From Afghan Refugee to Harrods: Building a Luxury Phone Empire Through Resilience

Wiji Singh Gorwara arrived in the UK in 2002 with no English, no friends, and no certainty. His family had fled Afghanistan, sought asylum in Holland, and uprooted again to start from nothing in Britain. Today, Wiji runs Phone Surgery across 14 stores and holds the UK and European licence for Vertu, one of the world's most exclusive luxury smartphone brands, with both brands now trading inside Harrods. In this episode of Runway to Excellence, host Stephanie sits down with Wiji to trace the full arc of his journey: from working in his father's off-licence and selling phones at Wembley Market, to being sacked multiple times, losing his mother to cancer, navigating lockdown, and ultimately landing two brands in the most famous department store on earth. This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment - for more on how they deliver talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com/ This episode covers:• Fleeing Afghanistan, seeking asylum in Holland, and relocating to the UK in 2002 with limited English and no established network• The reality of growing up as an immigrant in British schools, including bullying, cultural barriers, and finding resilience through adversity• Working in his father's off-licence and Wembley Market before landing a Christmas temp role at Phones4U that launched his retail career• Career progression through Phones4U, T-Mobile, Three, Barclays, Ernst and Young, and Audi, including being sacked multiple times and what he learnt from each setback• The decision to leave employment for good after experiencing racial discrimination and never looking back• How Phone Surgery was built from a single small unit in Brentford to a 14-store repair and retail brand• How Wiji generated more revenue during Covid lockdown than in normal trading by pivoting to a click and collect phone repair model• The story of discovering Vertu, the ultra-luxury smartphone brand, through a Facebook advert and turning that into a formal UK distribution partnership• How a relationship built at Selfridges eventually opened the door to Harrods, and why the buying director responded within 45 minutes• What it means to carry both Phone Surgery and Vertu into Harrods simultaneously, and the strategic thinking behind itThis is an honest, unfiltered conversation about what it actually takes to build something real when the odds are stacked against you.Key moments:00:00 Welcome and Introduction00:27 Fleeing Afghanistan, Asylum in Holland, Moving to the UK02:00 Starting School Mid-Year Nine With No English03:04 Bullying, Resilience and Parental Sacrifice05:24 The Sacrifices That Built the Foundation06:37 First Jobs: Off-Licence, Wembley Market, and Phones4U09:55 Getting Sacked: What Really Happened12:08 Barclays, Ernst and Young, and the Tea Incident14:42 Audi, Great Leaders, and the Final Corporate Job17:47 The Decision to Go Into Business19:44 Learning to Repair Phones From Scratch21:00 Building Phone Surgery Into a 14-Store Brand22:42 Covid, the Reading Flagship, and Losing His Mother26:22 Making More Money in Lockdown Than in Normal Trading28:15 Marriage, Sacrifice and Emotional Suppression33:24 Recognising the Business Had Real Legs34:35 Discovering Vertu on Facebook and Pursuing Harrods38:31 What Vertu Is: History, Ownership, and Revival40:00 Getting Both Brands Into Harrods46:15 Why Vertu Trusted Wiji50:45 What Makes a Vertu Phone Worth It54:34 Hopes for Vertu at Harrods and What Clients Can Expect55:26 Seeing Phone Surgery and Vertu in Harrods for the First Time57:06 What People Misunderstand About Wiji58:35 Defining Excellence: Customer Experience and Team Prosperity59:22 Final Advice for Anyone Who Feels the Odds Are Against Them1:01:08 Why Normal People Make the Best Podcast Guests

How do you get your brand into Selfridges - and what really happens when you pitch on Dragon’s Den UK?In this episode, luxury beauty founder Pavan reveals how she built a retail-ready brand from a one-metre pop-up to national TV investment.In this episode of Runway To Excellence, Stephanie Jackson sits down with Pavan Ahluwalia Dhanjal BEM, founder of a pioneering henna brand Pavan Beauty, that redefined experiential retail inside Selfridges and expanded globally.From holding a Guinness World Record to successfully gaining investment from Dragon’s Den (before eventually turning it down), retail trend changes, and scale-up investment conversations, Pavan shares the truth behind building and scaling a beauty business in premium retail.This podcast is brought to you by SJR London, trusted talent partner for Luxury Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle recruitment - for more on how they deliver talent that defines luxury, visit https://www.sjrlondon.com/  This episode covers:How to get into Selfridges as a small brand Retail pop-up strategy and proof of concept What Dragon’s Den is really like behind the scenes Scaling from service to product in beauty Hiring in luxury retail environments Founder resilience and navigating grief while building a businessIf you work in luxury retail, beauty, fashion or are building your own brand - this conversation is essential.Key Moments: 00:00 – How Pavan Beauty turned niche henna art into a mainstream beauty brand02:20 – Growing up in East London: immigrant parents, entrepreneurship and work ethic07:50 – Retail jobs, discipline and why office life didn’t fit a creative founder09:40 – Falling in love with henna and spotting a gap in the Western beauty market12:00 – Breaking a Guinness World Record and pitching henna to the BBC13:30 – Creating the first henna bar concept and landing a Topshop pop-up15:10 – From Topshop proof of concept to 11 years in Selfridges18:20 – The reality of retail targets, pop-ups and experience-led beauty21:20 – How COVID changed beauty retail and forced a business pivot24:00 – Self-funded growth, cash flow struggles and scaling a service business27:20 – Why Pavan chose Dragon’s Den: PR, investment and learning to pitch32:00 – Behind the scenes of Dragon’s Den: negotiation, offers and due diligence36:30 – Losing her dad, grief during COVID and not giving up on the business41:20 – Gratitude, kindness and building a personal brand that opens doors46:20 – Hiring henna artists, staff loyalty and the challenge of modern work culture52:00 – Why relationships, networking and energy are everything in luxury retail57:20 – What’s next: product expansion, “Inking Big” YouTube and The Ink Drop newsletter

This episode is a real full-circle moment for me. I first met Vicky at one of my very early assessment centres, almost 11 years ago, where I gave her a chance as a temporary employee in luxury retail. She grabbed the opportunity with both hands and has since built an incredible career managing large teams for the likes of Harrods and now lecturing at the Fashion Retail Academy.I couldn’t be prouder. I’m so excited for you to hear her story and see just how far the right attitude, resilience and work ethic can take your career.

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Claire Hugill, a seasoned luxury retail leader whose impressive career spans Harrods, Selfridges, and Alexander McQueen. From managing flagship retail teams to driving digital transformation, Claire has seen every side of the industry, and now runs her own consultancy, Atelier Consultancy, advising high-end brands on how to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.Claire shares her personal journey through luxury retail, offering invaluable insights on how to build a successful and fulfilling career, as well as practical advice for brand leaders looking to elevate their business. Whether you’re an aspiring retailer, brand founder, or simply passionate about the world of luxury, this episode is packed with wisdom, authenticity, and inspiration you won’t want to miss.

In this episode, I sit down with Abigail Wilmore, an accomplished HR leader with over 25 years of experience in luxury fashion and beauty, including roles as Chief People Officer at Tom Ford Fashion, Stella McCartney, and Dr Barbara Sturm, as well as HR Director at Kering (formerly Gucci Group). Starting her career on the shop floor with no university degree, she discovered her passion for Human Resources early on and has since become a champion of human-centred workplace cultures. As the Founder of People Flow and a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Abigail is dedicated to leading with empathy and driving positive change in the workplace. She is also a triple-accredited Executive Coach and a sought-after speaker who advocates for diversity, inclusion, and sustainable people strategies.

In this episode of Runway to Excellence, I sit down with Sue Rahmani, an inspiring leader whose work bridges the worlds of spirituality and luxury retail. Sue, a recently published author in the book 'Activating Divine Human', and the Retail Training Manager for super brand Celine (LVMH), brings a unique blend of thought-provoking and empowering insights. Sue consistently challenges the status quo with positivity and controversy, making her a voice that inspires and provokes deep reflection. Connect with Sue: Instagram: @suerahmani LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-rahmani-05237740/ Below are the links to purchase Sue's book 'Activating Divine Human' 🔗: Within the 1st 48 hours of its release it reached the Number 1 Best Seller Internationally in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France and Brazil and so far only received 5* reviews. US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGJG6DY UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DCGJG6DY CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DCGJG6DY AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0DCGJG6DY MX: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0DCGJG6DY DE: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DCGJG6DY FR: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0DCGJG6DY ES: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0DCGJG6DY IT: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0DCGJG6DY NL: https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B0DCGJG6DY JP: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0DCGJG6DY BR: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B0DCGJG6DY IN: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0DCGJG6DY

We delve deep into the world of fashion and retail with industry veteran Rachel Caccavone. With nearly four decades of experience in luxury retail, Rachel shares invaluable insights, secrets to success, and inspiring stories from her illustrious career. Whether aspiring to enter luxury retail or seeking to elevate your existing career, join us as we explore the passion, dedication, and determination required to thrive in the fashion and retail industry. Tune in for expert advice, career guidance, and firsthand accounts to empower you to pursue your dreams and realise the limitless possibilities within fashion and retail. Get ready to be inspired and motivated to turn your passion for fashion into a fulfilling and rewarding career. Subscribe now to SJR London for exclusive interviews, insider tips, and captivating stories that will fuel your journey in fashion and retail.

This inspiring episode of Runway to Excellence features Joseph Knight, a true leader who transitioned from freelancing to a successful career in the retail sector. Unveil Joseph's journey of resilience as he returned to a company that initially doubted him, turning probation failure into managerial triumph through unwavering determination and talent. Discover the secrets of Joseph's people management approach, where he prioritises team success, measuring his achievements by their accomplishments. A must-listen for aspiring managers and those seeking to hire impactful leaders for their stores. Join us for a captivating conversation on authentic leadership, hard work, and the path to managerial excellence.

Embark on a captivating journey with Luke Ward CIPD as they unveil the eye-opening realisation that their original career path wasn't aligned with their true passion. Join us in this episode as Luke shares insights from their experience as an HR advisor at a leading UK brand, shedding light on what brands might overlook in attracting Gen Z talent. Discover invaluable advice on how candidates can stand out in a competitive market and pave the way to a fulfilling career. Don't miss this episode packed with revelations and actionable tips for both professionals and employers alike!

A true trailblazer in the world of digital luxury retail. Originally from London and now serving as the President of Hanro New York, Mariana, a crucial part of the launch of Mr. Porter and other major brands, talks about how important it is not to be afraid of failure on your ascent to the top.