Each month True - the sector specialist investment and innovation firm - focuses on a different business story from the world of retail and consumer. Rich Anson, True's Strategy Director speaks with a different entrepreneur, founder or expert from the industry to find out the secrets to success in…
True Talks: Rich Anson meets...
Alison Hutchinson CBE, Founder & CEO of Pennies, the UK's leading fintech charity, speaks to Rich about the charity's unique model and challenges in funding the development of such an innovative platform. They discuss everything from having to create a complicated payments platform, with a lean team, through to the huge impact retailers and brands can make to their nominated charities through the micro-donations platform. Listen here.
Giles Humphries, CMO and Co-founder of health-focused food box, Mindful Chef, talks to Rich about how he and his Co-founder built their business to put purpose, people and planet at the heart of their operations. Giles also shares his founder journey from the early stages through to its acquisition by Nestle and discusses some of the challenges faced during the pandemic, which included how to deal with a trebling of demand over a very short period.
Giles Humphries, CMO and Co-founder of health-focused food box, Mindful Chef, talks to Rich about how he and his Co-founder built their business to put purpose, people and planet at the heart of their operations. Giles also shares his founder journey from the early stages through to its acquisition by Nestle and discusses some of the challenges faced during the pandemic, which included how to deal with a trebling of demand over a very short period.
Unmind is a workplace mental health platform that empowers employees to look after their mental health proactively, but it also helps support organisations with their mental health initiatives through the anonymised data. Nick shares the unconventional story of how he became the CEO & Co-Founder of a startup, as well as some insight into what its been like to share that journey with investors, including True.
Unmind is a workplace mental health platform that empowers employees to look after their mental health proactively, but it also helps support organisations with their mental health initiatives through the anonymised data. Nick shares the unconventional story of how he became the CEO & Co-Founder of a startup, as well as some insight into what its been like to share that journey with investors, including True.
Following a period of rapid growth True invested in the community-based disruptive beauty brand War Paint in 2020. Founder of War Paint, Danny Gray, talks to Rich about how he used his experience as a teenager to build a successful business in one of the fastest growing sectors of the beauty industry.
Rich Anson meets Jonathan Petrides, CEO and co-founder of allplants.
How do you level the playing field between the sexes in a traditionally male-dominated sports? If you were brave you could start by setting up a new all-female motor sport business and race series. This is exactly what Catherine Bond Muir has done with the single-seater W-Series. Catherine speaks to Rich about the commercial challenges of setting up such an expensive sport and fundraising more generally, while driver Powell also talks to Rich about her role as an influencer in supporting and growing the series.
Founder and CEO of Buyapowa, Gideon Lask, talks to Rich Anson about how he applied learnings from his time in the music industry and his work with superfans, to build the foundations of his advocacy marketing business Buyapowa. Gideon shares his thoughts on why customer advocacy works as an ROI-focused marketing channel and his key takeaways on some of the benefits and challenges of acquiring a business in another geography.
True acquired Ribble Cycles in November 2015, and brought in CEO Andy Smallwood, formerly of Boardman Bikes, to help support the growth and transformation of the brand. The results of the rebrand have been phenomenal, with sales growing 50% year-on-year and a significant increase in the average selling price of each bike, reflecting the increasingly aspirational nature of the brand. Rich, Andy and Will discuss how the Ribble and True teams have worked closely together throughout the partnership to ensure that the transformation of the 125-year-old brand has not only improved the retailer’s bottom line but also been an inclusive and positive experience for all at Ribble.
True acquired Ribble Cycles in November 2015, and brought in CEO Andy Smallwood, formerly of Boardman Bikes, to help support the growth and transformation of the brand. The results of the rebrand have been phenomenal, with sales growing 50% year-on-year and a significant increase in the average selling price of each bike, reflecting the increasingly aspirational nature of the brand. Rich, Andy and Will discuss how the Ribble and True teams have worked closely together throughout the partnership to ensure that the transformation of the 125-year-old brand has not only improved the retailer’s bottom line but also been an inclusive and positive experience for all at Ribble.
Tech and luxury have not traditionally been the closest of allies but Farfetch has been able to build a highly successful marketplace, where the two complement and enhance each other and is now listed on the NYSE.
Tech and luxury have not traditionally been the closest of allies but Farfetch has been able to build a highly successful marketplace, where the two complement and enhance each other and is now listed on the NYSE.
With a diverse portfolio valued at £13.8bn, and 24 million square feet of real estate, Landsec owns and manages some of the most successful and recognisable retail property assets in the UK. With a focus on customers and experiences,
With a diverse portfolio valued at £13.8bn, and 24 million square feet of real estate, Landsec owns and manages some of the most successful and recognisable retail property assets in the UK. With a focus on customers and experiences,
With over 60% of customer journeys now impacted by digital, Google has a vast amount of data on how shopping behaviour is changing. As Retail Director, EMEA at Google, Jeremy Morris shares some of his broad insight on this topic with Rich; discussing ...
With over 60% of customer journeys now impacted by digital, Google has a vast amount of data on how shopping behaviour is changing. As Retail Director, EMEA at Google, Jeremy Morris shares some of his broad insight on this topic with Rich; discussing ...
True acquired organic kidswear brand Frugi in 2018. Nine months on, Rich Anson catches up with Frugi’s Co-founder Lucy Jewson and True’s Co-founder Paul Cocker about why Lucy and her husband decided True would be the right investor to work with. Lucy also talks about the driver for creating the business and the foundations upon […]
True acquired organic kidswear brand Frugi in 2018. Nine months on, Rich Anson catches up with Frugi’s Co-founder Lucy Jewson and True’s Co-founder Paul Cocker about why Lucy and her husband decided True would be the right investor to work with. Lucy also talks about the driver for creating the business and the foundations upon […]
Rich Anson talks to Brett Akker, the founder of car sharing company Streetcar and storage startup Lovespace. Rich and Brett discuss the sharing economy, the challenges of taking Streetcar on its journey from a local business in South London,
Rich Anson talks to Brett Akker, the founder of car sharing company Streetcar and storage startup Lovespace. Rich and Brett discuss the sharing economy, the challenges of taking Streetcar on its journey from a local business in South London,
Following the bankruptcy of one of the US’ oldest department stores, Sears, Rich Anson caught up with True’s CEO and Co-founder, Matt Truman, to find out why Sears along with many other retail businesses are finding themselves in challenging times.
Following the bankruptcy of one of the US’ oldest department stores, Sears, Rich Anson caught up with True’s CEO and Co-founder, Matt Truman, to find out why Sears along with many other retail businesses are finding themselves in challenging times.
Will Read, founder of innovation management platform Sideways6 talks to Rich about their new take on how to implement ideas and innovation across large businesses – with customers ranging from British Airways, Centrica and Rio Tinto. Sideways6 believe frontline employees hold the key to creativity, which is a key theme internally at Sideways6 too – find out more about their ‘idea beer’ and how they use cold brew coffee to get ideas started.
Will Read, founder of innovation management platform Sideways6 talks to Rich about their new take on how to implement ideas and innovation across large businesses – with customers ranging from British Airways, Centrica and Rio Tinto. Sideways6 believe frontline employees hold the key to creativity, which is a key theme internally at Sideways6 too – find out more about their ‘idea beer’ and how they use cold brew coffee to get ideas started.
In the first episode of our monthly podcast series True’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Rich Anson, speaks to Mike Wroe, former CFO of food delivery platform Just Eat. Rich and Mike discuss what drove Mike to join the early disrupter, the strategy behind Just Eat’s growth and the experience of going through its successful IPO.
In the first episode of our monthly podcast series True’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Rich Anson, speaks to Mike Wroe, former CFO of food delivery platform Just Eat. Rich and Mike discuss what drove Mike to join the early disrupter, the strategy behind Just Eat’s growth and the experience of going through its successful IPO.