The Unemeployables Podcast

Katie Arnold is the founder of Club Peppermint, an 80s-inspired fashion brand built around quality, individuality and a deeply personal family story.When Katie was 15, her dad died suddenly in a motorcycle accident.Her parents had previously built an interior design business together called Peppermint, which her dad had hoped would one day be passed down to Katie and her sisters. After his death, the business closed, the family sold their home and Katie watched her mum support three daughters on a minimum-wage job.Years later, when Katie decided to build a brand of her own, she already knew what it would be called: Peppermint. But her entrepreneurial journey actually began much earlier.At 18, while working as a Domino’s delivery driver during Covid, Katie saved her tips and made herself a reusable iced coffee cup. After her mum posted it on Facebook and people started asking where they could buy one, Katie listed it on Etsy. In its first year, the business made 60,000 sales.By 20, Katie had saved enough to buy a small flat outright, giving herself and her family the financial security they had lost years earlier. Eventually, she realised she didn't want to spend her life selling coffee cups.She took everything she'd learned and began building Club Peppermint, teaching herself design, travelling to Portugal to work directly with manufacturers and documenting the entire journey online.That decision also led to an extraordinary personal following. Katie grew to around 135,000 followers on LinkedIn, and Club Peppermint's first Instagram campaign reached around 600,000 views organically from a brand-new account. In this episode:◼️ Losing her dad at 15 and the story behind the Peppermint name◼️ How financial insecurity pushed Katie towards entrepreneurship◼️ Starting her first businesses as a teenager◼️ Turning Domino's tips into a product that made 60,000 sales◼️ Buying a property outright at 20◼️ Why she walked away from her first successful business◼️ Teaching herself how to design and manufacture clothing◼️ Building Club Peppermint around 80s culture and craftsmanship◼️ Growing an audience of 135,000 on LinkedIn◼️ Why Club Peppermint's first Instagram video reached 600,000 views organically◼️ Raising investment through her personal brand◼️ The reality of founder loneliness, stress and self-doubt◼️ Why Katie believes founders need to enjoy the journey rather than sacrifice everything for itIt’s a conversation about resilience, family, financial security and building something that means far more than simply starting another clothing brand.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite & Lovey!

Jon Robson, founder of Mamedica, joins us to share how an 18-year career in the City and two failed CBD businesses eventually led him to build one of Britain’s fastest-growing companies.Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018.Yet Jon estimates that 80 to 90% of the country still doesn’t know that services like Mamedica exist.Jon wasn’t always convinced by its medical potential either.It was during a visit to a dispensary in California that his perception completely changed. Instead of recreational users, he saw patients using cannabis to manage genuine medical conditions and reduce their reliance on other medication. Before that experience, John says that if you’d told him cannabis could be used medically, “I would have laughed at you.”That eventually led him away from an 18-year career in finance and towards Mamedica.The journey wasn’t immediate. Jon first tried and failed with two CBD businesses, and even after Mamedica launched in June 2022, its first six months were far harder than expected.Then things began to change.Mamedica found ways to educate people through digital advertising and content in a heavily restricted industry, built its own technology and focused obsessively on improving the patient experience.Today, Mamedica employs around 90 full-time staff alongside 22 specialist doctors, generated more than £25m in revenue according to the figures discussed in the episode, is exploring expansion into Europe and has reached #2 in the FEBE Growth 100.In this episode:◼️ Why most people still don’t realise medical cannabis is legal in Britain◼️ The California dispensary visit that completely changed Jon’s perspective◼️ Spending 18 years working in finance before becoming a founder◼️ Why two failed CBD businesses ultimately helped him build Mamedica◼️ The difficult first six months after launching◼️ How digital advertising transformed the company’s growth◼️ Building in one of Britain’s most heavily restricted industries◼️ Why Mamedica built its own technology and connected directly with NHS systems◼️ The challenge of removing the stigma surrounding medical cannabis◼️ What Jon learned about relationships, hard work and customer service during his career in the City◼️ Building a business backed by Snoop Dogg◼️ Growing to around 90 full-time employees and 22 specialist doctors◼️ Why Mamedica wants to take medical cannabis mainstream◼️ European expansion and what comes nextFrom believing cannabis was purely recreational to building a company trying to change how patients access it, Jon’s story is as much about changing his own mind as it is about changing an industry.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite & Lovey!00:00 - Meet Jon Robson & Mamedica02:25 - Why Most People Don't Know Medical Cannabis Is Legal04:45 - Where Jon's Fascination With Cannabis Started06:25 - The California Trip That Changed His Mind08:45 - “I Would Have Laughed at You”09:20 - Two Failed CBD Businesses & Finding His Way Into the Industry11:00 - 18 Years Working in the City16:10 - Starting Mamedica & the Story Behind the Name17:50 - The Difficult First Six Months19:20 - The Moment Jon Knew This Was His Calling23:40 - How Digital Advertising Changed the Business26:00 - £25M+ Revenue, 90 Employees & European Expansion27:40 - How Medical Cannabis Access Actually Works30:25 - Patients, the NHS & Removing the Stigma33:00 - Taking Medical Cannabis Mainstream34:45 - Snoop Dogg, Growth 100 & Reflecting on Success37:20 - Jon's Biggest Lesson From 18 Years in Finance41:15 - Marketing a Business You're Not Allowed to Advertise Normally43:45 - Trigger Happy TV, Lock Stock & Building Unusual Campaigns45:50 - Europe, America & the Future of Mamedica

Sunna Van Kampen, founder of Tonic Health, joins us to explain why dissatisfaction with the vitamin industry led him to build one of the UK's fastest-growing health brands. It started with Sunna's own health.After repeatedly feeling run down and discovering nutrient deficiencies, he began researching the science behind vitamins and became frustrated with how many products were formulated. In particular, Sunna argues that the industry's reliance on NRV figures means many products are built around preventing deficiency rather than achieving what he considers optimal nutrition. Then he became a dad.Walking into a shop to buy vitamins for his son, Sunna found products containing sugar, preservatives and gums. That frustration eventually led to Tonic's children's range and a viral piece of content questioning why sugar was appearing in products parents were buying specifically for their children's health. But building Tonic was anything but straightforward.The company launched into retail just as Covid hit, forcing Sunna to learn DTC and content almost from scratch. Within his first handful of TikToks, one video reached around 250,000 views. Months later, that audience began translating into demand so quickly that Tonic spent roughly a year struggling to keep products in stock. At another point, a £500,000 investment was pulled at final sign-off because investors were worried about the potential future of TikTok, leaving Sunna facing the possibility of the business running out of money. Today, Tonic is number 12 in the Growth 100, has built a team of 21 and recently raised £2.5 million.In this episode:◼️ Why Sunna believes the traditional vitamin industry is fundamentally flawed◼️ What 100% NRV actually means◼️ Why finding sugar in children's vitamins pushed him to build something different◼️ Using social media to educate rather than simply sell◼️ How one of his first TikToks reached 250,000 views◼️ Why views didn't initially translate into sales◼️ Losing a £500k investment at the final hurdle◼️ The founder moment where Tonic was weeks away from running out of money◼️ Ultra-processed food and why Sunna believes nutrition matters more than diet culture◼️ Building a business while raising two children◼️ What Sunna has learned about getting products into major retailers◼️ Advice from investors behind businesses including New Look◼️ Raising £2.5m and discovering that more money simply creates bigger problems◼️ Why the journey matters more than an eventual exitIt’s a conversation about health, entrepreneurship, challenging established industries and what happens when a founder becomes completely obsessed with fixing a problem they believe shouldn't exist.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite & Lovey!

Megan Jones, co-founder of ByBabes, joins us to share how years of failed business ideas eventually led to one viral TikTok product that completely changed her life.Megan had wanted to build a business since she was a child. She dropped out of university, built a lash business, experimented with products, opened an aesthetics clinic and spent years putting money into ideas that never quite worked. Then she met Heather.What started with Megan paying Heather £10 per TikTok eventually led to the idea for a lash growth serum. They created the brand almost immediately, sold out within 10 days of launching, sold out seven times during their first year and reached moments where the business generated £100,000 in a single day. But hypergrowth brought a completely different challenge.Megan expanded from one SKU to 35 in a matter of months, rapidly grew the team and watched revenue soar without fully understanding what was happening underneath the headline numbers. Eventually, she realised the business was losing serious money. In this episode:◼️ Starting her first businesses as a teenager◼️ Dropping out of university to pursue entrepreneurship◼️ Spending five years launching ideas that didn't work◼️ Meeting Heather and discovering the power of TikTok◼️ Creating ByBabes in a single night◼️ Selling out within 10 days and seven times in the first year◼️ What it feels like to make £100,000 in one day◼️ Growing from £1.3m to around £3.8m revenue◼️ The mistake of going from one product to 35◼️ Discovering that huge revenue doesn't necessarily mean you're making money◼️ Cutting the team and rebuilding the company leaner◼️ Why Megan now believes knowing your numbers is essential◼️ Rebranding ByBabes and the ambition to launch into Sephora◼️ Why failure has given her more confidence than success ever couldToday Megan is rebuilding ByBabes with a completely different understanding of business, finance and growth, while still holding onto the ambition that got her started in the first place.Her long-term goal?To build a business doing £1 billion in revenue in a single year.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!

Nick Hird, co-founder of Vidrate, joins us to share how an idea that 30 manufacturers said was impossible became one of the UK's fastest-growing hydration brands.Vidrate started with a simple problem. Nick wanted to drink more water, but everything designed to make water more appealing was either packed with sugar, artificial ingredients or offered little functional benefit.So he set out to create something different: a low-calorie, zero-sugar hydration product made with natural ingredients, electrolytes and vitamins. Around 30 factories told him it couldn't be done. So Nick started experimenting with ingredients himself in his kitchen. And that was only the beginning.In the early years, Nick worked up to six jobs, built Vidrate for an hour each night and slept in his van before meetings because he couldn't afford hotels. When he first won Holland & Barrett, he paid £3 for a gym pass just so he could shower before the meeting.Today, Vidrate has grown from £1.8m to £5.7m revenue in a year, with Nick expecting the business to more than double again. The company has built its own fulfilment operation, remained heavily DTC-focused and expanded from its Yorkshire base into international markets.In this episode:◼️ Why 30 factories told Nick his product couldn't be made◼️ Creating the original Vidrate formula in his kitchen◼️ Working six jobs while building the business at night◼️ Sleeping in a van before winning major retail listings◼️ The personal tragedy that gave Nick the push to finally go all in◼️ Bootstrapping from Yorkshire and turning down VC investment◼️ Growing revenue from £1.8m to £5.7m in just one year◼️ Why every DTC order still receives a handwritten note◼️ Funding retail growth with £1.3m owed to the business at one point◼️ Building a team that treats the company's money like their own◼️ The guilt of building a fast-growth business whilst raising a family◼️ International expansion and where ViDrate goes next◼️ Why hiring great people and getting out of their way has changed the businessBehind all the growth is a founder still driving the same old van, obsessing over spreadsheets and struggling to celebrate the wins before chasing the next target.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite & Lovey!00:00 - Meet Vidrate & Britain's Most Unemployable Founder04:50 - Why Nick Created Vidrate10:15 - 30 Factories Said It Was Impossible

Riya Patel, co-founder of All The Aunties, joins us to share how an overlooked ingredient became one of the UK's fastest-growing challenger food brands.After growing up eating homemade paneer, Riya couldn't understand why such a versatile, high-protein ingredient was hidden away on supermarket shelves. Instead of accepting it... She decided to build the brand she wished already existed.In just a year, All The Aunties has gone from an idea to securing listings in some big places, while helping bring paneer into the mainstream.In this episode:◼️ Why paneer deserved a better brand◼️ Growing up in a British Indian family and finding inspiration close to home◼️ How LinkedIn helped secure supermarket listings before launch◼️ The story behind the name "All The Aunties"◼️ Building a founder-led brand around family and authenticity◼️ Scaling from hundreds to tens of thousands of units in just one year◼️ Why running a lean team has been a competitive advantage◼️ Working alongside her brother-in-law as co-founder◼️ What's next for All The Aunties as they expand into new categoriesToday, All The Aunties is doing far more than selling paneer.It's changing the way people think about Indian ingredients, celebrating family recipes, and proving that some of the biggest business opportunities come from products hiding in plain sight.If you're building a challenger brand, launching into retail, or trying to create a category of your own, this episode is packed with practical lessons and honest founder advice.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!Chapters00:00 - Building Britain's Fastest Growing Paneer Brand03:40 - The Lightbulb Moment Behind All The Aunties08:30 - Cambridge, Family & Becoming an Entrepreneur14:30 - The Story Behind the Name17:20 - How LinkedIn Landed Tesco Before Launch24:30 - Scaling From Hundreds to 40,000 Units29:30 - Working With Family as Co-Founders32:00 - Leaving the Civil Service Behind34:00 - What's Next for All The Aunties41:30 - Founder Lessons & Building a Category

Frankie Thorogood, founder of Pott'd, joins us to share how a simple pottery kit created during lockdown became one of the UK's fastest-growing founder-led businesses. But this isn't really a conversation about pottery it's about building products people genuinely love.After successfully exiting his first business, Frankie started Pott'd. What began as a creative way to spend less time on screens quickly became a brand helping thousands of people reconnect through creativity.Along the way, he developed a refreshingly honest philosophy on entrepreneurship, one that challenges much of the advice you'll find online.In this episode:◼️ Why Pott'd was designed for adults, not children◼️ Building a fast-growth business after a successful exit◼️ The surprising reason second businesses are often easier than the first◼️ Why most founders focus on marketing before fixing their product◼️ The one simple secret to building a successful DTC brand◼️ Why Frankie believes LinkedIn is full of "wafflepreneurs"◼️ Learning to delegate after years of burnout◼️ Growing a business without raising investment◼️ Why creativity is becoming more valuable in a digital world◼️ What success really looks like after you've already made moneyFrom selling football snoods with just £100 to building multiple successful businesses, Frankie shares the lessons he's learned over more than a decade of entrepreneurship.If you're building a consumer brand, thinking about starting a business, or simply want a refreshing take on entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with practical advice, honest opinions and plenty of laughs.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!00:00 - Why Pott'd Was Built for Adults07:40 - Wanting to Be Rich Since Childhood13:00 - Why Frankie Never Wanted a Corporate Job18:00 - Wafflepreneurs, LinkedIn & Finding an Enemy22:00 - Selling His First Business & Starting Again31:00 - The One Secret to Building a Great DTC Brand34:30 - Delegating, Scaling & Growing Faster the Second Time39:00 - Why Frankie Never Raised Investment45:00 - Hiring Great People & Building the Right Team53:00 - Product, Branding & What Actually Matters56:00 - Coaster Questions01:00:00 - The Future of Pott'd

Stephanie Olubajo, founder of Meji Foods, joins us to share how a side hustle built alongside a corporate career became one of the UK's most exciting challenger food brands. Growing up, Stephanie loved West African food but struggled to find convenient, authentic options on supermarket shelves.Instead of accepting it... She decided to create one herself.What followed was years of late-night research, product development, and countless setbacks, all while working full-time in management consulting.In this episode:◼️ Why the lack of West African food in supermarkets inspired Meji Foods◼️ Building a food business while working in management consulting◼️ Creating Britain's first instant Jollof Rice brand◼️ The relentless research that led to finding the right manufacturing partner◼️ How one LinkedIn message secured a meeting with Sainsbury's◼️ Getting made redundant just as the business started to take off◼️ Why going viral helped Meji Foods scale nationwide◼️ Building resilience through stock shortages, legal challenges and rapid growth◼️ The realities of launching a completely new food category◼️ Why representation matters in the UK's food industryToday, Meji Foods is stocked in Sainsbury's stores across the UK and is introducing thousands of people to authentic West African flavours in just 90 seconds.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!Chapters00:00 - Bringing West African Food to Supermarket Shelves04:30 - Growing Up Between Two Cultures10:30 - Climbing the Corporate Ladder18:30 - Realising She Was Unemployable20:00 - Creating Britain's First Instant Jollof Rice27:00 - Getting Made Redundant at the Perfect Time33:00 - The LinkedIn Message That Landed Sainsbury's39:00 - Scaling a Brand Through Retail46:00 - The Highs and Lows of Entrepreneurship52:15 - Coaster Questions

Luke and Marcus, the founders of Lucky Egg, join us after being named the UK's fastest growing founder-led company to share how they built one of Britain's biggest consumer product success stories.From greeting cards to party games, their journey spans 17 years of entrepreneurship, countless failures and an obsession with creating products people genuinely want to share. Their first ten games flopped.Today, Lucky Egg products are sold around the world, translated into more than 30 languages and viewed billions of times across social media.In this episode we cover:◼️ Becoming the UK's fastest growing founder-led company with over 500% CAGR◼️ Why their first 10 games completely failed before finding a winner◼️ Building three businesses over a 17-year entrepreneurial journey◼️ Growing without venture capital by backing themselves every step of the way◼️ Designing products specifically to go viral on social media◼️ The thinking behind generating over a billion social media views ◼️ How they build a team of entrepreneurial people who take ownership◼️ Why persistence beats chasing the perfect idea◼️ The mistakes that nearly ended their previous business◼️ Why creating happiness is the common thread behind every business they've builtLucky Egg isn't just selling board games.They're creating products that bring families and friends back together, while building a business designed for the modern social media era.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!Chapters00:00 - Becoming the UK's Fastest Growing Founder-Led Company05:30 - Three Businesses, One Entrepreneurial Journey08:00 - 10 Failed Games Before One Success13:30 - Designing Products to Go Viral20:00 - Building Without Investors25:00 - Scaling a High-Performance Team29:00 - The Mistakes That Nearly Ended Everything35:00 - Why Their Journey Was Never Conventional43:30 - Creating Products That Bring People Together55:30 - Last Orders

Rohini and Arjun, the mother-and-son founders of Free Soul, join us to share how a simple kitchen table conversation became one of the UK's fastest-growing wellness brands.Free Soul didn't start with a business plan. It started with a problem.After struggling to find nutrition products that genuinely supported women's health through every stage of life, Rohini realised the market was built around what women should look like, rather than how they should feel. Together with her son Arjun, they set out to change that.In this episode we cover:◼️ Why Free Soul was built to solve a genuine gap in women's wellness◼️ Building a business as a mother and son◼️ Growing to a £50M+ run-rate with a team of over 50 people◼️ Funding the early days through a decorating business while building Free Soul at the same time◼️ Why they've chosen to stay independent instead of chasing venture capital◼️ Building one of the UK's biggest direct-to-consumer wellness brands◼️ Creating a community before creating products◼️ The importance of listening to customers every single day◼️ Growing through purpose rather than profit alone◼️ How they built a company culture centred around kindness, trust and shared valuesToday, Free Soul is stocked by retailers including Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Holland & Barrett, while serving a huge online community of women across the UK. But despite the growth, the mission hasn't changed. To build the one-stop shop for women's wellness.Thanks to our epic partners ITV Ignite and Lovey!