Before the 40 Minute Mentor team heads into hibernation until 2025, your Host, James Mitra shares a short festive message with you. 

Tune in to hear some of James’s favourite moments on the podcast this year and some of the biggest milestones the JBM team have achieved this year. 

🥂 Happy Holidays from all of us at 40 Minute Mentor, JBM, and Amplified People Group! 🥂 

See you for more pocket-sized mentorship in the New Year! 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Listen through 260+ episodes in our archives: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ 

➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/ 

➡️ Find out more about Amplified People Group: https://www.amplifiedgroup.com/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

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For the final episode of Season 12 of 40 Minute Mentor, we are looking back on the last 10 weeks of pocket-sized mentorship and revisiting some of James’s favourite moments. 

If you haven’t fully caught up on this season yet, or you’re a brand new listener, make sure you check out each of the episodes after this roundup episode and our 40 Minute Mentor archives of 260+ episodes. 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Listen back to all of Season 12: https://jbmc.co.uk/40-minute-mentor/ 

➡️ Follow JBM on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbm-consulting-ltd/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“[We’re] actually using TikTok in a positive way. The whole reason we exist is to combat misinformation, which there is a lot of on TikTok, but it can be used positively.” 

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Jas Schembri-Stothart, Co-Founder of luna, the world’s first digital health companion for teenage girls. 

Working with leading health and education institutions, Jas and her Co-Founder Jo Goodall are building a digital companion enabling teenage girls to have a healthier and happier teenhood. 

To date, the app has over 100k members in over 100+ countries, was featured as app of the day across app stores and has seen them raise £1.2 million from Octopus Ventures, Syndicate Room and prolific Angel Investors. 

In today’s episode, we uncover all the highs and lows along the way so far… 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Foundation in consulting [05:50] 

➡️ Deciding whether to get your MBA [08:30] 

➡️ The Origin story behind luna [11:30] 

➡️ Growing through community [19:30] 

➡️ More about Leadership Unleashed [21:20] 

➡️ Spending to grow & hiring mistakes [23:00] 

➡️ VC vs Angel Investment [27:20] 

➡️ Getting to know Gen Z & Generation Alpha [33:20] 

➡️ Embracing Founder Communities [41:30] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Jas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasschembri/ 

➡️ Find out more about luna: https://weareluna.app/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If you’re not learning something new every day, even if it’s the smallest thing, you can start to almost become stationary. Find ways to push yourself out of the limits of what you feel comfortable with.” 

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Dr Dupe Burgess, Founder & CEO of Bloomful. 

Launched in 2021, Bloomful is a HealthTech on a mission to close the gender health gap and improve access to gynae care for women, globally. 

Dupe and her team have been on an incredibly successful journey so far, having reached over 4,000 women with their first triage tool in just a few weeks and receiving equity-free funding from both, Google and KPMG. 

With a background in medicine, working at some of the busiest NHS hospitals in the UK and strategy consulting at BCG, Dupe brings a wealth of first-hand knowledge and experience to tackle the problem Bloomful is solving today. 

Find out more in today’s episode… 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Upbringing and landing in a medical career [04:15] 

➡️ Spending eight years in the NHS [08:15] 

➡️ Transitioning from being a Doctor to a Big 4 strategy consultant [12:15] 

➡️ Bloomful’s origin story [18:20]  

➡️ More about Leadership Unleashed [21:30] 

➡️ Closing the gender health gap [23:00] 

➡️ Securing investment early on [28:00] 

➡️ The importance of storytelling in fundraising [31:15] 

➡️ Hiring for the sake of hiring & other lessons learned [33:50] 

➡️ Advice for growing your personal brand on LinkedIn [38:00] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Dupe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dupeburgess/ 

➡️ Find out more about Bloomful: https://www.bloomful.io/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s really important to sell your business when there’s still a lot of growth left. You really shouldn’t be looking to sell it at its absolute peak.” 

In today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode, we’re joined by Mary Bonsor, Founder of Flex Legal, a bespoke online platform created to connect law students with law firms and in-house legal teams on a flexible on-demand basis. 

Mary has been on an incredible journey from Lawyer to LegalTech Entrepreneur, driving diversity and social mobility with Flex Legal. 

