WonderWorkers 5&6: Louisa & Olajide, Founders of SISU - The Superpower of Empathy and Creating Meaningful Connections

In this episode of WonderWorkers focused on fashion changemakers, I am with Stacia Bedford!! She is the course leader and head coach of the MA in Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation where she coaches and trains future fashion leaders through launching and scaling their start-ups in fashion, tech and creative industries at the London College of Fashion.With an international, industry-broad network and more than 15 years of marketing, fashion design, retail and management experience, Stacia specializes in entrepreneurship, coaching, leadership, team building, fashion and marketing.From her dream of becoming the next Meryl Strip to working at Universal Music to selling vintage clothing and jewelry to building a first-of-its-kind online customisable bridal brand, wedding dress design tool and marketplace, Stacia is a “jack of all trades” and has probably the squiggliest career I have ever seen and that’s exactly why it makes her an incredible leader and entrepreneur.In this episode, we talk about:👉 Her dream of becoming an actress In Los Angeles👉 Her first day in NYC… was 9/11👉 ”Stacia Studio” ad her first step into entrepreneurship👉 How she went back to university at the age of 30…👉 …And met two people who will change her life👉 How she built the first ever online customisable bridal brand👉 Why she shut down the business👉 How to manage the co-founder relationship👉 Her new role as Head Coach at the London College of Fashion👉 Her superpower: the phoenix rising from the ashesTo learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Stacia Bedford:https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciabedford/https://www.instagram.com/staciabedford/To follow my journey:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WonderWorkers focused on fashion changemakers, I am with Lydia Bolton, a sustainability creator and slow fashion designer who boldly launched her eponymous brand back in 2019. Fueled by her passion for reducing waste, she utilises surplus materials, vintage finds, and discarded fabrics to craft cute women’s fashion and home goods that don’t cost the planet.In the past year, she has been empowering her community with hands-on upcycling workshops, offering invaluable skills to tackle the landfill crisis head-on. She’s a true advocate for the idea that with a dash of creativity and the right skills, we can transform each piece of clothing into a cherished wardrobe essential that stands the test of time. In 2022, she fronted a series of workshops for Nike’s flagship UK store, where she taught members how to turn defective stock into a unique item.Lydia’s journey is a testament to true grit and tenacity. Her creations are in such high demand that everyone wants a piece of her magic. It’s rare to see a business owner so deeply connected to their values. Lydia’s devotion to sustainability seems to run in her veins, likely a result of growing up in an eco-conscious household with an eco-warrior mom. Yet, it hasn’t been a smooth ride. She hustled with two jobs for years, toiling in a pub at night and taking on an unpaid internship by day, all in pursuit of building the experience needed to secure a paying job. And when she finally did, she had the courage to leave it behind and launch her own brand.Lydia’s story is a powerful reminder of how combining hard work with fearless determination can propel you closer to the person you aspire to be. If you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or business owner seeking motivation or struggling with fear and inertia, Lydia’s journey is a must-listen!In this episode, we talk about:👉 Her childhood growing up in an eco-conscious household👉 What it means to align your personal values with your brand…👉 ...And how you stick up to it!👉 Her experience of being a solo female entrepreneur in fashion and being both the creative and the business mind👉 The relentless pursuit and reality of getting a paid job in the fashion industry👉 How do you deal with building a strong value-led brand with slow growth while being a profitable business👉 How you can only grow if you get out of your comfort and do something that scares you👉 The superpower of hard-workingTo learn more about behind the scenes of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Lydia Bolton:https://www.instagram.com/lydiabolton_/https://www.lydiabolton.co.uk/To follow my journey:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WonderWorkers focused on fashion changemakers, I am with Bianca Rangecroft, the founder and CEOs of Whering, the fashtech app that allows you to digitise your wardrobe, see and style everything you own. She believes the future of retail is circular - Whering therefore aims to empower conscious consumers to utilise their spending power for good. She’s all about promoting a culture of caring for your clothes.Bianca is an ex-Goldman Sachs banker turned circular fashion activist. Now a fashion tech entrepreneur, Bianca is the founder and CEO of Whering. Since launching in Jan 2022 the app has expanded organically at a rapid pace taking the gen z market by storm and now has over two million users. Her work has been featured in many leading publications like Vogue, British Vogue, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, Dragon’s Den, BBC radio and many more.She’s received awards like Drapers 30 under 30, WOTC award, EU Top 50 Founders, Most Disruptive Tech Award from UNLEASH etc. and shortlisted for Drapers Tech Innovator of the year, Women Of the City Award, We are Tech, Elle x Bossbabe finalist and the Pitch UK.Bianca embodies the ideal expression of feminine power needed in today’s leadership. Her blend of kindness and genuine warmth, coupled with unwavering dedication, cleverness and an impact-driven mindset, makes her a true guiding presence. The wisdom, clarity, and quiet strength she conveys is truly mesmerising. It almost felt like talking to a big sister, someone with whom I share profound similarities in our personal narratives. Our conversations span the spectrum, touching on childhood responsibilities, navigating multiple identities, delving into the intricacies of a finance career, and exploring the multifaceted roles of being a fashion founder, leader, and woman.In this episode, we talk about:👉 Her experience of being a carer from a very young age👉 How her career in Finance helped her be a fashion founder: saw equity story as wardrobe composition👉 How entrepreneurship is really about two things👉 Her experience at Dragon’s Den👉 How do you show up as a Founder, Leader and Woman of a start-up👉 How founders' passion can lead to toxic culture and the 4 days work week👉 How can you increase your self-belief👉 The superpower of being able to sell, sway and convinceTo learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Bianca Rangecroft:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rangecroftbianca/https://www.instagram.com/biancarangecroft/?hl=frTo find out more about Whering:https://www.instagram.com/whering__/?hl=frhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/wearewhering/To follow my journey:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third episode of WonderWorkers focused on fashion changemakers, I am with Viviane Paraschiv, the Innovation Consultant and Co-Founder of Fashion Conversations, a community that fosters meaningful connections within the fashion industry, bringing great minds together to share learnings and experiences. With over twelve years in the industry, Viviane has built the future of luxury and fashion at a global scale within some of the most renowned companies such as Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, and Farfetch, leading teams across Paris, Brussels, London, and Hong Kong. She also launched in 2019 a community for fashion professionals, Fashion Conversations to elevate our knowledge and share resources and opportunities.She now launched her consulting business to support innovation-led startups structure their development and build a sustainable strategies and operations.Viviane's fun, friendly, and bubbly personality, coupled with her super connector power, works like magic the moment you start talking to her, creating an authentic and enduring bond.In this episode, we talk about:👉 Her experience working at Farfetch, Louis Vuitton, and Ralph Lauren👉 How we tend to romanticise entrepreneurship 👉 How she defines success on her own terms👉 How working at Vuitton was like great minds meeting great human beings👉 Perfection being our number one enemy 👉 Devil Wears Prada moments IRL👉 Finding the right balance between passion and putting boundaries👉 Fashion conversations: connecting and creating meaningful conversations within the fashion industry To learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Jade McSorley:https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivianeparaschiv/https://www.instagram.com/thisisvivp/To follow the Culture Cabinet and learn more about start-up corporate culture:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-culture-cabinethttps://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To follow my journey as a French Female Founder in London:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second episode of WonderWorkers focused on fashion changemakers, I am with Jade McSorley, the Co-Founder and Chief Community Officer of LOANHOOD, a fashion rental app that is all about renting personal style over trend-led fashion. She is also a PhD Researcher at the University for the Creative Arts, exploring identity within online worlds achieved through digital fashion and avatars. Formerly a fashion model for 15 years and previously worked at the Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion, she uses her experiences to help shape a fashion future that is both sustainable and innovative.Jade moved to London from Middlesbrough to become a fashion journalist and worked for the like of Vogue and Elle. After her 10+ years working as a fashion model for fast-fashion brands such as ASOS, Topshop or Urban Outfitters, she decided to go back to studying Fashion Futures at the London College of Fashion where she realises that the issue of overconsumption was not going to change overnight and that customers and fashion lovers needed alternatives. Driven by her experience in modelling, she co-founded Loanhood, a Depop meets Airbnb platform for sharing clothes and keeping them in circulation.Jade radiates wiseness, humility and care for others. Her career and passion for fashion have made her an incredibly empathetic, authentic and vulnerable human being. In this episode, we talk about:👉 Her journey working as a model in fashion for 10 years👉 The turning point in her career from fast fashion to sustainability👉  How do you find alternatives and solutions to the issue of overconsumption?👉 Doing a PhD while running a successful business👉 How Loanhood started?👉 How do you walk the talk as a sustainability business leader?To learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Jade McSorley:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-mcsorley-05015938/https://www.instagram.com/jademcsorley/https://www.loanhood.com/To follow the Culture Cabinet and learn more about start-up corporate culture:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-culture-cabinethttps://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To follow my journey as a French Female Founder in London:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to season 2 of the WonderWorkers Podcast!This season, we invite fashion changemakers. Fashion is an industry that has been close to my heart for a very very long time. I’ve grown up dreaming to work in the fashion industry and I did so for years. This is an incredible industry full of passionate, creative, and forward-thinking leaders and people.In the last few years, the fashion industry has been tremendously transformed and it keeps evolving thanks to change makers and leaders who are driven by one mission: creating a world where the fashion industry has a positive impact on people and the planet. There is still a long way to go but through this season you’ll get so much insight on what these amazing leaders are doing behind the scene to change the world of fashion for good.In this first episode, I am with Rebecca Morter, the Founder, and CEO of disruptive omnichannel retail start-up Lone Design Club. Launched in 2018, LDC offers customers a shopping experience like no other; and for brands, a trusted direct route to market, both online and offline.Rebecca set out to create a platform that disrupted the traditional wholesale model, supporting independent and sustainable brands to connect directly to consumers. LDC is a digital platform seriously powered by physical retail - their “pop-up stores on steroids” are multi-brand, data-driven, and curated to allow consumers to meet the designers behind the brand, hear their unique stories and connect to form a long-lasting relationship.Named as one of Forbes 30 Under 30, and Drapers 30 under 30, featured in numerous high-profile media outlets such as The Times, WWD, Stylist, and BBC, and most recently being named as the winner of the Fashion Districts: Retail Futures 2020, Rebecca is an ethics and sustainability speaker within the industry.In this episode, we talk about:👉 Her experience working in the fashion industry: designing and loaning garments for Lady Gaga and Charlie XX👉 Living at the edge, between terror and euphoria👉 The number one of addiction of entrepreneurs👉 How the LDC started👉 What happens behind the curtain of building a brand?👉 How do we “walk the talk” as a leader with strong sustainability values👉 The startup culture in fashion👉 The number one superpower you need as an entrepreneurTo learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Rebecca Morter:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-morter-8396a01a/https://lonedesignclub.com/To follow the Culture Cabinet and learn more about start-up corporate culture:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-culture-cabinethttps://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To follow my journey as a French Female Founder in London:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WonderWorkers, I’m talking to Alex Budak, a UC Berkeley faculty member, co-founder of StartSomeGood, and the author of Becoming a Changemaker. He teaches, speaks, and writes to help people make a positive impact in their companies, communities, and lives.I keep saying this but Alex’s book has been my Bible for the past few months. This book is not just laying out very practical, realistic steps that you can do to become a changemaker there’s also a very powerful message behind it: If you embody the definition of a changemaker as described in this book, whatever the dream, the purpose, the challenges, or the outcome, you are already achieving long-lasting impactful change. Becoming a changemaker, a real actor of change is about embracing yourself, embracing whatever life throws at you, and catching it with enthusiasm, determination, resilience, hope, and empathy for others. I easily found myself in the ideas Alex shared and that gave me so much hope, confidence, and courage to move forward in my changemaker journey.As a social entrepreneur, he co-founded StartSomeGood, which has helped thousands of changemakers in over 50 countries raise millions of dollars to launch and scale new change initiatives. He previously ran Sweden's leading social innovation Incubator, Reach for Change, and worked at change.org.Alex regularly speaks at Fortune 500 companies, impactful nonprofits, and universities and has given talks on change-making, entrepreneurship, and leadership in venues from Cambodia to Ukraine; China to the Arctic Circle; and from the White House to UN agencies. His vision is to make change less scary, leadership more accessible, and impact more inclusive.A graduate of UCLA and Georgetown University, he lives in the Bay Area with his two favorite Changemakers: his wife, Rebecca, and their toddler son.In this episode, we talk about:👉 How to develop a change-maker mindset👉 How to develop courage 👉 Zigging when others zag👉 Idiosyncrasy credits or picking your battles👉 Being a changemaker while managing mental health and resilience👉 Changemaking is a team sport and empathy is your number one gear👉 How to become the leader you wish you had 👉 How to be an inclusive leader if you want to be a change-maker👉 The changemaker equation👉 How to befriend disappointed idealists👉 Don’t forget to hit the follow button so you can get notified each time a new episode is out!To learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/wearewonderworkersTo find out more about Alex Budak:https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbudak/https://www.alexbudak.com/To follow the Culture Cabinet and learn more about start-up corporate culture:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-culture-cabinethttps://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To follow my journey as a French Female Founder in London:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/https://www.instagram.com/laura_warnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WonderWorkers, I’m talking to Karl Brown, co-founder of Curv, a social network, reimagined. A platform where you don't follow people, you join movements.Karl's story is made of so many diverse experiences. From working as an actor under the stewardship of Sam Mendes and being deceived by the acting world, to working in Gang Prevention as a key member of the Growing Against Gangs & Violence initiative, Karl's journey has been a real learning curve! (No bad pun here!). He also worked in Behavioural Change as a consultant and coach, working with many of the world’s largest corporations, which is where he laid the foundation for Curv.I had the pleasure of meeting Karl at a Force For Nature event back in 2022. As a curious entrepreneur, I always strive to push myself outside my comfort zone and attend events beyond my realm of knowledge. I stayed for two hours and tried to contribute in my own way. Karl stood out as the only person who approached me after the event and showed genuine enthusiasm for my podcast. That's when I discovered Curv, and I found the concept and mission both innovative and fascinating. Our conversation was one of the most thought-provoking I've had so far. I was captivated by Karl's journey as a changemaker and vision for the future of social media, which was both eye-opening and groundbreaking.In this episode, we talk about:👉 Karl's dream of becoming an actor and the disappointment he experienced in that world👉 How his professional and entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by "taking a step back"👉 To Be or Not To Be an Entrepreneur? Is it something we are born with or something we can learn?👉 How does being a purpose-led changemaker is affecting your mental health?👉 How problematic is our current social media for society, humanity, and democracy's survival?👉 Why do people need harmful content to feed their free time?👉 What is Curv solving and how is it changing the world?👉 Don’t forget to hit the follow button so you can get notified each time a new episode is out!To learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To find out more about Karl Brown and Curv:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ikarlbrown/https://www.linkedin.com/company/joincurv/https://www.joincurv.com/And to follow my adventure on a daily basis:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WonderWorkers, I’m talking to Louisa and Olajide, founders of SISU. Their story is amazing. They both had very hectic workplaces and personal experiences that drove them to work together and shape the future of young people, so that no one has to face the same discrimination they did.Olajide is now an Equality, Equity and Inclusion Disrupter, driving change. He believes that companies must represent the world they serve, especially now that businesses are shaping the world we live in and wants Inclusion to be a right, not a privilege for a select few, not to be tolerated as being different, but accepted and celebrated for being different.Louisa, on the other hand, is a true believer in the power of people and diverse teams, this is what brings out the best of an organization, ensuring they reach their highest performance and potential. Her belief is that Learning and Development resources should be base offerings within companies, and she’s an advocate for coaching and mentoring.For all those reasons, they both built SISU - Equality, Equity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing Consultancy. It was created to work closely and intricately with businesses, charities, and other groups to achieve thriving, healthy organizations and communities. Passion is at the heart of everything they do, Integrity runs through their DNA and courage is the backbone of who they are their authenticity and genuine passion for this work are incredibly inspiring.In this episode, we talk about:👉 Their personal stories👉 What it means to be yourself and why it’s important when doing EEI work👉 What we mean by doing EEI in the right way👉 The connection between EEI and mental health👉 What it means to advocate and truly transform EEI in the workplace👉 How do we look at this work from a growth mindset👉 What makes them hopeful about the future👉 Don’t forget to hit the follow button so you can get notified each time a new episode is out!To learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To find out more about Louisa & Olajide:https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisa-davies-b82228187/https://www.linkedin.com/in/olajide-alabi-67713421/https://www.linkedin.com/company/sisu-equality-equity-inclusion-wellbeing/And to follow my adventure on a daily basis:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of WonderWorkers, I'm talking to Marie Krebs. Marie has come a very long way. From working two jobs to being the Head of People Experience at Build a Rocket Boy to founding People Stories, Marie is an example of determination, perseverance, and enthusiasm. She set up the People Ops & Culture foundations at Learnerbly by growing the team from 10 to 60 people in 12 months during a global pandemic. As a side hustle, she founded People Stories, an independent community of people who are passionate about people's experience at work and about sharing their experiences and resources to supercharge the experience of employees - so that no single person ever has to reinvent the wheel from scratch. In this episode we talk about:👉 Her professional journey from serving coffees to the CEO to being the Head of People Experience👉 What it means to be a product manager in people experience👉 The difference between working in HR and People Engagement and Experience👉 The Story behind People Stories👉 Tips for young people looking to become entrepreneurs or work in start-up environmentMarie Krebs is the Head of People Experience Design at Build a Rocket Boy, a 350+ person, Series C gaming studio building a new, multi-world game experience that will redefine how players connect with each other and the digital world around them.She’s like a Head of Product, except the product is the employee experience. And the users? Employees!Together with her team, they create and drive a people-centric and high-performance culture for Build a Rocket Boy and the Rocketeers to grow & thrive.She also co-founded People Stories, a remote London-centric community of progressive People people who are eager to make the world of work a better place.👉 Don't forget to hit follow and get notified each time a new episode is out!To learn more about behind the scene of the podcast:https://www.instagram.com/theculturecabinet/To find out more about Marie:https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-krebs/And to follow my adventure on a daily basis:https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawarnod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.