Find out what it's really like being a top entrepreneur and how to get there.
Founders of startups like Monzo, BrewDog, Slack and Jo Malone tell us about their biggest challenges, key decisions and life-defining moments.
How would you respond if you arrived in the UK as a penniless refugee? Or had to fire your Mum? Or had a billion dollar deal fall through your hands at the last minute?
Learn how to lead from business greats.

Natasha Baker is a British dressage rider with 5 Paralympic golds to her name and a load of other top medals.
She experienced a very public failure which left her in tears. And then, a few years later, the thing she was most scared of happening in the world, happened. 
What’s it like when you fall off the literal horse on the big stage? 
And what did it teach her about failure that we can all learn from?
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If you have any feedback, we’d love to hear it. What would make the show better?

hello@secretleaders.com 

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Secret Leaders

How I Failed: Multi-gold winning Paralympian Natasha Baker - having the most embarrassing fail you can imagine

This conversation with Danny Gray is one of our all-time favourites.
Danny had a childhood filled with bullying, trauma and mental disorders. It left him with scars that no one else could see, and eventually led him to starting War Paint, a men’s makeup brand that is on an unbelievable growth path. They’re creating a new category. In fact, they’ve already created it and are fast becoming an iconic brand.
Plus, Danny went on Dragons Den, got offers from all 5 Dragons and then ultimately turned them down. Madness. In this episode, we find out what really happened, behind the cameras.
Danny is also the Founder of Jaaq, a mental health platform which covers everything from depression to addiction, hair loss to periods. They’ve managed to get A-listers like Alastair Campbell to bare their souls, explaining the toughest things they’ve been through. The theory is that hearing from people with lived experience is a key part of feeling understood and ultimately being able to tackle your demons.
Danny looks and sounds like a 'Jack The Lad'. He says that was his image - but it really was all an image.
So what happened in his childhood that crushed his confidence?

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hello@secretleaders.com

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War Paint Founder: I used to steal women’s makeup because of shame, hell of body dysmorphia & turning down all 5 Dragons - Danny Gray

You probably heard SVB collapsed, but what you probably don’t know is how close the UK startup ecosystem came to collapsing all together.
This is the inside story of how a small group of Founders and VCs fought to save the industry.
How do we know? Because our host Dan was a small part of it.
If the story we’re telling today hadn’t happened, then Dan would be sitting here without a company. This is how the crisis really played out.
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If you have any feedback, we’d love to hear it. What would make the show better?

hello@secretleaders.com 

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Sponsor links:
otta.com/secretleaders

Startup armageddon: Bank of England was going to allow SVB failure to kill UK startup industry until Founders & VCs stepped in

Taavet Hinrikus is the Co-Founder and former Chairman of Wise, the unicorn fintech which used to be called TransferWise.
He’s now the Co-Founder of Plural, an investment platform for early stage capital built by founders and real operators like Taavet.
Oh, and he was also the first ever employee at Skype.
Basically, he’s one of the top startup dogs in Europe so we had to get him on to learn what the difference is between great companies and the rest.
It’s always amazing hearing about the early days of companies which become absolutely massive like Wise, or Skype. These are the days when they’re signing up tens of users, rather than tens of thousands - and they’re wondering if they’re barking up the wrong tree.
All startups begin with 0 real users and it’s fascinating how the best navigate their way from there to the top.
Taavet is part of the group of Estonian entrepreneurs who’ve had a GDP level impact on the country. 
Let's find out why he's been so successful.

We'd love your feedback
hello@secretleaders.com

Sponsor links:
evelyn.com/secretleaders/
vorboss.com/secretleaders
personio.com/secretleaders
vanta.com/secretleaders

Kindling Media

Secret Leaders by Kindling Media

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