourite podcast player
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He Got Ripped Off For Millions But Still Built a £50M+ Property & Business Empire - James Martin On Dyslexia, Shame and Making A Fortune
3w ago01:15:06Tap to summarizeCan you build serious wealth without academic success, qualifications or even being able to properly read a contract?James Martin who is an entrepreneur, investor, mentor and commercial landlord who has amassed a huge net worth through business and property certainly thinks so! Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficialWant more from Building The Brand - connect here: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterIn this episode of Building The Brand, James shares the brutally honest story of growing up with severe dyslexia, leaving school at 14 with no qualifications, turning rejection into opportunity, building his first business before the age of 18, selling and buying back that company, moving into land, planning and commercial property, and eventually building a multi-million-pound property portfolio.James explains how dyslexia shaped the way he thinks, why he built teams around him from a young age, how a trusted business partner ripped him off for millions, what that taught him about contracts, partnerships and control, and why founders need to understand the rooms they are operating in before the stakes get too high.He also shares how he built Ruskins from cutting grass and hanging baskets into a serious commercial business, how he sold it, bought it back for a fraction of the price, then sold it again, before moving into planning, land acquisition, wedding venues, commercial estates, container storage and business mentoring.Connect with the brilliant James Martin on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jamesmartinentrepreneur/IN THIS EPISODE: ▪️Growing up with severe dyslexia and the shame of not being able to read properly▪️Leaving school at 14 with no qualifications ▪️Why James hired a PA at 18 and built his business around his weaknesses ▪️Turning rejection from drama school into his first real client▪️Building a landscaping and tree surgery company before the age of 20▪️Winning pub, brewery, council, MOD and commercial contracts▪️Selling Ruskins, buying it back, then selling it again ▪️Why being good at a business does not mean you should stay in it ▪️How James moved from trading businesses into land, planning and property ▪️Getting ripped off for millions by a trusted partner▪️The importance of shareholder agreements, contracts and exit clauses ▪️Why commercial property became James’s favourite business model ▪️How he uses delegation, management and expert operators across multiple businesses ▪️The mindset shift required to go from £2M turnover to the next levelKEY MOMENTS:0:00 — James on shame, scars, trust and being ripped off for millions1:00 — Why the positive should be primary2:14 — Growing up severely dyslexic3:34 — School, shame and becoming the “cheeky chappie”8:38 — Trusting solicitors, PAs and people around him9:30 — PAUSE POINT: Build around your weaknesses12:41 — The business partner who ripped him off for millions15:10 — Leaving school at 14 with no qualifications18:32 — How drama school became his first client20:01 — PAUSE POINT: Rejection can become market research21:36 — Winning 35 pubs before the age of 1823:20 — Building Ruskins and growing into tree surgery31:07 — Breaking into council and commercial contracts34:39 — Brokering international rights and licensing deals36:39 — Selling Ruskins for the first time42:00 — Buying the business back from receivers46:39 — PAUSE POINT: Does the business still fit the life you want?49:39 — Moving into land, planning and development51:39 — Why contracts and partnership agreements matters when millions are involved59:28 — Why James loves commercial property1:01:00 — Delegation, management and expert operators1:04:54 — Baby steps, risk and learning before diving in1:08:02 — Why James created the Baddow Park Mastermind1:10:34 — Helping entrepreneurs think bigger1:11:57 — James’s ambition: buying property until the day he dies
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PREVIEW: How Do You Build a £50M Business & Property Empire... James Martin Reveals All
3w ago00:01:12Tap to summarizeIf you love this short clip, you will LOVE the full episode where James Martin shares how he went from leaving school at 14 and being unable to read contracts, got ripped off for millions, bought back the business he sold, and built a £50M+ property empire from lessons that nearly broke him.FULL EPISODE OUT NOW ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST PLAYER
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Built & Sold A Multi-Million Tech Startup In Just 3 Years: Karolina Pelc Made A Fortune Without Luck!
4w ago01:26:57Tap to summarizeCan you start at the bottom of an industry, back yourself before anyone else does, raise millions, build a fast-growth startup and sell it within three years?FOR THE FULL STORY GET KAROLINA’S NO.1 BEST SELLING BOOK ‘HER PLAY’ Karolina Pelc is an entrepreneur, investor, advisor, author and the founder of BeyondPlay, the iGaming startup she launched in 2021, raised £6.1 million for, and sold to FanDuel within just three years.Want more BTB goodness!? Connect Here: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterKarolina’s journey started far from the world of startup exits, venture capital and acquisition deals. At 19, she trained as a casino dealer in Poland, worked in tough casino environments, moved to London, lived in difficult conditions, worked on cruise ships, and eventually fought her way into the online gaming industry from the very bottom of the career ladder.In this episode of Building The Brand, Karolina breaks down how she turned lived experience in real-world casinos into a powerful insight about the future of online gaming. She explains how she raised £1.2 million from a pitch deck, built BeyondPlay through the pandemic, scaled the team to 50 people, navigated product pivots, licensing complexity, investor pressure, founder burnout and eventually sold the company to FanDuel.She also shares why she does not believe in luck, why starting again can be a strategic move, why founders cannot make everyone like them, and why hustle only works when it is intentional.Karolina shares:▪️ Why she does not believe luck created her success▪️ Why she was willing to start again in a junior role▪️ How real-world casino experience shaped the idea for BeyondPlay▪️ Raising £1.2 million from a deck during the pandemic▪️ Why approval cannot be the operating system for founders▪️ Selling BeyondPlay to FanDuel within three years▪️ What really happens during a fast acquisition processFind out more about Karolina Pelc here:https://karolinapelc.com/Key Moments:0:00 — Karolina Pelc on quitting, growth, pressure and selling BeyondPlay1:07 — Why Karolina does not believe in luck3:16 — Starting, funding and selling BeyondPlay within three years6:57 — The brutal training process to become a dealer8:00 — Her first major casino customer and early resilience12:19 — Arriving in London and the reality of starting again17:35 — Homelessness and learning the hard way21:20 — Reality distortion filter, belief and ambitious goals24:05 — Understanding the different levels of the casino world30:47 — Moving from casinos and cruise ships into online gaming34:35 — The idea that eventually became BeyondPlay37:21 — Raising £1.2 million during the pandemic44:18 — What BeyondPlay actually built50:33 — Regulation, licensing and startup complexity52:21 — The risky second product that changed the company57:00 — Founder mode and transparent leadership59:00 — Why CEOs cannot have everyone agree with them1:00:12 — Work-life balance, values and startup reality1:06:40 — People pleasing, burnout and founder pressure1:09:30 — Building BeyondPlay with an exit in mind1:11:13 — Selling the company in two months1:14:54 — What the day of signing the deal actually felt like1:17:13 — Leaving the company after acquisition1:19:49 — Achievement addiction, writing the book and what comes next1:24:14 — Who Karolina wrote the book for
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From Repossession To £1.9 Million Launch: Caroline Strawson On Narcissistic Abuse, Debt & Repossession To Building The UK's Fast-Growing Franchise
Jun 301:27:28Tap to summarizeCan you rebuild your life after narcissistic abuse, trauma, anxiety, depression, debt and losing almost everything?Caroline Strawson is a trauma therapist, nervous system expert, author, coach and founder of The Mental Wellbeing Company and TIDAL.After experiencing narcissistic abuse, anxiety, depression, PTSD, self-harm, chronic illness, £70,000 of debt and having her house repossessed, Caroline rebuilt her life as a single mum and went on to create one of the UK’s fastest-growing trauma-informed mental wellbeing brands.Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficialConnect Here: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterCaroline breaks down how she went from rock bottom to building a multi-million pound business helping people heal from trauma, narcissistic abuse, emotional abuse and toxic relationships. She explains why traditional talk therapy was not enough for her recovery, why the nervous system is the missing piece in mental health, and how trauma can impact business, leadership, relationships, health and self-worth.She also shares how she built a powerful personal brand, launched trauma-informed coaching certifications, created The Mental Wellbeing Company, generated £1.9 million at launch and learned to lead a growing team without losing the compassion at the heart of her work.Caroline shares:▪️ How she rebuilt her life after narcissistic abuse, debt and repossession▪️ Why narcissistic abuse is a form of domestic abuse and trauma▪️ Why talk therapy helped her understand her pain but did not change how she felt▪️ How nervous system healing became the missing piece in her recovery▪️ How she turned lived experience into a trauma-informed business▪️ Why The Mental Wellbeing Company took £1.9 million at launch▪️ Why founders and leaders need nervous system capacity, not just strategy▪️ How stress, struggle and chaos can become addictive for entrepreneurs▪️ Why trauma-informed leadership requires both compassion and boundaries▪️ How Caroline is evolving from personal brand to business empireFind out more about Caroline Strawson here:https://carolinestrawson.com/Key Moments:0:00 — Caroline Strawson on narcissistic abuse, trauma and rebuilding her life1:13 — Anxiety, panic attacks and sitting in a repossessed house3:55 — Why her children became the driving force behind her recovery5:14 — Building a business around motherhood14:13 — What narcissistic abuse actually means16:49 — Googling “narcissistic sociopath” and understanding her experience18:30 — £70,000 of debt, repossession and single motherhood20:08 — Why counselling helped but did not fully heal her21:12 — Discovering nervous system healing23:31 — The £58,000 launch that changed what felt possible25:05 — Creating trauma-informed coaching certifications27:05 — Taking £1.9 million at launch29:42 — Listening to your audience without abandoning your beliefs32:45 — Building a trauma-informed business with integrity34:00 — Victimhood, responsibility and healing38:01 — Why founders can become addicted to stress42:24 — Functional freeze, burnout and business performance45:04 — Caroline’s Capacity Plus framework52:21 — Using nervous system capacity in business57:38 — Handling hard conversations as a leader1:02:30 — Why you cannot lead beyond what your nervous system can hold1:05:56 — Lessons from a difficult team exit1:11:00 — Empathy, codependency and trauma-informed leadership1:16:15 — Moving from personal brand to scalable companies1:19:07 — Challenging the traditional mental health system1:22:51 — Becoming visible as the woman she is today1:25:56 — Why doing your own healing is a gift to your children
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Build A Brand The Creates Freedom: Phil Graham Reveals How To Build A Seriously Profitable Business That Gives You Freedom, Not Burnout
May 2701:28:29Tap to summarizePhil Graham is an entrepreneur, business strategist, investor, mentor and founder of the multi-million pound brands Fitness Entrepreneur and Expansion Partners.After being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 16, Phil refused to accept the limitations placed on his life. He rebuilt his health through bodybuilding, nutrition, training and self-education, before turning that knowledge into one of the most successful fitness business coaching companies in the UK.Connect Here: https://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletterHe breaks down why most entrepreneurs are not really chasing revenue - they are chasing freedom, peace, control and options. He also explains why many founders build businesses from fear, scarcity and external validation, then wonder why success still feels unfulfilling.Phil shares: ▪️ How he became one of the UK’s leading fitness business coaches▪️ Why skills come before cash when building a profitable business▪️ Why most founders are really chasing freedom, peace and control▪️ How to build a business around your life, not a life around your business▪️ How emotional mastery affects business growth, leadership and decision-making▪️ Why customer success, retention and repeat revenue create real wealth▪️ How to scale a business with a lean, high-performance teamFind out if Phil’s Expansion Partners is right for your business https://phil-graham.com/expansion-partners/Key Moments: 0:00 — Phil Graham on defiance, freedom and success6:00 — Being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 1610:23 — Bodybuilding, nutrition and self-mastery13:27 — Getting his first client and discovering business15:18 — Moving