E7: Dan Kieran: Publishing founder described by Richard Branson as a 'true disruptor', on using fear as a compass
Release Date: 06/01/2023
E20: Laura Tenison MBE: Founder of JoJo Maman Bébé, on how true success lies in doing good as well as doing well
The Creative Adventure
In this special 20th episode, Greg and Andrew have an inspirational chat with Laura Tenison MBE, founder of JoJo Maman Bébé. Like many born entrepreneurs, Laura's entrepreneurial tendencies were there for all to see from her tender years when she would make a few pennies selling cold drinks and cakes behind her house. 45 years later, JoJo Maman Bébé, the company she founded, was making £70m in annual revenue and employing 1,000 people, on the way to becoming one of Britain's best loved brands. In 2022, Laura sold JoJo to retail giant Next, in partnership with a private...
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E19: Irene Graham OBE: Creative UK board member, and CEO of the ScaleUp Institute, on how the road to career fulfilment begins with being true to yourself
The Creative Adventure
In this shorter form episode, Andrew has a one on one chat with the brilliant Irene Graham OBE. Irene was identified as a leader from a young age, with her "can do" mindset and collaborative approach being the cornerstones of a senior career with Standard Chartered, where she harnessed her entrepreneurial spirit to create and lead a range of global projects and businesses, eventually resulting in her being an architect of the UK "open banking" revolution. Irene now sits on the Board of Creative UK, and as founder and CEO of the ScaleUp Institute, has supported for the last 10 years the...
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E18: Hanne Kristiansen: Former Head of Innovation at Kellogg's and founder of the Creative ID, on how you need to create the dots before you connect the dots
The Creative Adventure
In this episode, we chat with the dynamic and creative Hanne Kristiansen. From riding horses at 4 years old, to fixing the farm roof soon after, and wilfully not reading out loud until she was older than 10, Hanne has always done things her own way and proudly so. Her journey took her from being the daughter of hippy parents in provincial Denmark to eventually taking significant corporate roles in the UK including the Head of Innovation at Kellogg's. She then started her own consultancy and has worked with academics over many years to develop an innovative framework for...
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E17: Stephen Page OBE: Chair of Faber & Faber on the opportunities you see out of the corner of your eye
The Creative Adventure
In this episode, we chat with the accomplished and thoughtful Stephen Page OBE. Starting his working life in a bookshop he soon realised he wanted to be "nearer to the story", and found his way into his first role in publishing. Cutting his teeth in sales and marketing, Stephen's relentless, enterprising approach saw his career rise with successes at Transworld and Third Estate before arriving as CEO of Faber, where he steered the business for 20 years. Now Chair of Faber he is establishing himself as a leadership coach, on the Board of Creative Access, a member...
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E16: Frances Madden: Australian singer/songwriter on how every magic moment begins with a leap of faith
The Creative Adventure
In this episode, we chat with the wonderful Australian singer and songwriter Frances Madden. Described by the Australian Institute of Music as "one of Australia's most talented young singer/songwriters and piano players", we hear about Frances's journey from a six year old who became obsessed with piano, to eventually playing live in front of tens of thousands of people. She tells us about the challenges of truly putting yourself out there, the journey of pursuing a career in music, and how when the magic moments do happen, it makes everything worthwhile. This is a...
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E15: Sandra Schembri: Former CEO of House of St. Barnabas, now leading Nordoff & Robbins, on the power of being perpetually curious
The Creative Adventure
In this episode we chat with energetic changemaker, and Charity CEO, Sandra Schembri. As the daughter of immigrants, Sandra inherited a fierce work ethic which has been one of the superpowers propelling her inspiring career journey. From a TV runner to Bloomberg and Ronnie Scotts, hard work and an unrelenting desire to learn and grow led her to become the CEO of Soho members club with a social impact twist House of St Barnabas, and now the CEO of Nordoff & Robbins, the UK’s largest music therapy charity. With her boundless energy and curiosity she enjoys "creating...
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E14: James Scroggs: Chair of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) on innovating the world of work and education
The Creative Adventure
In this episode we chat with leader, innovator and entrepreneur James Scroggs. We hear both James' own odyssey through the world of work - from Marketing Director at MTV, to re-establishing workwear brand M.C. Overalls, and music entrepreneur - through to his drive now to empower people towards fulfilling careers, as creator of education venture New Working Class. Now also the Chair of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), Chairman of One Question, and lifelong Prince fan, James is one of the UK's cultural leaders, and this is an episode not to be missed. We talk...
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E13: Svante: On the internal battle to find his true path as an artist
The Creative Adventure
In this episode, we chat with the inspiring artist Svante. Discovering an early passion for art, Svante's life took a different turn as he shifted his creative talents towards business. Success came quickly and with all the trappings, but it was soul destroying and through a challenging process of self-discovery, Svante found his way back to art. Now establishing himself as a respected artist, Svante's first major exhibition runs in London on October 4th-5th. This is a conversation about doing what you're meant to do, and the journey we sometimes have to take...
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E12: Ian Nathan: Editor of Empire magazine turned author, on how doing the practical things well is essential to creative success
The Creative Adventure
In this episode, we chat with one of Britain's best known film writers, Ian Nathan. From filling in for the entertainment column at his student newspaper, to just a few years later becoming Empire magazine's youngest ever Editor, and now a successful bestselling author and TV regular, Ian has always had a knack for knowing the right move, and the courage to take it. Now with more than 15 books under his belt, Ian takes us through his amazing life including; His love of film from a young age Bonding with Dad through trips to the cinema The algorithm used by the school...
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E11: Kate Maxwell: Conde Nast Editor turned award winning novelist, on the journey to realise a childhood dream
The Creative Adventure
In this episode, we chat with the accomplished journalist and writer Kate Maxwell. From the age of 8 Kate dreamt of becoming a novelist. Leaving Oxford with a degree in English she embarked on a successful career which took her to J Walter Thompson, Conde Nast, Soho House and Facebook, via a start-up in New York. Yet the dream of becoming an author was finally realised in her 40's with the the publication of her debut novel Hush, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel award. Now working on her next book, Kate talks us through her creative journey,...
info_outlineIn this episode, we chat with author and entrepreneur Dan Kieran.
Through a magical twist of fate he found himself on the doorstep of the Idler magazine in 1997, embarking on a journey that took him from work experience to Managing Editor.
In 2010 he conceived Unbound – bringing an innovative crowdfunding model to publishing - as co-founder and CEO he led the business for 11 years, being described as 'a true disruptor' by Richard Branson,
Dan is also the editor of 14 books including his latest, Do Start: How to create and run a business (without it running you). He stepped down as CEO of unbound but remains on the board as NED and now teaches publishing entrepreneurship at UCL.
All of this – and more – gives Dan a uniquely perceptive voice on adversity, creativity and self-expression... subjects that are very close to the heart of this podcast.
Dan shares his unique journey, offering rich insights on all of this and more:
- Recognising and treasuring your flow states, connecting to the process of creativity
- How his battle with agoraphobia brought him to The Idler, where he was always destined to work
- How 'Crap Towns' put him on the map
- How the adventure of driving a milk float across the country taught him how to be an entrepreneur
- How travelling has lost the art of the journey and how getting lost is where the magic is
- Conceiving and founding a genuinely disruptive business that changed the publishing industry
- Why fear is the compass to where you need to go
- What the ‘founder journey’ means when you’re building a business
- The value our lives get from creating a pause
Dan:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-kieran-b49a3329/
Us:
www.linkedin.com/in/greg-vartoukian-07789a1
www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwainstein