From Single Mother to Billion Dollar Founder with Dr Ann Kaplan Mulholland

Growing a business is never about luck. It is about execution, distribution and the ability to stay focused through every challenge. This week, I speak with Dr Ann Kaplan Mulholland, a finance founder who built a billion dollar empire, scaled a nationwide lending operation, invested in commercial property, and then bought and rebuilt a 1000 year old medieval castle in Kent.Ann explains the decisions behind her finance company, why she focused on doctors as her main distribution channel and how she signed up sixteen thousand medical professionals to drive customer flow. She breaks down her move into global real estate, including commercial units in Canada, residential properties in the US and a 145 acre fortress that needed major repair work.We talk through her approach to negotiation, funding, risk and execution. Ann shares the importance of personal brand, why every founder needs visibility online and why ignoring social media harms your business. She explains how she turned her castle project into a TV series, how she handled a difficult survey report, how she reduced the purchase price by one million pounds and how she created a valuable distribution channel through television exposure.If you want a direct breakdown of entrepreneurship, scale up discipline, property strategy and personal branding, this episode gives a clear view from someone who has done it repeatedly. Ann challenges common assumptions, gives honest advice for first time founders and explains why your idea is irrelevant unless you understand distribution, execution and value.Key TakeawaysReverse engineering distribution channels provides a more reliable foundation for a new business.Visibility is essential. A founder without a social presence limits growth and credibility.Strategic negotiation requires preparation, timing and the confidence to walk away.Real estate can be a long term income strategy when purchased through disciplined planning.Creative problem solving often matters more than resources when starting a company.Investors respond to clear execution plans, not ideas.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

This week, I sit down with Anthony “Staz” Stazicker, former Royal Marine and Special Forces operator turned entrepreneur and co-founder of ThruDark, one of the UK’s fastest-growing technical outerwear brands.After more than a decade in the military, Staz left behind the structure, purpose, and intensity of Special Forces life to start from scratch. What began as an idea between two former Marines has become a global brand built on authenticity, resilience, and relentless standards.In this bite-sized episode, Staz shares how he applied the lessons from combat to business — how to stay disciplined when motivation fades, why routine beats inspiration, and what it really means to take a leap of faith.If you’ve ever found yourself stuck, overthinking, or struggling to start, this is the 10-minute reset you need.Key Takeaways:Discipline Builds Momentum: Success rarely comes from motivation. It comes from showing up every day and sticking to the plan.Break Challenges into Small Wins: Whether in the military or in business, progress comes from breaking goals down into manageable steps.Plan, Prepare, Execute: Treat your business like a mission. Preparation and structure give you clarity when things get tough.Accountability Over Excuses: Structure your day with intention. The smallest habits compound into lasting results.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, my friend Jeannette Linfoot sat down with Juliet Barratt, co-founder of Grenade, in a fireside chat recorded live at the Festival of Entrepreneurs. Juliet shares how she went from being a teacher who hated structure to building one of the UK’s fastest-growing performance nutrition brands and selling it to Mondelez for £200 million.Juliet is honest, practical, and refreshingly self-aware. She talks about the reality of starting with no money, working from a freezing warehouse, and learning through mistakes. She explains why branding matters more than hype, how hiring the right people transforms a business, and how to know when to let go.This episode is packed with real advice for founders who are scaling, thinking of exiting, or simply trying to find their next move. Juliet reminds us that success isn’t about the number in the bank but the freedom to choose how you spend your days.Key Takeaways:Build a brand, not just a product: Identity creates longevity.Hire for attitude, not just skill: The right mindset drives growth.Remember why you started: Belief carries you through the hard days.Prepare for the exit emotionally: Purpose matters after the sale.Define success on your own terms: Freedom is the real goal.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