from personal training into business coaching17:23 — Scaling from one-to-one to one-to-many18:37 — Building Fitness Entrepreneur20:06 — Why clarity comes from action21:12 — Business as personal development25:05 — Emotions as a tool for growth34:31 — Phil’s near-death experience39:24 — Building from scarcity versus abundance42:24 — Building a business around the life you want45:49 — Why founders want freedom more than revenue46:42 — The founder operating system50:27 — Why skills lead to cash54:19 — The Founder’s North Star58:26 — The five growth drivers1:00:24 — Why retention creates real wealth1:02:46 — Leaving the laptop at home1:05:28 — The lean team behind a profitable business1:08:40 — Why big teams can create bloat1:13:45 — Scaling without creating a monster1:18:22 — Authority, profit and freedom1:19:39 — The 90-day execution model1:22:39 — Boutique versus mass-market growth1:26:06 — Why profit matters more than turnover1:27:20 — Business as the key to freedom
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How She Spotted Grenade, BrewDog and Tangle Teezer Before They Were Household Brands! Great British Entrepreneur Awards Founder Frankie James On The State Of Business In The UK Right Now!
May 2000:43:48Tap to summarizeFrankie James is the founder behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Ideas Fest and one of the UK’s most influential entrepreneur communities.In this episode of Building The Brand, Frankie shares how she built a platform that celebrates and connects British founders, startup leaders, scale-up businesses and some of the UK’s most exciting future household-name brands.The Great British Entrepreneur Awards have helped spotlight entrepreneurs and brands including Grenade, BrewDog, Tangle Teezer, Dr.PAWPAW, Zilch, Cera Care and Simmer Eats. But this conversation is not just about business awards, black tie events or winning trophies.It is about the real power of UK entrepreneurship, founder community, business networking, face-to-face events, visibility, resilience and human connection.Frankie explains why entrepreneurial spirit in Britain is still alive and well, why the government needs to listen to founders across every region and industry, how GBEA became more than an awards programme, and why Ideas Fest has become known as the Glastonbury of business.She also opens up about intuition, ADHD, working with her partner Dylan, using AI in business communities, and why the best entrepreneurs are often not the ones with the perfect business model — but the ones hungry enough to keep figuring it out.Watch more episodes and connect here:https://www.youtube.com/@buildingthebrandofficialhttps://buildingthebrand.co.uk/newsletter▪️ Why UK entrepreneurship is still alive and well▪️ How Frankie James built the Great British Entrepreneur Awards▪️ Why Ideas Fest became known as the Glastonbury of business▪️ Why business awards can help founders build visibility and credibility▪️ How founder communities help entrepreneurs through difficult times▪️ Why entrepreneurship is not just tech companies in London▪️ What Frankie looks for in future household-name founders▪️ Why face-to-face events still matter in an AI-driven world▪️ How AI can help connect founders, investors, partners and business support▪️ Why the best entrepreneurs are hungry, resilient and willing to pivot▪️ How Grenade, Simm Eats and other UK brands came through the GBEA ecosystem▪️ Why there is nothing wrong with building a great business you enjoy runningKey Moments: 0:00 — Frankie James and the UK entrepreneurship scene0:30 — Is British entrepreneurship still alive and well?1:52 — Why entrepreneurship is not just tech companies in London3:57 — Frankie’s journey into business and entrepreneurship7:03 — How the Great British Entrepreneur Awards started8:38 — Building GBEA with data, insight and founder stories10:03 — Spotting future household-name entrepreneurs11:12 — Why business awards matter for founders13:31 — Building community beyond trophies and events15:21 — Ideas Fest: the Glastonbury of business17:31 — Founder intuition, ADHD and big business decisions19:13 — Scaling Ideas Fest from 1,200 to 6,000 people22:12 — Why founder community matters during difficult times24:47 — The hidden fear behind successful entrepreneurs25:32 — Grenade, GBEA alumni and British business success stories27:48 — The future of Ideas Fest and entrepreneur networking31:11 — How AI could make business communities more human35:16 — Creating meaningful connections at large-scale events37:32 — Building a business you actually enjoy running39:16 — Why Simmer Eats is a UK founder story to watchReach out to Frankie https://www.linkedin.com/in/frangbea/Find out more about the Ideas Fest https://ideasfest.uk/Enter this year's Great British Entrepreneur Awards
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Batch LDN: No Fashion Experience But They've Built The UK's Coolest Menswear Brand That Celebrities Love
May 1301:03:43Tap to summarizeHow do you convince people to spend £400 on a suit… and then wait up to eight weeks for it?That is exactly what Sam and Julian, the founders of Batch LDN, have managed to do.In this episode of Building The Brand, they share how two founders with no fashion background built one of the most interesting menswear brands in the UK by doing almost everything differently.Batch LDN is not a traditional fashion brand. They do not hold huge amounts of stock. They do not rely on fast fashion cycles. They do not lead with endless paid ads. Instead, they batch customer orders together, make every item to order in London using premium Italian fabrics, and have built a brand around quality, community, retail experience and smart casual menswear that actually fits modern life.But this conversation is not just about suits.Sam and Julian talk openly about why industry naivety became an advantage, why sustainability alone was not enough to drive sales, how a real-life robbery became one of their most successful marketing moments, why having the right co-founder changes everything, and why they chose to build through physical retail first when most fashion brands start online.They also break down how Batch LDN has attracted celebrities, sports teams and investors, why Romesh Ranganathan became involved in the brand, how they became the official menswear supplier to Burnley Football Club, and what comes next as they look to expand the product range, grow online and take Batch international.SHOP @ Batch LDN CONNECT WITH OUR BUILDING THE BRAND COMMUNITY▪️ How Batch LDN created a made-to-order casual suit brand▪️ How batching orders helps reduce waste, stock risk and cost ▪️ Why premium Italian fabrics and London manufacturing became core to the brand ▪️ Why Sam and Julian’s lack of fashion experience became a superpower ▪️ How sustainability shaped the business internally but failed as the lead marketing message▪️ How a robbery at their store became a viral marketing campaign ▪️ Why the “See It. Say It. Suited.” campaign put Batch on the map ▪️ The importance of having the right co-founder in a startup ▪️ Why physical retail became Batch LDN’s strongest sales channel ▪️ Why the founders hired a creator and doubled down on storytelling instead of paid ads ▪️ How celebrities including Romesh Ranganathan, Ashley Walters, Simon Pegg, Ant and Dec, Josh Denzel and others have worn the brand Key Moments:0:00 — Intro03:33 — How Batch LDN’s made-to-order fashion model works06:42 — How Sam and Julian started Batch LDN with no fashionexperience08:03 — The fashion waste problem behind the made-to-order model 12:00 — Why sustainability alone does not sell fashion15:32 — How startup experience helped Batch challenge the fashion industry17:41 — PAUSE POINT: Industry naivety can be a competitive advantage19:34 — The Batch LDN robbery story23:18 — Why the co-founder relationship matters in startup life26:36 — Why Sam chose Julian as his Batch LDN co-founder30:34 — PAUSE POINT: The right co-founder helps carry the weight32:58 — Building the Batch Members Club and fashion community35:20 — How the Covent Garden flagship store became a retail and events space36:54 — Why 80% of Batch LDN revenue comes through physical retail39:20 — Replicating the in-store fitting experience online40:58 — PAUSE POINT: Do not blindly follow the direct-to-consumer startup playbook43:35 — Why Batch LDN hired an in-house content creator46:59 — Doubling revenue without paid social advertising48:55 — Celebrities, social proof and Batch LDN suits in the wild52:17 — Why Romesh Ranganathan invested in Batch LDN53:59 — Taking Batch LDN to America and testing international growth54:30 — Becoming Burnley Football Club’s official menswear supplier56:00 — Why sports teams and smart casual menswear are a major opportunity58:29 — New Batch LDN products: corduroy suits, cropped jackets and wider-leg trousers1:00:20 — The five-year vision for Batch LDN
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Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu: The Premier League & Euro 2016 Hero Building The Turmeric Co In Order to Take On Big Food & Big Pharma!