Alongside her successful build of Flex Legal to exit, Mary has been named Management Today’s 35 under 35, won Entrepreneur of the Year at the Women in Law Awards and was also an Entrepreneurship category winner at the European Women of Legal Tech Awards. 

In today’s episode, we’ll dive into her journey of building Flex Legal, all the lessons she learned along the way and her step away from the CEO role through her exit, 7 years into the journey. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Becoming a lawyer & the initial idea for Flex Legal [07:00] 

➡️ Entrepreneurship - a behaviour or a skill you can learn? [09:00] 

➡️ From concept to business - the evolution of Flex Legal [14:00] 

➡️ Find out more about Leadership Unleashed [15:00] 

➡️ Transitioning from Lawyer to Tech Founder [17:15] 

➡️ Finding Product-Market-Fit & navigating pivots [20:15] 

➡️ Hiring lessons [28:15] 

➡️ Navigating Covid & the route to exit [33:00] 

➡️ Transitioning out of the CEO role [35:30] 

➡️ Social Mobility in the Legal space [38:15] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Mary on LinkedIn

➡️ Find out more about Flex Legal

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Leadership Unleashed Open Cohorts. 

Leadership Unleashed Open Cohort is your chance to join a diverse cohort of leaders from different organisations, industries, and parts of the world to build the most critical behaviours and transform into a high performer. 

Split into seven remote workshops, the Open Cohort follows a coaching-led approach where you’ll be actively involved and turn your learnings into habits in your day-to-day. 

To find out more about the programme and how you can sign up for the next cohort starting in January, get in touch with Logan and Anouk at [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Feedback is the only way you will develop as a Leader. It is the only way people develop, full stop.” 

If you’ve been following JBM’s journey or been listening to 40 Minute Mentor for a while now, you will know that we’ve recently joined forces with Amplified People Group - the people services supergroup, supporting tech companies from inception to IPO. 

That’s what makes today’s 40 Minute Mentor episode so special. 

In this episode, we are joined by Andrew Richardson, Amplified People Group’s Co-Founder and Director. 

Not only will you find out the ins and outs of JBM’s acquisition and what the future holds for the Group, but we also cover Andrew’s impressive career journey, why VC simply wasn’t for him and where his passion and love for Sales really comes from. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Upbringing in an entrepreneurial environment [04:00] 

➡️ Foundation in recruitment & joining La Fosse [10:30] 

➡️ The power of mentorship in Andrew’s early career [12:20] 

➡️ Growing a passion for Sales & why it’s such a good grounding for anyone’s career [15:20] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsor [20:00] 

➡️ Moving from Recruitment into VC [21:00] 

➡️ The challenges of building a new fund [23:15] 

➡️ The beginning of Foundation Partners & the evolution to Amplified Group[28:00] 

➡️ Fractional support for early-stage Founders [33:50] 

➡️ The hallmark of success [38:00] 

➡️ Building a high-performance business & attracting the right talent [40:50] 

➡️ Why feedback is so important [46:00] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-richardson-34404b33 

➡️ Find out more about Amplified People Group: https://www.amplifiedgroup.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Unleashed, an Amplified Group business, is the people and culture expert for leaders who do business differently. 

Trusted by the most progressive businesses, the Leadership Institute-accredited Unleashed Development Programmes harness the power of community learning, helping leaders develop the skills, behaviours and relationships they need to cultivate high performance across organisations.

Find out more about Unleashed here or get in touch at [email protected]. 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People think VC is about chasing the next big thing…but actually, it’s not about making quick money. It’s about the long game and deep relationships.” 

We often talk to Investors on 40 Minute Mentor, but today we’re taking a deep dive into an increasingly important role within VC, the Platform role. 

To help us explore what a Platform role can look like, why it’s so important and how you can get into the role, we’re joined by Leah Sutton, Chief Portfolio Talent Officer at Balderton and Charlotte Van Reyk, VP of Platform at Lightspeed. 

On top of taking a deep dive into Platform, we also discuss Charlotte and Leah’s incredible careers before VC and their predictions for 2025. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ From Google to VC [08:30] 

➡️ Act like an owner and think like an entrepreneur [12:00] 

➡️ Building businesses through People roles [13:20] 

➡️ Lessons from scaling high-growth businesses & navigating Covid [18:40] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsors [21:45] 

➡️ Learning resilience from parenthood [23:30] 

➡️ Squiggly routes into VC [26:30] 

➡️ Biggest misconceptions about VC [31:30]  

➡️ Relationships vs Networks [34:30] 

➡️ Day-to-Day of a Platform Leader [36:40] 

➡️ Advice for moving into VC and Platform roles [41:20] 

➡️ Trends & predictions for 2025 [51:00] 

➡️ A podcast recommendation [56:30] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Charlotte: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-van-reyk-8a4481b5 

➡️ Connect with Leah: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/leahsutton 

➡️ Find out more about Lightspeed: https://lsvp.com/ 

➡️ Find out more about Balderton Capital: https://www.balderton.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group business. 

Growing technology companies don’t have the financial resources, capacity or experience to tackle the challenges of scaling a business and driving performance. 

A world-class People, Culture & HR operation is instrumental for this. Foundation Partners have built a blended service, so companies get the experience and support - both strategically and day-to-day - they need to build an exceptional business. 

Find out more: https://www.foundationpartners.co.uk/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I have more than 70% of equity in the business. Unfortunately, female Founders are actually encouraged to give up more equity in the early stages, which I would have never agreed with…” 

The fashion industry is the third most polluting industry in the world. 

Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is on a mission to change that. 

We are joined by Eshita Kabra, Forbes 30 Under 30 and Founder and CEO of By Rotation. 

Often dubbed as the Instagram for fashion rental, By Rotation has achieved amazing milestones to date, including building a community of over half a million like-minded Rotators, saving over 100k meters of textile waste from going to landfill in 2023, and raising £2.55 million in seed funding. 

We cover all the highs and lows along the way and Eshita’s exciting plans for the future. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Growing up as a third culture kid [03:40] 

➡️ Why the leap into entrepreneurship [09:00] 

➡️ Finding the right people & navigating Covid [12:45] 

➡️ More about how By Rotation works [18:00] 

➡️ Learn more about today’s sponsor [20:00] 

➡️ Purpose vs Profit & By Rotation’s environmental impact [21:30] 

➡️ Prioritising equity over huge fundraises [22:55] 

➡️ Fundraising advice [28:00] 

➡️ Landing big partnerships & famous ambassadors [33:00] 

➡️ Hiring traps to avoid [35:45] 

➡️ Expanding into the US market [38:20] 

➡️ A podcast recommendation [41:45] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Eshita: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshitakabra 

➡️ Find out more about By Rotation: https://byrotation.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group business. 

Growing technology companies don’t have the financial resources, capacity or experience to tackle the challenges of scaling a business and driving performance. 

A world-class People, Culture & HR operation is instrumental for this. Foundation Partners have built a blended service, so companies get the experience and support - both strategically and day-to-day - they need to build an exceptional business. 

Find out more: https://www.foundationpartners.co.uk/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Something that’s often quite misunderstood in mission-driven companies is that you don’t change the world between 9 and 5.” 

Today’s 40-Minute Mentor is Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, a Sunday Times Best-Selling Author, the first Nordic woman named a Forbes 30 Under 30, and Co-Founder of Female Invest. 

Female Invest is a global edTech platform on a mission to close the financial gender gap and smash glass ceilings. 

To date, Female Invest has raised $23m in funding and is serving over 450,000 paying members in over 120 countries. 

The Co-Founders also acquired Nordic FinTech company Gaia Investments and have written a global bestseller in ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Funds’. 

We dive into all of these milestones in today’s episode, plus so much more… 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Failing to prioritise health [03:00] 

➡️ Growing up in Denmark and developing an interest in finance [04:20] 

➡️ From a social group at University to Female Invest [06:30] 

➡️ Scrappy beginnings & facing bankruptcy [11:15] 

➡️ Facing doubters and negative comments online [15:50] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsors, Unleashed [19:00] 

➡️ Anna’s hiring approach [20:15] 

➡️ Plans for the future [23:15] 

➡️ Fundraising experience & advice for Founders [24:45] 

➡️ VC vs crowdfunding [29:15] 

➡️ The financial gender gap & Anna’s Call To Action [31:30] 

➡️ Getting started with investing [35:45] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Anna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-sophie-hartvigsen-46352611a/ 

➡️ Find out more about Female Invest: https://www.femaleinvest.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Unleashed, an Amplified Group business, is the people and culture expert for leaders who do business differently. 

Trusted by the most progressive businesses, the Leadership Institute-accredited Unleashed Development Programmes harness the power of community learning, helping leaders develop the skills, behaviours and relationships they need to cultivate high performance across organisations.

Find out more about Unleashed here or get in touch at [email protected]. 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There are so many limitations put on women in this industry and you have to adopt a mindset where you’re going to challenge that as you move forward.” 

Today’s 40 Minute Mentor is the brilliant Mary Bekhait, Group CEO of YMU. 

YMU is a global talent agency representing some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry and beyond, including Fearne Cotton, Clare Balding, Davina McCall, Graham Norton and Simon Cowell, to name a few. 

Mary has had an amazing career and has risen through the ranks at YMU, since joining in 2012. 

Since taking over as Group CEO in January 2021, Mary has overseen a radical rebrand of YMU, transforming the agency into a progressive business, spearheaded by women. 

In this episode, we dig into Mary’s career to date, what it’s been like to rise through the ranks in a male-dominated industry and what it’s really like to work with some of the biggest names in entertainment. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Growing up in central London and nurturing a creative mind [06:00] 

➡️ Learnings from her first jobs [07:30] 

➡️ Why talent management & how to get into the industry [09:40] 

➡️ Being the only woman in the room & not becoming complacent [11:50]  

➡️ Leadership inspiration [16:40] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsor [20:50]

➡️ Rising through the ranks in talent management [22:00] 

➡️ Focusing on Diversity in Hiring [27:00] 

➡️ What it’s like to work with the most famous names in the industry [33:00] 

➡️ Mary’s vision of the future of the industry [38:30] 

➡️ A podcast recommendation from James [43:25] 

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Mary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-bekhait-35524512/ 

➡️ Find out more about YMU: https://www.ymugroup.com/ 

🔔Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Foundation Partners, an Amplified People Group business. 

Growing technology companies don’t have the financial resources, capacity or experience to tackle the challenges of scaling a business and driving performance. 

A world-class People, Culture & HR operation is instrumental for this. Foundation Partners have built a blended service, so companies get the experience and support - both strategically and day-to-day - they need to build an exceptional business. 

Find out more: https://www.foundationpartners.co.uk/ 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s easy to look from the outside in and think ‘wow, what an adventure’ and it is an adventure, but if you’re thinking about going on a startup joinery you need to ask yourself: am I okay if this fails?” 

For episode 1 in our brand new 40 Minute Mentor season, we’re joined by Clare Jones, ex CCO of what3words and CEO of Polarsteps. 

Clare has had an impressive career so far, including joining what3words in its very early days as a startup and helping them scale to post-Series C in 8 years. 

Earlier in the summer, Clare joined Polarsteps, a rapidly growing team building the essential tool for modern day explorers - before, during and after their trips. 

In today’s episode we discuss the leadership skills that helped her through her tenure as CCO and now CEO, what makes a successful CCO and what it’s been like to join as the first CEO hire, as a succession hire from the Founders. 

Episode Chapters:

➡️ Her upbringing in an activist household [04:30] 

➡️ Early NGO experiences & transferable skills [06:15] 

➡️ Joining what3words as a scrappy startup [09:50] 

➡️ Lessons from scaling the what3words team [13:45] 

➡️ More about today’s sponsors [20:55] 

➡️ Becoming comfortable with failure [22:00] 

➡️ Deep dive into the CCO role [26:15] 

➡️ Why the move to Polarsteps & the origin story [28:30] 

➡️ When it’s time for Founders to step back [31:55] 

➡️ Making Founder succession work [43:00] 

➡️ Learning to be patient [47:25]  

⛳ Helpful links:

➡️ Connect with Clare: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-jones-/ 

➡️ Find out more about Polarsteps: https://www.polarsteps.com/ 

🔔 Find out more about today’s sponsors 

Today’s episode was sponsored by Amplified Group - the People services group that supports technology companies from inception to IPO. 

Together, the Group combines the leading brands in the People, Talent, Culture and HR space to provide the services Founders and Leadership teams need to build high-performing teams and businesses. 

Find out more at www.amplifiedgroup.com or drop the team a note on [email protected] 

⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️

Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices