Podcast appearances and mentions of Paul Lindley

Building a thriving business takes more than just getting the economics right - it requires truly understanding human psychology and what motivates people.  In this episode, Paul Lindley, Founder of kids' healthy food brand Ella's Kitchen, provides a rare glimpse into the human dynamics, vision and motivation at the heart of one of the biggest success stories in the UK startup space.  Paul reveals his secrets for: - Mastering company culture and the psychology behind hiring and leadership - Building an iconic national brand on a startup budget  - Staying rooted in deeper values and mission even amid huge success -- Sponsors Vorboss - get better internet: https://vorboss.com/secretleaders Personio - all in one HR platform: https://personio.com/secretleaders Vanta - get 20% off security certifications like ISO27001 and SOC2: https://vanta.com/secretleaders Vertice - save on your SaaS or cloud spend ($5k off or a free benchmark) using the code secretleaders: https://www.vertice.one/l/secretleaders -- Newsletter Sign up here: https://secretleaders.email/. You can find our historic newsletters here: https://www.secretleaders.com/episodes.

How can leaders support future generations to flourish? Why do we need to invest in young people's future? And, can we shape policy to ensure the future strength of our communities, environment, economy and society as a whole?In this discussion, we explored the role of youth empowerment in building a better society. Paul Lindley, author of ‘Raising the Nation' and ‘How to Build a Better Future For Our Children (And Everyone Else)' was joined in conversation with two Aspen UK Rising Leaders to discuss this complex topic.This discussion is brought to you by the Aspen UK Rising Leaders Fellowship: a community of leading young leaders in the UK who are keen to understand their own ethics and values and how these influence their actions and decisions as leaders.This event was recorded as part of a live webinar on 4 December 2023. 

Our founder, Lord Mark Price, chats with Paul Lindley OBE, British entrepreneur, children's welfare campaigner and best-selling author. From starting out in the finance sector to founding the organic baby and children's food brand Ella's Kitchen in 2006, Paul shares his wisdom on a variety of topics including the importance of “failing fast”, the value of being people-centric in business and the power of asking “Why”.Paul also talks about his new book “Raising the Nation: How to Build a Better Future for Our Children (and Everyone Else)” and his best-selling book “Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler”.This podcast is brought to you by WorkL. Visit WorkL.com to find a job in the happiest companies, take our happiness test, network, get career support from experts and much much more. Work Happier with WorkL.

Paul Lindley is an award-winning British entrepreneur and social campaigner. Paul began his career as a Chartered Accountant at KPMG, then spent 9 years at Nickelodeon's children's TV network, rising to become Deputy Managing Director. In 2006, he founded Ella's Kitchen, the UK's biggest baby food brand.  Ella's Kitchen believes in purpose as well as profit and was certified as one of the UK's first B Corporations, validating its mission to use business as a force for good. Paul sold the company in 2013 and stepped away from it in 2018.In 2017 his first book ‘Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler' was published.  His second, ‘Raising the Nation: How to Build a Better Future for Children (and Everyone Else)' will be published in 2023. In 2018, Paul was appointed Chair of London's Child Obesity Taskforce by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.In 2019 he founded just IMAGINE if… an annual innovation competition supporting entrepreneurial ideas designed to address the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.In 2022 he was appointed Chancellor of the University of Reading.Paul is Chair of Robert F Kennedy Human Rights UK, a director of the purpose-led business Toast Ale, and is a Trustee of Sesame Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street. Paul has received recognition as the UK's Entrepreneur of the Year and Director of the Year, has been awarded two honorary doctorates and was appointed an OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours.Paul is a vocal advocate for entrepreneurship, for the evolution of capitalism towards better serving all of society, for a greater focus on ‘humanness' in the way our economy and civil society are structured, and for children's welfare. He campaigns for both public policy and societial behaviour changes in all of these crucial areas.Find out more about Paul Lindley OBE via: LinkedIn.Find out more about Ella's Kitchen via: their website, Instagram and Facebook.A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence to START UP and START NOW by showcasing real and relatable entrepreneurs. After all, seeing is believing! Join the conversation using #startupstartnow and tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Don't forget to leave a review as it really helps us reach those who need it and allows us to get the best guests for you! Connect with START UP. START NOW. and to nominate a guest please visit: www.startupstartnow.co.uk.  To connect with Sharena Shiv please visit: www.sharena.co.uk.

Paul Lindley OBE is a renowned entrepreneur, best-selling author, and philanthropist whose career has been one of innovation and social responsibility. In 2006, he founded the organic children's food brand Ella's Kitchen which has seen phenomenal success. In the UK, it is the largest baby food business, amongst the 10 fastest growing private companies, and was one of the first certified B Corporations. Paul's work has been recognised globally, receiving numerous awards for his contributions to entrepreneurship and the food industry – including an OBE in 2019. As well as founding Ella's Kitchen, his other work includes being Chair of the London Child Obesity Taskforce.

What makes a good CEO? Can a food company be the voice of its end users?  How do you measure the ripple effect that you effect in your work?   In this week's 5 Big Questions interview we talk to business leader and social entrepreneur MARK CUDDIGAN Twitter: @CuddiganMark   Known for: CEO - Ella's Kitchen Head of Sustainability & Marketing - Hain Celestial Europe Trustee - B Lab Non-Executive Director - Three Point Zero   The Big 5 Questions: How do you measure the impact of what you do? How should people/businesses be preparing for the future? How do we build the workforce we need for that future? How do you use creativity to solve problems? How do you collaborate?   Key quotes: “There are occasions in your life, if you're lucky, when you meet someone who changes your viewpoint on life, or business, forever. I met Paul Lindley who set up Ella's Kitchen sixteen years ago and he was one of those people.” “My phone cover is an Ella's Kitchen phone cover and I'm on the tube and often people stop me and say, where did you get that phone cover, can I have one of those? And then we'll get talking about Ella's Kitchen and they genuinely come alive. We are able to connect with parents on a really deep level. Because of that, I would say we have a responsibility to lead the company in such a way that other companies will follow us.”  “I've never met a CEO that hasn't claimed they're saving the world, yet the world isn't being saved. So we all believe we work in these amazing companies. My question to CEOs when I meet them is: prove it.” “I'm gonna use a corny quote from Spiderman: with great power comes great responsibility.” “In two years' time over half of all of our partners will be B Corporations. It's a bit like a Ponzi scheme, but the only two things that benefit are the people and the environment.” “A CEO's role is now not simply to the company that they are running. Their responsibilities go much, much wider. If you take Net Zero. There's no point us achieving Net Zero, which we've committed to do by 2030, if no-one else does. Everyone needs to do it. Those that say they're doing this already, my challenge to them is, how are you bringing other people along with it?” “In any of the supermarkets now, you could pretty much just shop B Corps now, if you wanted to.” “Leaders need to get onboard. So you don't want to certify as a B Corp you could support the Better Business Act. That's free, it'll take you two seconds to sign up, we're trying to change a section of the Companies Act.” “We want to be the voice of the under-fives. That is our aim because we feel we have that responsibility.”   Useful links: Profile on Mark at Greenhouse // greenhouse.agency/blog/beyond-net-zero-hero-mark-cuddigan-ceo-of-ellas-kitchen/ Paul Lindley (Wikipedia biography) // wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lindley Ella's Kitchen // ellaskitchen.co.uk/ Ella's Kitchen (Wikipedia) // wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella%27s_Kitchen B Corporation certification (Wikipedia) // wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Corporation_(certification) B-Corp (UK) // bcorporation.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwk_WVBhBZEiwAUHQCme7QGKrM5eDDSb7P9iYlIyirRcGz2gIQUcP0snZubCdQoPawermegRoCWpYQAvD_BwE The Better Business Act // betterbusinessact.org/act-now/ Sir Ken Robinson TED talk on creativity in education (via YouTube) // youtu.be/iG9CE55wbtY Mark on Change Makers podcast // changemakers.works/podcasts/we-all-have-an-impact-on-the-planet-our-question-is-what-we-are-going-to-do-about-it-ellas-kitchen-ceo-mark-cuddigan-on-putting-people-the-planet-and-profit-on-an-equal-footing/ Flexible Packaging Consortium (via Circular magazine) // circularonline.co.uk/news/leading-uk-brands-partner-to-tackle-flexible-packaging-recycling/ Flexible Packaging Consortium (via Food And Drink Technology magazine) // foodanddrinktechnology.com/news/37215/leading-household-brands-join-forces-to-tackle-flexible-packaging-recycling-in-the-uk/   This episode was recorded in June 2022 Interviewer: Richard Freeman for always possible Editor: CJ Thorpe-Tracey for Lo Fi Arts

Little did Guy and Jo Schanschieff know that a chance conversation at the Taj Mahal in 1991 would spark an idea that changed their lives forever. With Bambino Mio now being the largest reusable nappy brand in the world, Guy Schanschieff MBE shares with Holly the highs and lows of their epic adventure to do business for good.  Their mission to eliminate single use plastics from nappy production, before the rise of the internet and the conscious consumer, hasn't always been easy. However with 90 billion nappies being thrown away every single year, and 1% of all plastic production being used to make single use nappies, we really do have to commend Guy and Jo for their sheer determination, belief in their product and ability to remain agile enough to enforce change.  Not only does Guy share key stats and figures that explain the importance of consumer choices on the environment, but he also depicts some life changing advice that he learnt when overcoming some of Bambino Mio's incredible challenges as the business has evolved. Today, over 20 years later, after a wedding, three children, over 100 awards and selling in over 50 countries worldwide, Bambino Mio is a brand that we must all support, along with the incredible founders behind it. This is a conversation that encourages taking risks, having confidence and remaining committed to your vision. It's a ‘must listen' to take a step towards a better future.  If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also enjoy Holly's episode with Paul Lindley, founder of Ella's Kitchen.   This Conversations of Inspiration podcast episode is brought to you with support from Adobe Express. Enjoying listening to these unfiltered chats? Subscribe to Holly's weekly newsletters on our website, where she shares small business inspiration of all kinds, exclusive nuggets of wisdom from her and her guests, plus offers, creative ideas and topical, 'ungoogleable' business advice. 

The latest episode of our series talking to successful people in their field. Entrepreneur, author and activist Paul Lindley OBE talks to Richard Dyson about how he founded and ran the groundbreaking baby and toddler food brand Ella's Kitchen, as well as how his values have shaped his outlook on business and his campaigns and activism supporting young people.

“Don't play with your food” may be a phrase you heard as a child, or perhaps have said to your own children. As it turns out, children really should be playing with their food. Because when they do – especially with vegetables – they're more likely to eat them later in the day and in the years to follow. Today, 30% of UK children are classified as overweight or obese by the time they turn 5. Ella's Kitchen, the UK's number one baby food brand, believes intervention is coming too late. The company's purpose–to improve children's lives through developing healthy relationships with food–started with founder Paul Lindley in 2006 and lives on today with CEO Mark Cuddigan. Determined to raise the next generation, Ella's Kitchen has marched on the House of Parliament with children, engaged retailers, launched new products, made healthy products more affordable, and launched informative campaigns. In addition to caring for the health of their little consumers, Ella's Kitchen is implementing sustainable practices into operations and bringing its supply chain partners along for the journey. We invited Mark Cuddigan, CEO of Ella's Kitchen, to share how he advanced the company's purpose and sustainability initiatives since taking over from Lindley. Listen for Mark's insights on:How a new CEO can sustain and advance a company's purpose while leaving their own mark after the departure of a founder. How to maintain a values-based culture after a company has been acquired. How to help supply chain partners adopt sustainable and purpose-driven practices. Why it's sometimes okay to take a financial loss if an investment advances purpose over the long term. Links & NotesMark Cuddigan's LinkedIn Ella's Kitchen's “The Good Stuff We Do”Ella's Kitchen B Corp Certification Eat, Play, Love Campaign Video Veg for Victory Campaign Paul Lindley on Purpose 360

“Don't play with your food” may be a phrase you heard as a child, or perhaps have said to your own children. As it turns out, children really should be playing with their food. Because when they do – especially with vegetables – they're more likely to eat them later in the day and in the years to follow. Today, 30% of UK children are classified as overweight or obese by the time they turn 5. Ella's Kitchen, the UK's number one baby food brand, believes intervention is coming too late. The company's purpose–to improve children's lives through developing healthy relationships with food–started with founder Paul Lindley in 2006 and lives on today with CEO Mark Cuddigan. Determined to raise the next generation, Ella's Kitchen has marched on the House of Parliament with children, engaged retailers, launched new products, made healthy products more affordable, and launched informative campaigns. In addition to caring for the health of their little consumers, Ella's Kitchen is implementing sustainable practices into operations and bringing its supply chain partners along for the journey. We invited Mark Cuddigan, CEO of Ella's Kitchen, to share how he advanced the company's purpose and sustainability initiatives since taking over from Lindley. Listen for Mark's insights on: How a new CEO can sustain and advance a company's purpose while leaving their own mark after the departure of a founder. How to maintain a values-based culture after a company has been acquired. How to help supply chain partners adopt sustainable and purpose-driven practices. Why it's sometimes okay to take a financial loss if an investment advances purpose over the long term. Links & Notes Mark Cuddigan's LinkedIn Ella's Kitchen's “The Good Stuff We Do” Ella's Kitchen B Corp Certification Eat, Play, Love Campaign Video Veg for Victory Campaign Paul Lindley on Purpose 360

This week we speak to Paul Lindley, Founder of Ella's Kitchen, the baby food company that has over 30% of the baby food market and is sold in countries across the globe. Paul talks about how growing up in Zambia allowed him to listen and learn from an array of different people, and how these learnings and sense of belonging shape much of the work he does today. He discusses what made Ella's Kitchen a success, offers advice for any young entrepreneurs seeking investment and the need for change in order to help young black entrepreneurs in particular.He goes on to talk about how we can learn from Robert F Kennedy and employ his beliefs to better our own society and current political climate, as well as what businesses can do to increase diversity at Board Level. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Anna Jordan meets Paul Lindley – author, campaigner and founder of Ella's Kitchen.  We talk about relearning the valuable business skills you had as a toddler and why you should consider becoming B Corporation certified.  You can also visit smallbusiness.co.uk for more on exit strategies and making your business greener. Remember to like us on Facebook @SmallBusinessExperts and follow us on Twitter @smallbusinessuk, all lower case. Don't forget to check out the video version of this episode and subscribe over on our YouTube channel! Would you prefer to read Paul Lindley's podcast interview instead? Hello and welcome to Small Business Snippets, the podcast from SmallBusiness.co.uk. I’m your host, Anna Jordan. Today we have Paul Lindley, author, campaigner and founder of Ella’s Kitchen. He launched the company in 2006 after being dissatisfied with a lack of healthy, tasty and convenient food for children. He sold Ella’s Kitchen to Hain Celestial in 2013, stepping away from the business completely in 2018 to focus on his social campaigning. In the same year, he was appointed chair of the London Child Obesity Taskforce by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan These days, Paul is the chair of Robert F Kennedy Human Rights UK and a trustee of Sesame Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street. He also sits on the board of social enterprise, Toast Ale.   We’ll be discussing what it takes to run an ethical business and how you can relearn the unexpected business skills you had as a toddler. Anna: Hi, Paul. Paul: Hi Anna, how are you? Anna: I’m alright, thank you. How are you? Paul: Good. I'm feeling I'm feeling quite positive. Actually. I had my Covid jab this morning. My arm’s sore, but it's an excuse to think positively about the future. Anna: Yeah, yeah. Paul: It is incredible what they've done. Over the last six months as a business or like the last year, but as a business, to take all that innovation through to get 25 million people within, what, 12 weeks? Anna: I know, I l know. Paul: It’s been an awful year, in so many ways. But you know, we've got a lot to look forward, we've got to pick on the things we've learned, we've got to celebrate some of the pivoting that businesses have done the innovation that's come around the resilience, the community that we've built over this time and sort of build back better, but what suffering we've had this last year. Okay, so let's just jump straight in. In your book, Little Wins, you talk about the business skills that we have as a toddler that we unlearn. So, what kind of business skills are you referring to? What kind of practical exercises can business owners do to relearn these skills? Paul: Thank you for coming in straight away with Little Wins – it's such a passion of mine. The book came out of my experience of building Ella’s Kitchen. Inside of me – in this grey haired 50- something-year-old – there's a little boy. I think that was the key within Ella’s Kitchen, that we had this childlike mindset of that we could do stuff, we could have an imagination and a free-thinking that would make me make the business work when everyone was saying that the odds are really stacked against you. So, I took that and I took the heart of our hero, our core consumer, and thought through the skills that toddlers have, and how we use them in our company. Then I took a step back and thought, ‘Well, everyone was a toddler.’ Everyone can unlock their personal potential as an adult or a business owner – not by learning new skills, but by relearning and rediscovering those old ones of imagination and free-thinking and self-confidence. And a whole nine of them that I put in my book. This is to simplify this complicated life that we've got to allow us to make decisions in business or in our personal lives, like toddlers do with much less information, and move forward with positivity and a ‘can do’ mindset. So really, it's about that idea that you can become the best person of the person you once were, the best version of a person that you want to work by having this type of mindset. You can bring that to your personal life, you can bring that to business. The sorts of things that I talk about are the fact that toddlers have such confidence, such creativity – they dive right into things and never give up, they get noticed. They're honest with each other, they show their feelings, they have fun, they involve others, all sorts of things that, to be honest, by the time we're all around four or five years old, we must think, ‘Life's great, I'm only four or five, and I've learned all these skills, I'm going to live to 85. What more is there to come?’ The truth is that whether asked how our society works, whether it's parenting or education, or the corporate system, narrows our vision, and it sort of asks us to conform. If you're a small business owner, if you're an entrepreneur, you want you and your team not to conform, you want you and your team to imagine things that could be possible, and to go and do them to have the wherewithal to do it to go and do them. It's really all about the mindset of the corporation, the culture, the mindset of the culture of the business. You as the business owner, you as the senior person in that accountancy firm, you've got the opportunity to set that. I think it's by setting up systems and processes and recruiting the right people that have the mindset so that you can be brave and curious – both of those things unnecessarily because what is true for any business, or any of us in this world right now: if we do nothing, we keep the status quo, we'll move backwards. The world is changing at such a rapid pace, we have to innovate, we have to try things that may or may not work. We've got to build the confidence and the bravery and the curiosity to experiment and find that way through because that gives us the edge. That's really cultural, I think. You can set your corporate reward system to set bonuses wholly on financial performance, wholly on growing five per cent from last year. We all know we've yet, well, maybe we should have set a five-year bonus that doesn't expect us to grow in any given year, because we're trying things that are going to really deliver in three-or-four-years’ time. We're happy to make mistakes and get it wrong. As long as we can iterate and we can learn, we can adapt, and we can build something from those trials and errors, then we have a better business over a five-year period. So how and I would advocate that we certainly didn't tell Ella’s Kitchen businesses I'm involved with now, though, is build a bonus scheme based on one year wholly on financial performance. Obviously, you need a successful sustainable business that makes profits and that interest should be tied to bonuses. But living the values of the reason why your company exists, I think, should be embedded within the way people are remunerated and motivated and rewarded for contributing to their company. Setting your values, for example, at Ella’s Kitchen, we had five. One of them was to be childlike. So that might be okay for a consumer brand that's got a kind of fun personality for the marketing people to deliver. But if you're the payroll person or the accounts receivable person, how do you interpret being childlike into your work? One of them one year brought ring and renamed the remittance advices to be ‘from my piggy bank to yours’. That was the habit, they reworded it, that was the small thing that they did. But it brought a smile to the person who's in the business that they were dealing with the parent and had to come from, and that person may have been a parent or may not may have talked to somebody that was a parent or may not. It was the way that, just a tiny little language change, we could get people talking about our business. And that was a real ‘thinking like a child’ aspect. That person got that part of their bonus based on that. So that's one thing that’s really around the culture and the systems that you set out.  Ultimately, you want to employ people with an open mindset who do believe in the reason you set up a business and believe that you can get there. Because if you're a small business, it's probably against the odds that you will get there, and unless you stack yourself with people who believe it and will go out of their way to do it because they motivate, you inspire them. They know what the mission of the business is, you know what the business plan is, what it takes to get there – and everyone works on that together to deliver and that's where this idea of thinking like a toddler can really be impactful. Right. So, I'm going to go from starting a business, right through to exit. One of the key decisions, if you're looking to exit, is who you're going to pass your business on to, and are they going to carry on as you would see fit. I guess with Ella's Kitchen, because your vision and your values are so deeply ingrained in the brand, how did you go about making the decision of finding the right successor for the business? Paul: Well, when you sell your business, it's hugely emotional. And it's very personal. So, my experience may be very different to others. Some people want to sell a business, walk away, don't really care what happens. They want the money in the bank, and they created something from nothing and that was their job. I named my business after my daughter. I have, as you said, very personally set the vision and the values of how that the first number of years went for Ella’s – it does matter to me still, what becomes of Ella’s and that it maintains those values. There are two things:  Who do you sell to? Who succeeds you as the chief executive? So, who do you sell to? I sort of thought of this as a horse race in a way and there were three jumps to get over and each of them was associated with the word ‘value’. The first jump to get over, and if a potential acquirer couldn't get over that we wouldn't talk to them, was values. Do they see the world in the same way as we see it? Will they support and protect the way we've seen the world and the way our business has been successful, because we've seen the world that way? Will they tinker with it? If they tinker with it, we’ll tell them now it’ll fail. And don't – let's stop the conversation. But if they do see the world in the same way, if they believe the why of why we set ours up and why it's successful, and they give us the confidence that they won't tinker with that, then we're over that first hump. The second is value – we've all worked really hard to create something of value, you need to pay as the price that that value should deliver – there's obviously an overlap between the two. If there's overlap, great, we can continue the race. If there isn't an overlap, we need to walk away because that's just not recognised. Then we get over that second hurdle. The final fence is really around added value. In my view, it's sort of what added value are they going to do to this business to make it better than we could do without them? Maybe they'll open up more markets, maybe they'll have their own factory, but we can be more efficient and better supply chains, lots of reasons why. We can start to get into the deal and the labels. We were very careful to go through that when we sold. Then it was okay – I stayed on board for another year, I ran that business, and Ella’s Kitchen for $300m business for a year, delivered what we promised and then wanted to stand back. And then it was, well, who is going to deliver and keep the heartbeat of this company going? I'm a big believer in promoting and rewarding from within a company with sort of developing talent and making people feel as though they can get to the top. We have some excellent leaders within the business. Third, the guy that took over had been in the business three or four years, was the sales director, seven years later is still the CEO, a guy called Mark Cuddigan. He is just awesome. He has the, you know, sometimes I joke that perhaps Mark is the best leader that Ella’s has had. But he has taken that business, keeping its heart, keeping its soul, keeping that mission and that vision as a feeling rather than something in the head and he delivered it with his own handprint with a team that has gone on and expanded. The value, the sort of impacts that the business has, both in terms of shareholder return and stakeholder return and delivering a mission to help children live better lives. I think you've got to do your homework for who that person is, if you care what happens next. I think it's absolutely based on values and how people see the world. And we looked for five leadership skills, really. I always do this with any sort of recruitment, no matter what the level. If they aspire to be a leader, if we want them to be able to inspire their team going forward. And those are about emotional maturity, because it is going to be a roller coaster ride. You've got to take the rough with the smooth and you've got to be mature about that. It's about a drive for improvement all the time, never been satisfied that where you are is where you're going to get to, driving your processes, your systems, your products, culture, everything forward all the time constantly. It's about effective communication. So many mistakes in business happen because we don't hear each other properly –and we don't take the time to talk to each other or listen to each other. That effective constant communication is absolutely vital. The final thing is that rather ability to see in the wider context of where our business sits in the industry, where the industry sits in society and what we can control and what we can't. That kind of leads to the fact that you don't have to actually win every battle, you want to win the war in the end if you achieve your vision. You can collaborate with your competitors in certain areas, you can do things together that will improve not only both of your businesses, but also the consumer or the client's life at the end of it by working together sometimes, or working with your suppliers or your customers. So, those are the five things and Mark excels at all of those. I would say the learning that I've seen from others, and which I was determined not to do, was my time was over. If I was going to stand back, I'm standing back. I'm there at his ear if he wants advice and he's counselled to device in the past in attendance tenders. But don't be a backseat driver – let them make the mistakes or the failures that they need to make to understand how they can get to success. Be a counsel. I think that the two most proud things I have about the Ella’s Kitchen experience happened after I ceased to be CEO. The first one is that it became a B Corporation. Mark and I worked with the shareholder and with the team to make sure that we’d qualify for that. I’m incredibly proud that Ella’s Kitchen was one of the first B Corporations in this country. I think the B Corp movement is an incredible movement to nudge forward the way we do business to a much better place. The second thing is, I think for the last five years, Ella’s Kitchen has been voted one of the UK’s Best Companies to Work For. And that's Mark, inspiring his team to really enjoy working there, really feel as though they're achieving something, being rewarded however which way that is for that contribution. We've talked a lot about inside the organisation and what's effective. And of course, you're an advocate of B Corp. A lot of small businesses today are wanting to show customers their ethics and their ethical credentials. How would you suggest small businesses go about proving how ethical they are? Paul: So what B corporations are, they're businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance. They set themselves up for public transparency and legal accountability to deliver on more than the purpose of making money. And they hold themselves accountable for that. What the process is, you have to do this survey, where it's really hard to pass, but you only need 40 per cent to pass. But it's hard to get to that point, since we've looked at all aspects of your business – governance, the supply chains, the people, finance, loads of things. You have to do things to make sure that you'll have a structurally sustainable business, then once you pass that you've got to go into your constitution of your company and change it effectively to say we're not just about shareholder return and maximising that, we're about stakeholder return and optimising that, we care about the environment and the communities that we draw teams from and we sell to. Each of those things are as important as the profit that we make. Think about it, the business that we operate is in the ecosystem of all sorts of other things that are happening in the world. You want a healthy interdependence between communities, the planet, and business and profit that works together. So I can give you statistics to show that B corporations perform better financially over the long term than non B corporations, I can show you that cost base is more efficient, because people stay longer because they see and believe in your mission and it’s verified, and you know where you're going. What it brings it validates your reason, your why, your mission – it tells your staff and your potential staff that you are committed to it and Ella’s Kitchen and some of the new businesses I'm involved with, we've had staff applying, team people applying to the roles because it's a B Corporation. It protects you versus your shareholders, if you like in that you can create more environmentally friendly packaging, but it costs a penny more, you can't be fired for by that because the environmental impact is as important to the profitability of the company. And you create you join this network of wonderful business leaders that really tried to use business as a force for good. I'm a huge advocate of that – it puts pressure on yourselves to live, to walk the walk of what you're talking. But it's ingrained and it helps you think through the social, the environmental and governance aspects to make your business not only the best in the world, but the best for the world as well. My hope is the future of business. And by looking at the first five years of B Corporation in this country, which we've just passed our fifth birthday, it's growing, growing like nowhere else in the world. And those businesses are performing better with more and more loyal and engaged staff. Anna: That's interesting, because I would have thought it's because consumers are becoming savvier, that it would be more of a draw for them. But I never thought that would attract employees who would be looking for the B Corp certificate. Paul: I would just say that back to – it’s people, again, consumers and employees are people wanting to find things that live what ethics and values they have in their head. If that's buying something because it's got a little knitted bauble on the top of the smoothie that going to get towards grannies versus one that isn't maybe if they employee wants to work for somebody that isn't just about making money for the shareholders, but it's also helping society where we've got a problem with loneliness with older people, that person's happy. They're just people an answer that I really think business. I don't think business is really about economics, although it has to make money. It's about psychology. It's about understanding why somebody is going to change their behaviour because you exist, and that behaviour is going to improve their lives, you're going to be able to make some sustainable returns out of it. And we all want to live in a better world because we feel really good when you create a business that does that every one of your team well, and the consumer will as well, because we're all just people. Anna: Well, I can't follow that, so I'll wrap up there. But thank you ever so much for coming on the podcast, Paul. It's been great. Paul: Absolutely welcome, Anna, and I’m delighted to share some things that I hope can help others. You can find out more about Paul and his book ‘Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler’, at paullindley.uk. You can also visit smallbusiness.co.uk for more articles on exit strategies and making your business greener. Remember to like us on Facebook at SmallBusinessExperts, follow us on Twitter @smallbusinessuk (all lowercase) and subscribe to our YouTube channel, linked in the description. Until next time, thank you for listening.

Paul Lindley OBE is Founder of organic baby and toddler food brand, Ella's Kitchen. Before turning Ella's Kitchen into a company with a global turnover of over $100 million the entrepreneur worked as deputy managing director of Nickelodeon UK. Away from work Paul is a committed philanthropist. He is currently the Chair for Robert F Kennedy Human Rights UK and a Trustee of Sesame Workshop, a Board member of social enterprise Toast Ale and Counsellor at One Young World and a Director of Bite the Ballot to name but a few. James sat down with Paul for a fascinating chat, which covered his early career, how and why he started Ella's Kitchen and why he believes business can be a driver for positive change within society. Make sure to like and subscribe to the Riding Unicorns podcast to never miss an episode. Also don't forget to give Riding Unicorns a follow on Twitter and LinkedIn to keep on top of the latest developments.

Hello! A growing movement of businesses argues we need to rethink their role in society. At the forefront of this are BCorps - a new type of business putting purpose alongside profit. We chat to Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen, about why they became a BCorp and what he’s calling for next. Then academic Lenore Palladino explains how we could embed these principles more widely. PLUS QI elf Anne Miller on everything from cold sausages to Canadian airports... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, Philip Clarke sits down with best-selling author, entrepreneur and social activist Paul Lindley OBE. We talk about the importance of fearlessness, the criticality of purpose, the global success of Ella's Kitchen, and lessons learnt from ventures that didn't quite make it. This podcast is brought to you by Hunch, a strategic innovation practice.

How does a child’s food brand become the gold standard in innovation and social purpose and a leading example in business across all sectors? This week Holly speaks to Paul Lindley OBE, founder of Ella’s Kitchen - who is driven by the belief that putting ‘human’ back into business, celebrating ideas and innovation as the key elements to making long term societal change. Paul’s story started, when as the dad of two young children he felt frustrated by the lack of healthy, tasty and convenient food available for kids. With a growing concern for childhood obesity he set out to build an innovative baby food brand that put purpose at the very core. Holly and Paul discuss what it means to have a mission, how to translate that into a brand, as well as culture, B corps and building a lasting legacy. Conversations of Inspiration is brought to you with support from NatWest: visit natwestbusinesshub.com/hollytucker for information, tips and insights to help business owners meet their goals.   Follow Holly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollytucker/?hl=en 

Paul Lindley is an award-winning British entrepreneur and children's welfare campaigner. He founded organic baby and children's food brand Ella's Kitchen in 2006, and is an author of a best-selling book Little Wins: The Power of Thinking Like a Toddler. Since exiting Ella's Kitchen in 2018, he has remained an active campaigner as Chair of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights UK, co-founder of social enterprise The Key Is E alongside musician and social activist Emmanuel Jal, Chair of the London Child Obesity Taskforce, trustee of the Sesame Workshop, and founder of enterprise competition Just IMAGINE If. WATCH: Every Child's Plate – Emmanuel Jal ft. Paul Lindley and Tanika Charles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx2RbeuFflc

Author of Personal Development Book, Little Wins, and Philanthropic Entrepreneur Paul Lindley, British serial entrepreneur and business expert, has achieved his successes by never accepting the status quo and constantly pushing his creative limits. Lindley places the value of businesses on creating a culture of learning and growth where people want to be together, feel purposeful and are aligned behind a mission. After achieving the personal goal of scaling Ella's Kitchen,  he set his sights on socially conscious investing. He co-founded The Key is E, a charity that enables young, African social entrepreneurs towards finding purpose and actualizing their goals. My key takeaways Over the years I've had many nicknames that refer to my childlike qualities. My time with Paul was music to my ears as we both sing loudly from this same him sheet! Paul has had a very successful career and this quality has been at the forefront. He's even written a book called Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler. Much of our conversation, at some level, referred to a child-like mindset; a child doesn't recognise failure, instead, they use this opportunity to learn what not to do. They don't believe something isn't possible until they work it out for themselves. They continuously ask the right people for support and if they fall, they get back up. This valuable part of our character lends itself so well to the divergent thinking we need to utilise in order to create change for maximum impact. A great reminder to me that a fixed mindset doesn't support the change we want to create...EVER! Our minds are where all great creations begin and unfortunately, often this is where they stay. No matter how out there an idea might at first seem, always sound these out with others. Those ideas were born with passion and therefore deserve your attention, even if they go no further. My time with Paul is jam-packed with lots of little gems that all focus on turning a dream into a reality. From our vision to practical application. Enjoy! Let's Stay Connected Speak with Craig about Magnifying Your Impact https://www.craiggoldblatt.com/work-with-me/ https://go.craiggoldblatt.com/attract-ideal-donors   YourTube: www.craiggoldblatt.com/Magnify_Your_Impact_TV   *Connect with Paul* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-lindley-obe-212045a/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_lindley Website: https://www.ellaskitchen.co.uk/

In this second part of my interview with Paul Lindley, who was the founder of Ella's Kitchen, we discuss his philanthropic ventures. JustImagineIf.co.uk which is an annual international social enterprise and innovation competition supporting ideas that tackle our global challenges. We also discuss our joint passion of being inspired by children, his book Little Wins and my UpStart4StartUps.com. Paul is also Chairs the Mayor of London Child Obesity Forum, he supports charities in Africa and many more areas we discuss.

Paul shares with Andrew the inspiration and development of Ella's Kitchen the purposeful driven Children's food. This is part one of a two part podcast.

Paul Lindley OBE is an award-winning British entrepreneur and children's welfare campaigner. He founded the organic baby and children's food brand Ella's Kitchen in 2006, today, it's the UK’s number one baby food brand, retailing in major markets around the world with a global turnover of over $100 million.  He's the author of 'Little Wins: The Power of Thinking Like A Toddler', in 2018, Paul was appointed Chair of the London Child Obesity Taskforce by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Trustee of Sesame Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street.

In our continuing quest to make business a force for good, today I talk about the metrics of success to Paul Lindley, the founder of Ella’s Kitchen, now the biggest baby food brand by value in the UK. Since leaving the company Paul has devoted his time to bringing change and in todays episode he explains his motivation, what he thinks is wrong with the capitalist system, what could be done to improve it so it works for all of us and what we, the people can do to bring about positive change.

“Life is so short, spend all your time working hard but also laughing and enjoying life.” Susie Ma, Named EY award's Rising Star in 2018 she is the founder of Natural Skincare company Tropic, a brand she started at just 15. Susie became stagnant in her job as an investment banker not long after graduating, she was striving for something more this led her to apply for “The Apprentice”. She described the challenge of the show as “probably one the best things I’ve ever done in my life”. Finishing in 2nd place Susie’s success also saw her gain investment from Lord Sugar himself. Susie’s love for life, new opportunities and business radiate out in this chat on the Humans of Business sofa, and Charlotte uncovers what makes her human. Humans of Business goes beyond a typical business podcast, focusing not on the what, but the who. Through personal and purposeful conversations, Charlotte gets to know the humans behind some of the world’s most successful businesses. Charlotte leaves the practical business processes and financial successes at the door, and instead, shines a light on the emotional and personal side of these incredible entrepreneurs. They may seem to possess superhero-like drive, determination and power, but behind these perceptions is there a courageous human in pursuit of meaning and purpose? Do they actually want to make an impact on the world?  In this episode Susie Talks about her family's strong history in business, from street vendors to tie salesman, She explains how she grew up constantly inspired by the people around her working hard to achieve their dreams, and how moving from Shanghai to Australia, then to the UK gave Susie a very varied childhood. Susie started her skincare brand at age 15 selling at a local market. Susie was influenced by her grandmother who showed her the benefits of using natural products on our skin, the core ethics in Tropic Skincare. Susie takes great pride in empowering all 12 thousand of her ambassadors to start their own beauty business by using her platform to create their own income, she explains: “Ive been in a position where I didn’t have much, to then be presented with opportunities I’m so lucky they’ve allowed me to be where I am today.”. Susie’s latest challenge has taken her from the most southern tip of Sardinia to the highest peak in North Africa as part of the “Virgin STRIVE” challenge, this inspires Charlotte so much she commits to climbing a mountain herself! Meet Charlotte Pearce (http://www.charlottepearce.co.uk/) :  Charlotte is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur, and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet. Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness www.charlottepearce.co.uk (http://www.charlottepearce.co.uk/) @thecharlottepearce on Instagram and Twitter  Watch the podcasts on YouTube (search "Charlotte Pearce Humans of Business")

“I’m vulnerable most days in work”: Aron Gelbard talks to Charlotte about the benefits of having a caring and emotional approach to business. Aron Gelbard moved to the UK with his mother when he was a child. After Studying at Oxford including a stint working in Paris, Aron founded Bloom and Wild in 2013. The business has since become the 2nd fastest growing in the UK and earned the title of top rated flower company. He was named in Maserati’s 100, as one of the most game-changing entrepreneurs... But... what makes him human? Charlotte Pearce finds out.  Humans of Business goes beyond a typical business podcast, focusing not on the what, but the who. Through personal and purposeful conversations, Charlotte gets to know the humans behind some of the world’s most successful businesses. Charlotte leaves the practical business processes and financial successes at the door, and instead, shines a light on the emotional and personal side of incredible entrepreneurs. They may seem to possess superhero-like drive, determination and power, but behind these perceptions is there a courageous human in pursuit of meaning and purpose? Do they actually want to make an impact on the world?  A self-confessed people pleaser, Bloom and Wild was born out of a wish to bring people joy. Aron says that his product is “a reflection of emotion and care from one person to another” this value is something he aims to show Bloom and Wild's business model, showing as much care for each customer as possible. In this Episode, Aron admits he’s not subscribing to the idea of competing within business but emphasising collaboration. He shares his unique strategies for dealing with jealous or negative emotions that inevitably come alongside running a business. Listen to hear the mistakes Aron has learnt from trying to “run before we could walk” in the early days of Bloom and Wild as well as what he has been learning about life and business from his 20-month-old daughter. Meet Charlotte Pearce:  Charlotte is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet. Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness www.charlottepearce.co.uk (http://www.charlottepearce.co.uk/) @thecharlottepearce on instagram and twitter  Watch the podcasts on YouTube (search "Charlotte Pearce Humans of Business")

“We should listen to children much more in society”. What can toddlers teach us about business? Paul Lindley is the creator of children’s nutritious food brand “Ella’s Kitchen” and author of “Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler.” Named Businessperson of the year in 2013, today, Paul continues to promote his message of a healthy lifestyle for children as the Chair of the London Child Obesity Taskforce.  But what makes him human?  Charlotte Pearce finds out. Humans of Business goes beyond a typical business podcast, focusing not on the what, but the who. Through personal and purposeful conversations, Charlotte gets to know the humans behind some of the world’s most successful businesses. Charlotte leaves the practical business processes and financial successes at the door, and instead, shines a light on the emotional and personal side of these incredible entrepreneurs. They may seem to possess superhero-like drive, determination and power, but behind these perceptions is there a courageous human in pursuit of meaning and purpose? Do they actually want to make an impact on the world?  In this episode, Paul Lindley shares his ideas on how younger generations will change business for the greater good. Paul believes we have to push the norms of society, business and even rebel to make real change, and perhaps we could benefit from thinking more like a toddler,  “I believe that there is a 5-year-old boy inside of me that is playful, thinks anything can happen in the world, nothing is impossible, that's how I think I had the confidence to start a business where the odds were that it would fail.” He says the working class history of his family reminds him the importance of staying humble and being grateful for all of the opportunities he has been able to act upon, to get him to where he is today. Throughout all of his ventures in business Pauls main focus is to humanise business and show that “Money is the outcome from living a purpose and delivering something that improves other people’s lives.”. And Paul turns the mic round on Charlotte asking her to delve into her own keepsakes that bring meaning to her journey throughout life and business. Meet Charlotte Pearce:  Charlotte is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet. Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness www.charlottepearce.co.uk (http://www.charlottepearce.co.uk/) @thecharlottepearce on instagram and twitter  Watch the podcasts on YouTube (search "Charlotte Pearce Humans of Business")

“My heritage bleeds into everything, it’s who I am and where I come from.” Born of Nigerian descent, Ade Hussan became frustrated when she couldn’t find any underwear for her skin tone, and Nubian Skin was born. She became Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year 2014, has been awarded an MBE for services to fashion and has Beyonce amongst her customers.   But what makes her human? Charlotte Pearce finds out.  In the Humans Of Business podcast, Charlotte leaves the practical business processes and financial successes at the door, and instead, shines a light on the emotional and personal side of these incredible entrepreneurs. They may seem to possess superhero-like drive, determination and power, but behind these perceptions is there a courageous human in pursuit of meaning and purpose? Do they actually want to make an impact on the world?  Ade tells Charlotte about how she’s gone from being anxious about the popularity of her first viral campaign to serving clients including Beyonce. Hear how family is the centre of her world and how this has influenced Ade from childhood, right up to the world of work and starting her business. And she tells the tale of the most important Birthday Card she’s ever received. Meet Charlotte Pearce:    Charlotte is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur, and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet.   Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness www.charlottepearce.co.uk @thecharlottepearce on instagram and twitter  Watch the podcasts on YouTube (search "Charlotte Pearce Humans of Business") https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWT-GUN18Tr42XasErcjO6A

What can your evening meals teach you about work-life balance? Giles Humphries, is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mindful Chef, a healthy recipe box subscription service. His investors include Olympic athelets and Sir Andy Murray, and he is the author of "Mindful Chef: 30 Minute Meals".  But... what makes him human? Charlotte Pearce finds out.  Charlotte leaves the practical business processes and financial successes at the door, and instead, shines a light on the emotional and personal side of incredible entrepreneurs. They may seem to possess superhero-like drive, determination and power, but behind these perceptions is there a courageous human in pursuit of meaning and purpose? Do they actually want to make an impact on the world?  In this episode, Giles Humphries shares the idea behind Mindful Chef: “balance”. Not just with nutritious tasty food but also in life and work, teaching customers to be a little more mindful and conscious of their actions. Hear how Mindful Chef is creating a force for good through “their 1 feeds 2 model”, providing around 800,000 school meals for children in Malawi. And how staying connected to his roots and family back in Devon plays a key role in Giles' life and business. Meet Charlotte Pearce:    Charlotte is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur, and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet.   Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness www.charlottepearce.co.uk @thecharlottepearce on instagram and twitter  Watch the podcasts on YouTube (search "Charlotte Pearce Humans of Business") https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWT-GUN18Tr42XasErcjO6A

Gina Miller is the Founder of True and Fair Foundation, author and political activist. She is Charlotte Pearce’s first Human of Business.  Gina says that in business “we forget how human we really are”, but… what exactly makes her human? Charlotte Pearce finds out in this episode.    Humans of Business goes beyond a typical business podcast, focusing not on the what, but the who. Through personal and purposeful conversations, Charlotte gets to know the humans behind some of the world’s most successful businesses. Meet Gina Miller:  Named Britain’s most influential Black person, Gina has faced, racism, sexism and personal attacks after she spoke out in 2016. Challenging the UK’s government to kick start article 50, Britains process for leaving the EU and winning over the supreme and high courts. Gina detailed her journey of creating social change, fighting injustice, the times that have made her resilient and given her the confidence to speak out again in her book Rise. Listen to this episode to hear Gina’s experience of domestic abuse, how she rose from the darkest time in her life inspired to become a fearless leader, striving every day to change the world’s injustice. Meet Charlotte Pearce:  Charlotte Pearce is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet.   Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness

Simon Rogerson, Founder and CEO of Octopus Group, explains how he is bringing love, trust and emotion into the two most untrusted industries in the world EY award’s entrepreneur of the year, Simon Rogerson, left his job at an investment company to set up Octopus in 2000, with the vision of creating a business with a “customer fit” approach. Starting in a small office above a cost cutter nearly 20 years ago, Octopus now, in 2019, has 150,000 customers with their investments putting more than £8.5 billion into the UK economy.   But… what makes him human? Charlotte Pearce finds out.  Charlotte leaves the practical business processes and financial successes at the door, and instead, shines a light on the emotional and personal side of these incredible entrepreneurs. They may seem to possess superhero-like drive, determination and power, but behind these perceptions is there a courageous human in pursuit of meaning and purpose? Do they actually want to make an impact on the world?  Hear how Simon’s company Octopus is focusing on bringing new meanings to employee happiness and on mental health issues, to create a highly motivated work force. Meet Charlotte Pearce:    Charlotte is a Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur, and has been named "the UK's next Richard Branson’ by Gadgette. She is the CEO and Founder of Inkpact and The Human Group. The “Humans of Business” Podcast is the result of Charlotte’s obsession with what makes us human and how we connect with each other. It is the conversation behind her mission: helping businesses do the right thing for people and for the planet.   Humans of Business guests include Paul Lindley, Ella’s Kitchen, Investor and Activist Gina Miller, The Apprentice star Susie Ma and many more… Humans of Business is backed by Octopusgroup.com (http://octopusgroup.com/) #humansofbusiness   Connect with Charlotte: On instagram  (https://www.instagram.com/thecharlottepearce/) Via her website (http://www.charlottepearce.co.uk/) Watch all of the podcasts on You Tube. (http://bit.ly/charlotteyoutube)  

Many of our guests are on a journey to social purpose – developing it, finding it, evolving it. What’s rarer are the companies that are founded for a purpose; built from day one to address an urgent social need. Ella’s Kitchen founder Paul Lindley created his baby food company, Ella’s Kitchen, to give babies a healthy start in life – improving their lives and helping them develop a healthy relationship with food. That may not sound unique, but Lindley’s success can be attributed to his approach: to “put children right at the heart of the company and build everything around them.” Further, Lindley adopted a toddler’s way of thinking in building and evolving his business. Between ages 3 – 5, 98% of children think divergently, concentrating on one thing, then another, then another, in a non-linear pattern. Divergent thinking is a measure of creativity. By the time those children mature to 25 years old, however, only 2% think divergently. “I argue that we should grow down more to think like that again,” Lindley says. Toddlers are full of self-confidence, ambition, free thinking, imagination, and determination – traits that today’s leaders would do well to embody. Lindley’s thriving business – which became the UK’s leading baby food brand – went far beyond its products in addressing a social issue. With Ella’s Kitchen, Paul created a platform for the issue of early childhood nutrition, doubling down on critical moments in a child’s development such as the weaning period. The brand and its founder are vocal advocates for childhood nutrition and the healthy development of toddlers, creating reports, commissioning reviews of existing research, convening expert roundtables, introducing legislation to Parliament, implementing pilot programs, and forming coalitions to drive impact. Lindley has since sold Ella’s Kitchen, but his work is far from over. He serves on the board of Toast Ale, which makes beer out of bread that would be wasted; helped launch Equity for Good, where investors dedicate their successful investments to social impact projects; serves as trustee and board member for Sesame Workshop to create educational experiences for children across the globe; and a lot more. What Lindley’s ventures have in common is their drive to unearth new ways to approach old problems. “What drives me every day is climbing new mountains and not believing that the world is limited. It is unlimited.” Here are a few of our favorite insights from Paul Lindley: Focus on the people your business serves. “The heart of business is people. It’s not money. Understanding what motivates people to invest in you, or to work for you, or to buy from you is the trick to a successful business.” Balance the long- and short-term. Ella’s Kitchen provides nutritious options for children and their parents. But Lindley’s company also exists to support a thriving society: “I started my own business because I had an idea that I thought society could benefit from, in that I found a way that I thought children could eat better, therefore be healthier, therefore be happier, therefore contribute to our society better as adults.” Trust starts from inside the company. Building trust with stakeholders is table stakes. But building internal trust in a company’s mission, vision, or purpose is just as important – if not more. “Any brand works from the inside out,” and having trust in your company and its purpose builds trust with external stakeholders. Invite others into your mission. Ella’s was a relatively small, if not mighty, voice in its advocacy efforts. To amplify and accelerate impact, Lindley challenged a range of stakeholders to join in his advocacy efforts – including government, the food industry, society, parents, and even children. Resources + links Paul Lindley’s Website Policy Efforts Ella’s Kitchen Book: Little Wins by Paul Lindley Video: BaByC News Video: Veg for Victory

In the eighth episode, I.G.'s Rachel Stephenson Sheff and Amy Whight chat with philanthropist, Paul Lindley - Founder of the UK's number one baby food brand, Ella's Kitchen, and The Lindley Foundation. With Paul, they discuss the varying motivations of individual donors and what they commonly seek from charitable partnerships, entrepreneurs vs. fundraisers, and so much more. He shares incredible stories that illuminate his philanthropic history, and provide an excellent guide for any organisation looking to dive into the bespoke and unique world of individual donor cultivation. Plus our usual cheeky speed round - Paul's brilliance is not to be missed.

Holy wow it's another Edinburgh episode. This week we sit down with returning guest Alex Kealy to discuss... The SMALT. Perhaps the dumbest product yet for the biggest non problem yet. And then, after the break we read choice selections from a book called Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like A Toddler, by Paul Lindley, the founder of Ella's Kitchen. Like all the best business books, it reminds us the secret to entrepreneurial success is to be so wealthy and well connected before you even try that you're basically guaranteed to succeed even if you constantly trip up over your own dick. Paul, please come on the show.

Paul Lindley is an award-winning British entrepreneur and children's welfare campaigner. He founded organic baby and children's food brand Ella's Kitchen in 2006, and later launched organic toddler toiletries brand Paddy's Bathroom. He also co-founded a social enterprise called The Key is E with former child soldier and international hip-hop artist Emmanuel Jal, and was previously deputy managing director of Nickelodeon UK. WATCH THIS EPISODE FOR FREE: https://londonreal.tv/paul-lindley-little-wins/ Notes: Paul Lindley on Twitter https://twitter.com/Paul_Lindley?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Ella’s Kitchen https://www.ellaskitchen.co.uk/about-us/ The Key is E http://www.thekeyise.org/ Paddy’s Bathroom https://www.paddysbathroom.com/ Paul Lindley on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lindley     Books: Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Wins-Power-Thinking-Toddler/dp/0241977940       Topics discussed: Sir Ken Robinson TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/0340733500 We shape our buildings……. http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/architecture/palacestructure/churchill/ founders4schools https://www.founders4schools.org.uk/about/#/ Westminster Kingsway College https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Kingsway_College Ashoka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_(non-profit_organization) Bite The Ballot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bite_The_Ballot Toast Ale http://www.toastale.com/ Sesame Street https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Street Every Child’s Plate (rap song featuring Paul Lindley & Emmanuel Jal) https://www.reverbnation.com/emmanueljal/song/22119670-every-childs-plate-feat-paul-lindley Virgin StartUp https://www.virginstartup.org/ Mayor of Oklahoma TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/mick_cornett_how_an_obese_town_lost_a_million_pounds?language=en Stuart Brown TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_says_play_is_more_than_fun_it_s_vital Marshmallow Test TED talk by Peter Skillman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p5sBzMtB3Q  

Paul Lindley is an award-winning British entrepreneur and children's welfare campaigner. He founded organic baby and children's food brand Ella's Kitchen in 2006, and later launched organic toddler toiletries brand Paddy's Bathroom. He also co-founded a social enterprise called The Key is E with former child soldier and international hip-hop artist Emmanuel Jal, and was previously deputy managing director of Nickelodeon UK. WATCH THIS EPISODE FOR FREE: https://londonreal.tv/paul-lindley-little-wins/

Are you suffering from creative block? Do you have trouble communicating your ideas? Graphic artist Anthony Burrill (Make It Now!) joins Dominic Frisby to talk about unleashing our inner creative genius, alongside pitch coach Michael Parker (It’s Not What You Say, It’s The Way You Say It) with thoughts on how to deliver under pressure. Plus we hear from Paul Lindley - founder of Ella’s Kitchen baby food brand - on the huge power of thinking like a toddler. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this week's episode, Ella's Kitchen founder Paul Lindley talks about his new book Little Wins, and how anyone can learn from the mindset of a toddler. From introducing play into the workplace, smiling more or even just taking a leap of faith - it's time to grow down.

If you're how wondering how to develop your brand so that it can scale rapidly and take on competitors, no matter what their size, then you're definitely going to want … Read More The post Ep.46 How Paul Lindley Grew His Business from an Idea to $120 Million Annual Revenue in Under Ten Years appeared first on Key Person of Influence.

If you're how wondering how to develop your brand so that it can scale rapidly and take on competitors, no matter what their size, then you're definitely going to want … Read More The post Ep.46 How Paul Lindley Grew His Business from an Idea to $120 Million Annual Revenue in Under Ten Years appeared first on Key Person of Influence.

Nikki Bedi is joined by Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen – the UK’s number one baby food brand with a global turnover exceeding one hundred million dollars – and Gem Misa, founder of Cauli Rice – the first long life cauliflower rice brand to take the supermarket shelves by storm. They share tips for success in the food industry, pitching to supermarkets, and deciding whether to put your house on the line for a business idea you believe in. Plus, we hear the inspirational story of Jeff Paterson – winner of the 2015 VOOM competition and founder of FourEx, the money exchange kiosk ‘on steroids’. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paul Lindley - Jazz Shapers with Mishcon de Reya

Paul Lindley - Jazz Shapers with Mishcon de Reya

Paul Lindley - Jazz Shapers with Mishcon de Reya