May 601:04:25Tap to summarizeCan you imagine choosing to walk away from a dream career as a Premier League and International Footballer? Well, that’s exactly what Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu did and in this episode of Building The Brand, he shares the full journey from professional footballer to founder, from home-brewed shots made by his dad to producing hundreds of thousands of units a week, building a vertically integrated manufacturing operation, taking strategic investment from AG Barr and pursuing a mission to make functional nutrition mainstream.But this conversation is not just about building another drinks brand.Thomas talks openly about the pressure of running a business while still playing professional football, why a side hustle is only a problem if it damages performance, how The Turmeric Co is trying to challenge the way people think about food, health and medicine, and why scaling a business requires the founder to evolve from passionate generalist to true CEO.Thomas and his team have generated a discount code for Building The Brand listeners to benefit 20% off of their first one-time purchase - enjoy! Click https://tinyurl.com/turmericbtb and use code BTB at checkout▪️ How a career-threatening football injury led to the creation of The Turmeric Co▪️ Why his father’s kitchen-made blend became the foundation for the business▪️ What it felt like going from Euro 2016 hero to health brand founder▪️ Why business impact now feels more meaningful than football glory▪️ The pressure of building a company while still playing Premier League football▪️ Why a side hustle is only a problem if it damages performance▪️ How The Turmeric Co is trying to challenge big food, big pharma and the wider health system▪️ Why evidence, data and clinical research matter for functional health brands▪️ How the brand scaled from kitchen batches to a 20,000 sq ft manufacturing site▪️ Why vertical integration became one of the company’s biggest advantages▪️ The leadership shift required when going from startup to scale-up▪️ Why The Turmeric Co chose strategic investment from AG Barr▪️ What comes next for The Turmeric Co, Raw Hydrate and functional beveragesKey Moments: 0:00 — Intro01:15 — The Euro 2016 goal against Belgium03:37 — The testimonials driving The Turmeric Co mission04:13 — Thomas’ career-threatening knee injury06:13 — Why standard medication did not work for him07:19 — How the original turmeric blend changed his recovery08:03 — Retiring from football on his own terms10:00 — Running the business while playing professional football11:32 — The pressure around athletes having side hustles14:00 — PAUSE POINT: A side hustle is only a problem if it hurts performance16:16 — Thomas’ dad and the origins of the kitchen-made blend18:50 — The mission to make functional nutrition more accessible20:30 — Taking on big food, big pharma and outdated health beliefs21:26 — Moving from testimonials to data and health markers24:58 — Why healthcare needs to think more about prevention28:19 — PAUSE POINT: Some brands are trying to change a system, not just sell a product30:30 — Going from home brew to scaled production32:45 — Why manufacturers refused to make The Turmeric Co blend34:33 — Launching The Turmeric Co direct-to-consumer36:00 — Moving from 1,200 sq ft to a 20,000 sq ft site36:46 — Why vertical integration became a superpower37:14 — Achieving BRCGS AA+ manufacturing standards39:17 — Moving from startup chaos to scale-up structure43:03 — Why growing businesses need specialists45:46 — The founder’s shift into the CEO role48:11 — Process, SOPs, cadence and business traction50:16 — PAUSE POINT: The founder who starts the business is not the same one who scales it54:26 — The business book Thomas recommends to founders56:23 — Taking investment from AG Barr57:36 — Why strategic investment made more sense than private equity1:00:31 — Launching Raw Hydrate and entering natural hydration
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