Monocle 24: The Entrepreneurs

We mark two centuries of passenger rail with a look at what’s down the line. Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, discusses the direction of travel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to share something that’s rooted in place with the world? Naoki Mita discusses Le Furo’s “craft onsen” – concentrated hot spring solutions that capture the therapeutic benefits of Japan’s mineral-rich waters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feng Chen Wang is a Chinese, London-based fashion designer who embodies what it means to update tradition. Her eponymous brand creates pieces that are deeply personal yet globally resonant, merging traditional Chinese references with modern tailoring, sportswear influences and futuristic silhouettes. As her brand marks a decade of boundary-pushing design, Wang reflects on her upbringing in Fujian, collaborations with major brands such as Converse and why straddling cultures is her superpower in both design and business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Maas, co-founder of Papa Salt, talks about testing 59 distilled recipes before settling on their gin, which uses native Australian botanicals. Plus: a florist’s mission to elevate the status of the country’s wildflowers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Archer Aviation’s founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, joins to discuss the UAE launch of the ‘Midnight’ eVTOL. Is a 20-minute Dubai-Abu Dhabi commute in the offing?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ole Scheeren is the award-winning German architect behind some of the world’s most ambitious and unconventional buildings. From tech campuses in Asian megacities to residential apartment blocks in Vancouver, Scheeren’s designs seamlessly bridge opposing aesthetics and functionalities. In this episode he tells us about the power of cross-cultural collaboration and how this can enrich the lives of those who live, work and gather in his spaces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet the founder of outdoor-adventure emporium Arksen to hear how the lifelong thrill-seeker built a business to share his love of exploration and bring a new approach to the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder and creative director Vania Leles shares the story of how she became a gemologist and launched her brand, Vanleles, an African high-jewellery brand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to grow ambitious start-ups into impactful businesses and foster diverse, inclusive leadership from the start? Roxanne Varza is director of Paris’s Station F, the world’s largest start-up campus. Previously head of Microsoft’s French start-up activity and named by Business Insider as one of tech’s 30 most influential women under 30, she tells Monocle’s Tom Edwards what it takes to be a Station F company and how to champion progressive change in the workplace.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Brinkworth, founder and CEO, and strategy lead Nick Roberts return to Midori House to discuss the company’s 35th birthday and why human connection remains at the heart of the agency’s vision.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Wilcox is the founder and CEO of Dallas-based US regional air carrier JSX, which has won customers and plaudits thanks to its distinctive hop-on/hop-off service. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Balineum founder Sarah Watson discusses the challenges facing Stoke-on-Trent, aka “The Potteries”, the historic heart of the UK’s ceramics industry. Plus: how she’s investing in its revival by supporting future talent and local manufacturing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The co-founder and CEO of Wahu Mobility, Valerie Labi, talks about launching Ghana’s first electric-bike manufacturer, scaling the business despite early doubts and her plans to expand into new markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pure Effect co-founder Linda Rosendahl Nordin explains how the Swedish biotech company uses beneficial microbes to clean fabrics without washing. Plus: Morjas founder, Henrik Berg, talks brand growth, footwear and launching a women’s line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder Stavros Kois shares how he grew a small optical shop in Syros into a globally recognised brand offering distinctive eyewear and silk scarves inspired by the style and story of the Greek island.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max De Lucia, co-founder of sonic branding studio DLMDD, discusses bringing his creative approach to the world of fragrance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roxana Saidi, founder of Táche, shares how a lightbulb moment in a Parisian café led to the creation of her pistachio-milk brand. She discusses international expansion, new collaborations and sustainability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the circular economy be the answer to climate change? Monocle’s correspondent in New Delhi, Lyndee Prickitt, meets India’s foremost expert on the circular economy, Shalini Goyal Bhalla. She is the managing director of think-tank International Council for Circular Economy and has written books on the subject. She tells us about the opportunities that moving towards a circular model would provide for business and innovation, as well as the planet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We get summer skincare tips from world-renowned aesthetician Sophie Carbonari. Plus: we head to the southwest coast of France to meet two surfers-turned entrepreneurs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s Gregory Scruggs reports from Los Angeles, where wildfires devastated communities earlier this year. He meets the brothers behind Crest Real Estate, a property firm taking a thoughtful approach to help the city recover.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former chef Amelia Christie-Miller has long been obsessed with brands that have the power to shape consumer behaviour. In 2021 she created Bold Bean Co to change the perception of beans, encouraging people to see them as more than a mere pantry ingredient. In this conversation with Monocle’s Tom Edwards, Christie-Miller discusses how she disrupted the food industry by shifting age-old narratives – through everything from her product and marketing strategy to workplace culture – and converted fatigued consumers into loyal customers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Vowles, Atlassian Williams Racing team principal, stops by Midori House ahead of the British Grand Prix to discuss the F1 team’s progress, decision-making under pressure and long-term thinking on and off track.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Sally Boddington, co-founder of British fashion brand White Coco. Since launching in 2012, she has opened three shops and expanded her range. Boddington discusses growing the business and the value of collaborations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Landry is an international adviser on the use of imagination and creativity in urban change. He has written many books on the subject, including ‘The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators’. His work seeks to help cities unlock their potential and become resilient, self-sustaining places. In this episode he speaks to Tom Edwards about how intentional design can nurture culture in a city.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Flohr, founder and chairman of Vistajet, talks about building a global business aviation company, breaking industry convention and what’s next on his radar. Plus: highlights from the Paris Air Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Bates shares how a series of serendipitous eureka moments led to the creation of Rheon Labs, a smart-materials company developing energy-absorbing technology to better support and protect the body.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to good leadership, professor John Amaechi knows a thing or two. Amaechi is an organisational psychologist and founder of APS Intelligence, a consultancy dedicated to helping organisations cultivate high-performance, ethical workplace cultures. He also happens to be a former basketball star and the first Briton to ever play in the NBA. John Amaechi talks to Tom Edwards about the moments in his life that have taught him about the importance of being able to lead people to positive change, the current challenges to DEI initiatives, and why being the driving force behind positive friction can be the way to make progress.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A special edition featuring Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation CEO, Albert Wong, and advisor Allan Zeman. They explain how the city’s leading innovation and technology ecosystem fosters worldwide impact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Per Fredriksson, founder of Stockholm-based premium menswear label Circle Of Friends Studio, reflects on launching the brand in 2015 and how his lifelong career in fashion manufacturing shaped its focus on high-quality denim.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lena Patriksson Keller and Jonas Clason, co-founders of European denim house Jeanerica, discuss their long-standing creative partnership and timeless Scandinavian design. And: we meet the creator of the autonomous mobility vehicle, Iino, in Tokyo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria Aguirre shares how her career in photojournalism and travels through Latin America inspired her to launch Pampa, a B Corp-certified brand focused on artisan craftsmanship, heritage and sustainable production.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia perfume special: we meet Ruth Chao von Gehren, the founder of Ode Ona, a Hong Kong-based fragrance house. And Jun Lim talks about his artistic perfumery from Seoul, Born to Stand Out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cornelius Klimt shares the story of Calma Compania, an Austrian brand making plant-based mosquito spray, which he launched in 2024 with co-founder Hemma Marenzi. Today, it’s found in some of Europe’s most thoughtful hotels.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Håkan Agnevall, CEO of Wärtsilä, discusses how the company is helping to shift entire industries toward a 100 per cent renewable future. Then: what’s next in entrepreneurship education with Augment co-founder Ariel Renous.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finnmark Sauna’s founder, Jake Newport, shares his passion for Finnish sauna, including how his personal experience with its healing benefits inspired him to launch a business that brings authentic sauna experiences to the UK.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia Hobsbawm is an author and the CEO of global work trends and change network Workathon. In this episode she shares how to build a healthier relationship with our online lives and offers a blueprint for navigating digital spaces with decency and respect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We shift into summer mode with warm-weather style and two brands that radiate sunshine: Bucharest-based fashion label Les Vacances d’Irina and Australian accessories house Helen Kaminski.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Meeker, founder and CEO of Bark, explains how the company’s mission to make dogs happy has evolved from selling chew toys to launching Bark Air, the world’s first airline designed for dogs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Hieatt is the founder of Hiut Denim Co and The Do Lectures, an idea- sharing platform featuring some of the world’s most interesting thinkers. He has previously worked for some of the biggest advertising agencies in the world and was the founder of sportswear brand Howie’s. Hieatt didn’t have the most traditional path into his career. Despite not finishing his education, the thread that runs through his career is a commitment to learning. In this episode he tells Tom Edwards about how being open to continuous education has taken him on an incredible journey and why sometimes you take your lessons from the most unexpected places.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lifelong friends and business partners, Johnny Smith and Daniel Willis, talk about their Michelin-starred restaurant, Luca, and their latest venture, Smith & Willis, a new hospitality group that builds on their partnership restaurants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We meet Marta Agueda Carlero, co-founder of Material Alternative Design (MAD), a design company fuelled by fungi. She discusses how MAD uses mycelium in its manufacturing to create sustainable climbing gear.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle’s Tom Edwards is joined by serial entrepreneur Dumi Oburota to discuss the power of being present and of meaningful exchange. From his experiences in the music industry, nurturing the career of acclaimed British rapper Tinie Tempah to closing deals on his newly founded drinks brand Severan, Oburota tells us why he’s a firm believer in the magic of human connection.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.