When Andy Mooney joined Nike at just 25, he was meant to stay behind the numbers. But within months, he realised real business success came from understanding people, not spreadsheets.In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, Andy shares how a risky decision early in his career changed everything. He stepped outside his comfort zone, bet on consumer insights rather than corporate caution, and ended up transforming Nike’s marketing direction.That move not only defined his leadership style but also set the stage for a remarkable career spanning Disney, Quiksilver, and now Fender Musical Instruments.This is a story about trusting your gut, asking questions no one else will, and being willing to take a leap when opportunity knocks.Key TakeawaysRisk can redefine your career. Andy’s transition from finance to marketing shows the power of bold decisions.Learn from the customer, not the boardroom. The best ideas often come from the people using your product.Curiosity beats experience. Andy’s willingness to ask unconventional questions led to career-changing opportunities.Back yourself. Sometimes, one confident decision can shape the rest of your professional life.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

My guest this week is Andrew Hulbert, founder of Pareto FM, who started his business from his bedroom at 27 with no name, network, or funding and grew it to a £42 million turnover before exiting less than a decade later.Andrew’s story is one of calculated risk, relentless focus, and smart scaling. From landing his first £200,000 contract with the Bulgari Hotel to winning major clients like Twitter, ASOS, and Deliveroo, his approach to business growth was simple: do what big companies get wrong, and do it exceptionally well.In this episode, we discuss the realities of starting from zero, why being “too small” can become your biggest advantage, and how creating sweet equity helped him retain every senior hire across nine years. Andrew also shares what life looks like post-exit. Family, friends, and purpose and what it truly takes to let go without losing identity.If you’re at the stage where you’re thinking of starting, scaling, or selling, this conversation will help you think more strategically about risk, people, and purpose.Key Takeaways:Start with One Win: Focus on getting your first deal, not the perfect business plan. Momentum starts with movement.People Are Everything: Hire for motivation, not CVs. Pareto’s 17 senior leaders stayed through to exit because they shared the vision and had skin in the game.Be Willing to Bet on Growth: Andrew’s decision to reinvest £1 million into overheads helped double the company’s value in two years.Know When to Step Back: The biggest challenge isn’t starting, it’s letting go. Learning to trust others is what takes a founder from operator to leader.Redefine Success After Exit: Freedom doesn’t come from a payout, it comes from presence—being there for family, friends, and yourself.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

Sometimes the right opportunity doesn’t come knocking, you have to send the email.In this Bite-sized episode, I speak with Tom Gozney, founder of Gozney, about the moment that took his business from a small British startup to global recognition. After entering Virgin’s Pitch to Rich competition, Tom didn’t win but he did get something far more valuable: a personal email from Sir Richard Branson.What happened next was surreal. Tom replied boldly, saying Necker Island needed a Gozney oven. Weeks later, he found himself flying out to the Caribbean to install one of his ovens on Turtle Beach. He worked in the heat, wrote his wedding speech on the sand, and realised he’d built something extraordinary from his garden project.This story captures the heart of entrepreneurship: resilience, timing, and the confidence to reach out when others might hesitate.Key TakeawaysCreate your own luck. Tom’s story shows how initiative opens doors that awards can’t.Be bold with opportunity. One brave message led to a career-defining collaboration.Hard work pays off—literally. Installing ovens in Caribbean heat was proof that commitment builds credibility.Success often feels surreal. From home projects to Necker Island, progress often comes quietly until you look back.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

What does it take to build one of the world’s most loved ethical brands without losing your principles?In this episode, I sit down with Rowena Bird, co-founder of Lush, to talk about the 30-year journey of growing from a small shop in Poole to a global retail brand with over 900 stores worldwide. Rowena shares how Lush has managed to scale without outside investors, why they’ve never compromised on values, and what it really takes to stay true to your ethics in business.From selling stock at car boot sales to opening flagship stores on Oxford Street and donating over £100 million to grassroots charities, Rowena’s story is proof that a business can thrive by doing good. We discuss the lessons she’s learned about scaling slowly, building a family-run business, and choosing people and partnerships based on trust rather than profit.She also opens up about Lush’s bold decision to leave social media, their commitment to fair trade and cruelty-free products, and how innovation continues to shape their future with concepts like Lush Hair Labs and safe hair dyes.This episode is a must-listen for founders, ethical entrepreneurs, and anyone questioning whether you can stay true to your principles and still build something big.Key TakeawaysGrow with control. Scale step-by-step so you always understand your business before expanding.Hold your values firm. Never trade ethics for margin. Protect your principles, even when it costs more.Choose people over profit. Work with partners you like and trust. Strong relationships sustain a business.Stay innovative. Keep experimenting with products and experiences that align with your mission.Make impact part of business. Lush has donated £100 million to grassroots charities while remaining profitable.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

What happens when success leaves you feeling empty?In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, I revisit my conversation with Dan Murray-Serter, co-founder of Heights and host of Secret Leaders. Dan shares the exact moment he realised his business, Gravel, was winning awards but draining his purpose.Rather than chase growth for the sake of it, Dan and his co-founder made a bold call, to shut the company down, return investor money, and start from zero. Out of that decision came Heights, a brain-care brand built on science, transparency, and genuine wellbeing.This short episode is about the courage to stop, reassess, and rebuild with intention. It’s a must-listen for founders feeling stuck, burned out, or questioning their direction.Key TakeawaysBurnout can be a signal, not a setback. When your work drains you, it’s often a sign to change direction.Success without purpose feels empty. Dan learned that achievements mean little without alignment to your values.Resetting isn’t failure. Ending a company can open space for something far stronger.Build around authenticity. Heights grew from being transparent, not perfect.Courage comes from clarity. Once Dan recognised what felt wrong, the decision to start again became obvious.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. 🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

When the world shut down in 2020, most entrepreneurs hit pause. Andrew Salter hit “go.”In this episode, I speak with Andrew, Co-founder and CMO of DIRTEA, the UK-based functional mushroom brand that’s grown into a global wellness movement. What started as a pivot during the pandemic has become one of the fastest-growing lifestyle brands in health and wellness.Andrew and his brother Simon launched DIRTEA from a personal need to improve focus, recovery and energy, and turned it into a viral brand trusted by athletes, creatives and wellness enthusiasts. From their Selfridges mushroom bar activation to their viral social content, DIRTEA has built a loyal following by combining science, storytelling and community.We talk about the lessons learned from building a brand during a crisis, how to make a niche product mainstream, and the balance between boldness and belief in entrepreneurship. Andrew also shares his honest take on scaling a business, why hiring is the hardest part of growth, and how the US market represents the next big chapter for DIRTEA.If you’re building a product-led business or a brand that challenges convention, this conversation is packed with insights on how to educate a market, create a movement, and lead with purpose.Key Takeaways:Go all in when the moment feels right. Andrew’s “screw it, just do it” moment came when the pandemic hit—he doubled down instead of pulling back.Education drives adoption. DIRTEA’s early success came from demystifying functional mushrooms through social content and real-world experiences.Viral growth is built on authenticity. Their personal story and design-led approach made the brand relatable, human and shareable.Quality builds longevity. Obsession with sourcing, taste and efficacy kept customers coming back.Community over campaigns. DIRTEA’s success came from showing up in person, building a movement and empowering advocates.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way. 🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast. Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events. Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies. 👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It!  #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

In this Bite-sized Screw It Just DO It episode, I sit down with Adam Rossiter and Elliot Dawes, co-founders of Bulk, one of the UK’s biggest sports and active nutrition brands. What started as two university friends buying supplements from the US turned into a £100 million company built without a single penny of outside investment.Adam and Elliot share how they started with £3,000 on a credit card, packed their own boxes, handled customer service themselves, and slowly built traction through word of mouth and online forums. They talk about the point when they realised they had to grow beyond being two founders doing everything, and how one competitor’s sale changed their mindset about scaling.This segment is a raw and honest look at the early grind of building a business and how discipline, persistence, and belief turned a side hustle into one of the leading names in nutrition.Key Takeaways:How £3,000 in credit card debt became the foundation for a multimillion-pound brand.Why doing every role in your business teaches lessons no MBA can.How to recognise the moment to move from startup chaos to structured growth.The power of reinvesting profit and keeping control instead of chasing funding.Why comparison can push you to level up your business vision.🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast.Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events.Real entrepreneurs. Real stories. Real strategies.👉 Follow the show. Keep showing up. Screw It Just DO It! #ScrewItJustDoIt #FestivalOfEntrepreneurs #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship