S23 Ep11: Conversations of Inspiration: 2025 year in review

0:00It's that time of year again, my most favourite moment. In fact, speaking to you right now has become a personal milestone marker in my year. So thank you for sharing some of your precious time with me today.

0:19Hi, I'm Holly Tucker and welcome to my podcast, Conversations of Inspiration. I've reached out to founders and those who simply inspire me to share their hard-earned wisdom with you. My hope is that collectively, these remarkable realizations will help you on your own journey. I like to think of it as inspiration for life. So let's begin this week's conversation of inspiration. I don't know about your year and what it's been like, but it's been a big year for me personally. As you'll know, I'll always describe this journey of building a business like a roller coaster. And I have to say, this year has been most certainly that.

1:04I've experienced some huge highs. This summer will forever remain a career highlight for me as I travelled up and down the country for my first ever TV series, Be Your Own Boss. I mean, I can't quite believe I'm saying that. I met the most kind-hearted, hard-working founders who opened their front doors and welcomed me in, cooked up lunches, shed tears and shared truly special moments with. And I didn't really quite know what to expect before filming, but it exceeded my expectations in every way. I also don't think I've laughed so much or had such deep conversations as I did on those long car journeys travelling the UK over the summer.

1:50All of it will be moments that I'll treasure. On the flip side, there have been moments throughout the year when I really questioned my own path. I think there might be a perception that the issue of cash isn't a priority when you're 20 years in. And I can assure you it very much is. And certainly as you launch a business in this economic climate. And so if you've had a tough old year, I promise you, you're not alone. But my experience tells me that if we can all just hold on, if we can get through this, our businesses will come out stronger, leaner and ready for all the opportunities that present themselves.

2:32By going through all of this, I know it will make you a brand, a business, a person who lasts into the future. With that in mind, as I reflect on how to define my own year, and I would say it is one that has been all about connection. My natural happy place, and I fully admit this, is with the team in the business, making plans, asking why, exploring new ways to do things, digging into the data, getting under the hood of the bonnet, so to speak. But this year, both the highs and the lows have sent me mostly off the Holly & Co. Island office and into the world to connect. It has been a revelation, the beauty of meeting new people, hearing other views, drinking in other people's expertise, following the trail that they might lead me to.

3:30It has been game-changing for myself and the company and has opened up new opportunities and avenues to explore. And I plan to really take stock of this and continue to fuel the power of connection into 2026 and beyond. I might even be a changed woman. It is perhaps why this podcast remains one of the greatest gifts that Holly & Co has given me. A whole hour to delve into the world outside of my own business, uncover the hard-earned wisdom, explore other people's outlooks on business and on life. And I truly believe this podcast has been my own MBA in business, and I hope it's impacted you as much as it has me.

4:15This is then the perfect moment to reintroduce my first guest to this episode, the incredible Thea Green, the founder of Nails Inc. She shared her journey with such openness and enthusiasm, and it was a brilliant tale of a founder-led brand making it big, but with the humility, kindness and fun that in the age of Instagram billionaires telling us how they made it overnight is perhaps a breath of fresh air. I hadn't met Thea properly prior to this conversation and we hit it off immediately. And as such, this podcast has been my own source of learning. It has also been such a valuable way for me to connect with brilliant founders who I may never have crossed paths with and they mostly become friends.

5:02I'm acutely aware that the founder journey can be a lonely one. So if you're listening today, I'm here to remind you that you're far from alone and And I'm with you. Thea is with you. And all the other listeners to this very podcast are right behind you. So you had this light bulb moment seeing that lots of American women had manicures and that in the UK, you just can't even imagine this now when we look at our high streets and what nails are on our high streets along with estate agents and coffee shops. But it was 1999 and you were just 23 years old, which is obviously very young to be revolutionising an industry.

5:45Not that you sort of probably even looked at it like that. You just had a great idea and you were going for it. Yeah. And you teamed up with your co-founder at the time and together you raised$250 ,000 to start the business. You find your first store, as you said, in South Malton Street and your goal was to create a sweet shop of colour. and you decided to take what you'd seen, but do it a lot better. Yes. What were those early days, those scrappy early days like? Actually amazing. I think we were talking about, you know, you do a business again. You know, I think what's amazing that that first time round is you're so open to everything and you're just a sponge on you.

6:28You're just ready to learn from everybody because you really know. I mean, I knew less than nothing about everything. I mean, honestly, my knowledge was just awful on everything. You know, so, but you just learn really fast because it's yours, right? And you're so, you've got so much skin in the game. Like being a mother, right? It's very similar experience. I swear I always use the analogy that it's our business babies. I mean, you give birth and then they go over to you. Correct. And you're like, are you joking? Yeah, I've never done this before. What are you talking about? Do you feed it through this?

7:00It's the same analogy. It's so right. It's such a brilliant analogy. And it really was our first born, wasn't it? It's our first baby. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, you know, you learn about fundraising, manufacturing, warehousing. I mean, even if you've got your head around the basics, I would say, of course, I knew I was going to, you know, I was, you know, I was a bright person. Yeah. I knew I was going to be fundraising, manufacturing. I didn't think I'd ever really thought about warehousing. Like, I feel like that was probably missing from my life. You know, really big things that you have to do as a business that, you know, are hugely important to your business.

7:32The logistic side of things. I don't think I really thought about shipping product internationally and ingredients and regulations. Like all of that, like just wallops you one day where you're like, oh, regulations. Today's regulations day. Today is learn everything about regulations. That's going to now be my every waking thought for the next year. This isn't sexy. This isn't really what I signed up to do. I mean, along with that, I'm imagining that you knew absolutely little about manufacturing as well. Yes, yes. And the side of nail polish. And actually, only when thinking about this interview did I think, what is nail polish?

8:10I mean, I didn't even, it's probably, it's quite complicated. It's a complicated chemical formula. And I'm not a chemist. Again, that little missing point. Exactly. I mean, that is, isn't it? that's where our naivety which I think you say as well it's the best thing anyone out there thinking about starting something I say it all the time on this podcast please do not look at your naivety as a curse it's going to lead you to do things that all of all of anyone else would just be too scared to do yes and actually you know yeah the first time and you also really think you're invincible. Yes. And you haven't been knocked yet.

8:51Like, I remember when we first started pitching in department stores, because we very quickly opened department stores. Oh, I'm going to get to this bit. Yes. I remember just thinking, what if they turned me down? When they turned, you know, when someone turned you down initially, we were, you know, got some deals very quickly. I remember thinking, well, they just don't get it. I never thought there was something wrong with me or the business. I just went, well, they just don't understand it. I'll have to just go back again. Oh, God, to go and do that twice. You know, I have to explain that. What a waste of time.

9:16I have to explain that all over again. Okay. I think you've just said yes. That was a bit slow. I'll do it again. I never thought it was like me that presented badly or that the business had a hole in it. I was just, you know, I just thought, well, they just didn't understand it. I'll just have to go and repeat it again. As I mentioned at the start of this podcast, I've been reflecting on how I define this year. Alongside connection, I'd say it's also been about exploring what the future of our business looks like, or more specifically, what the future of our business looks like with the rise of AI.

9:48And I've always shielded away from identifying myself as a tech founder. I suspect this is part because of the box that I was put in during my Not on the High Street days. And it was a term I felt like a huge imposter around. I have therefore actively shunned and I suppose resisted exploring the idea that Holling Co is in a way a tech business. But of course it is. And I've discovered through many of my recent conversations, I need to rewrite that script in my own mind, in my own heart. Tech or more specifically AI can have a profoundly positive role within the world. It can positively fuel all of our businesses forward.

10:33Does AI provide us with very problematic themes? Absolutely. There's no denying it. And we should be doing all we can to stand up for our fellow creatives. AI cannot and should never be used in place of human creativity. But can we use it as a tool to fuel us too? Yes. Mo Gordett spoke at the Congregation of Inspiration this year, an event that we held for our co's in London, and it was its exact topic that he covered. How can we harness AI as a powerful tool for our own creative businesses? And crucially, should we shun it or should we embrace it? Mo's view was that AI is not inherently entirely bad or entirely good and to view it through such a singular lens would be incorrect.

11:23But what he did reiterate is that as creative minds we should be embracing AI that it has the capability to fuel our humanness by absorbing elements that slow us down, leaving us to step up into the most creative selves that we can be. And it was the same topic that the fabulous Abby and Rupert from design and illustration studio Rude spoke about when they joined me earlier this year. Their whole conversation was one that I think will speak to many of the values you as the listener to this podcast hold. This is just a short clip of the brilliant conversation. So I do urge you to listen to the full episode.

12:06To those of you who might not have listened to the podcast with Patrick from Bob and Roberta, I ask you to, because this is beautifully dovetails with this podcast, which is we were talking about STEM in our education system, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. And he said it should, we should be teaching STEAM. 100%. Just add the A, everyone. Just add the A, because I think that for whatever reason, creativity is now seen as this sort of standalone thing that's not part of our everyday lives or critical thinking or social skills or building I don't know confidence and things that Rob Bidolph and and Patrick actively encourage in our children and we're seeing this mental health crisis where the the research supports all of what you're saying all of what you're saying because creativity is now no longer there it's been downgraded and what this impact is going to have on our younger generations or their careers or their confidence it's a ripple effect isn't it we're sort of it's only in this podcast actually I'm thinking about that my entire schooling was the best bits of it for me were the creative science creative design and technology yeah art I had a teacher that allowed me to build one sculpture for the whole of my A-level.

13:33It was called Tom, Dick and Harry. And it was these three men combined in clay allowed me to work on it for two years. And I think about my creative design technology building the first claim to fame recycling bin and winning young engineer of the year with this. But I think about these teachers that I had and I think about how I would go in at weekends and they would open up school for me so that I could just be in the classroom and everything that it was the whole making of me and now when you say the facts that your kid was going to do art once a month yeah this is abusive it's appalling it is abusive and I just think that the arts sorry I was just thinking more than anything it's this it's you know the people in charge the politicians want a world without creativity and when you think of that world without creativity it's just you forget that all the amazing things that we have to do with the arts you know that are happening in front of us from Netflix to going to a gallery, going to your local coffee shop or whatever it is, has been born from someone that, like us, knew that was their path to creating amazing creative businesses.

15:04And if you strip that out, I'm sure people will eventually find their way, But we should be encouraging it from an early age because not everyone is good at maths and not everyone is good at STEM subjects. I think also like kids are not told where a podcast comes from or where their shoes come from or where, you know, everything that we do apart from eating is art. It's play. It's art. But we're not, our kids are not veered in that direction because the arts is still perceived as fine art, for instance. But the arts are all the things that we consume all the time. And even Mo Goddart the other day was saying, you know, with the onslaught of AI, etc.

15:47The things that are going to be the best things to be in the industry is the creative industries. Because everyone's going to have more downtime if it goes, you know, according to the way that it looks like it's going to go. Everything will be more automated. We'll have more time to do pleasurable things, but also things that really make you stop and think. and I thought that recently with that program Adolescent that Stephen Graham did and just the fact that that is a fantastic example of a piece of art that makes everyone think yet people don't call it a piece of art they call it a film you know and I was in a Wetherspoons garden in Brighton and I heard three different tables talking about this program and I was like oh wow I was like this We need to show everyone that these are the arts.

16:37All these things that we consume all the time are the things that we can do as jobs. And AI, frankly, is, you know, there's no, I don't see why we should be learning rote about Tudors, because, like, we have it all on AI. We need to be thinking of new things that can save our planet, can save our world. And creative thinkers mixed with AI is the future. It isn't learning maths by rote. It's just not. Abby and Rupert are such passionate champions of creativity. They joined me following the release of their book, Create, Unleash Your Creative Superpowers, aimed at year six children. The book is designed to lift the lid on all the creative jobs that are hidden from view to help inspire a broader outlook on the creative job industry.

17:26And you can even buy packs for your school. And this isn't a sales ploy, by the way, but a genuinely creative solution to a systemic issue in education. I also mentioned at the start of this clip, Bob and Roberta Smith, who I interviewed right at the start of this year. He spoke so beautifully about creativity and its place within society. It would be remiss not to include it in this reflective episode, simply because I know that this is a topic that really gets to the heart of how so many of us feel. What makes your work so powerful? It is a campaign. It makes us feel something like the very best way that art does.

18:07And one of the themes that runs through your work alongside the political and social messages is this sense of playfulness as well, which I think going back to your mum's, what your mum said, you know, it's an invitation because it allows us in. It feels very familiar. I feel like it's a friend of mine. I feel, do you know what I mean? It has that sense and it has a sense of, I think, hopefulness and optimism. Is that important for you? Because this subject, I mean, we could do probably an entire podcast on the subject and be quite angry about it. And I want to keep talking to you about it now, but I feel very passionately about it.

18:51So I'm going to keep myself together. But it is absolutely horrific what's happening. But your work feels like I've got hope within it. Is that again that you're looking to stir emotions, but also connect people rather than make them angry? uh well i i think it stemmed i think that idea of um i don't know quite how to describe it really but you know i'm you know it goes back to my parents really because i know that uh you know i i know my family and my sister's families you know and everybody that i know in the arts they They are evidence of the positive glue that the arts are in society and also a route to success.

19:43So I know from experience that that's the case. I don't want to, I don't particularly want to hang out with Michael Gove. You know, it's really about the issues, not the personalities. You know, our current government, who I mean, I thought would be a bit more, you know, would get rid of these things overnight. They haven't done that. No, they haven't. And so we're pushing against them. And a lot of those people are people that I know and more familiar with. But you still have to say to them, you know, you need to do the right thing. And also what is happening is that if I want to get angry about it, is that we're discriminating against creative kids.

20:26That's what we're doing. It's totally stupid, but that's what we're doing. And it's the Labour government are doing it as well. And the Conservatives did it in the past. Governments, middle management, all this sort of stuff, they're driven by sorts of strange ideas about accounting and data. But actually, if you thought of the heart of the issue, what we're doing is discriminating against kids and causing them to be unsuccessful and unhappy. be it's not what we should be doing so there is hope you know but when you put it like that and we talk about discrimination a lot in society and we're talking about it continuously so how is that not being seen through that lens because you know that is basically what it is and if we want and we're going to get more and more into this but if we you know when we think about the future and we think about and we're going to touch on AI and we're going to touch on these things in a moment.

21:27The point is, is that the humanness in us needs to be up dialed, right? We need to be talking about the very thing that's one in 400 trillion chances of you being born. One in 400 trillion chances every child is a miracle. We're miracles literally walking the planet. And that miracle was destined for something. All those cells put together in that unique formula that makes you, Bob, me, Holly, is what our path is. And so we have to nurture it in your garden. We have to nurture, don't we, the person that this is. And it's discriminating against those children who could go and create the next business, right, that is going to stand up against AI and everyone's like oh no one you know humans are literally going to be the 21st century horses do you know what I mean like we're maybe not well it's good that you mentioned the garden I mean when I was when I was at Chelsea Flower Show which is a mad place really but it's fantastic but it is interesting to think about classrooms as gardens yes and if you think of I don't want to think of kids as plants yes but you know we need to nurture every child and actually if you think about your garden it has different requirements you know yes different plants need different kinds of nurture and you know things are for sandy soil i don't want to extend this metaphor too far yes but you know they have sandy soils or you might want a bit of johnny johnnyness number three yes whatever it was on your different plants and we really need to some kids you know some kids need lots of water and nutrients and some kids need you know uh dry soil or something you know but actually if we thought about it like that and tried to play instead of trying to get them to jump through this one hoop of perceived academic success but thought about actually we want to create a garden which flourishes where every kid flourishes that would be a better way i mean good teachers do think like that they do they i mean i think teachers are kind of human rights work all teachers you know everybody in school is a human rights worker but we don't want to i think it's a mistake to pull kids in one direction and say that is a measure of success because it it isn't and it makes lots of kids unhappy it's a measure of success for a few but not everyone and actually everyone does matter you know all in all our diversity, you know.

24:07As I said, this year has been filled with as many lows as it has highs. The price of being a founder, I suppose. And whilst I live in eternal gratitude, and I know that I can't have the highs without the lows, I can't help but admit that I have had a number of moments this year just wondering if a silver bullet might exist. I surely can't be alone as I take a deep breath at my desk and just ask, why, oh why is this so bloody hard? I'm smiling as I say this, as I'm certain you too maybe had a few of those moments this year. I think because this year has thrown a number of curveballs, I've been looking at the alternative ways to expand my mindset, looking for external sources to fuel my fire.

24:55It's where I came across Maya Raychora. I enjoyed her book, Visualise, immensely. And so I was thrilled when she agreed to join me on this podcast. So I hand over this next part to Maya, who shares her view on negative thoughts. Let's just think that my husband is listening. So you would say to counteract negativity or self-doubt or worry that creeps in, it is a daily ritual. it is something such as taking that first moment in the day to change the mindset. Do you think that anyone can do it? However old, young, set in your ways, leopard doesn't change its spots, all the whole thing. Do you think that we can all do it?

25:44A thousand percent. And I've seen 80 year olds do it. I've seen eight year olds do it. And it's one of the most rewarding journeys because our brains are really fascinating in the sense that we have between 40 ,000 and 60 ,000 thoughts a day, which is a lot. And some of them are like, oh, cool, what am I going to have for breakfast? But some of them are like, oh, I don't feel very good enough or I feel like a bit of an imposter. I don't deserve this success. Or gosh, we're so harsh to ourselves, right? And like, let's say we make a mistake. It's like, oh, you're so stupid or I'm such a mess right now.

26:18and the thing is negative thoughts in themselves aren't actually that harmful it's the repeated ones that are harmful because the more you say a certain thing or belief or image that is what rewires your identity and your personality and essentially your lens of the world and And I have seen time and time again where things like worry, fear, doubt, all of it, often it's like the misuse of your imagination and where you're directing your brain. And so the great thing is a lot of us have the skill already, especially in visualization. So whenever I'm in a room and I say to everyone, OK, hands up if you mentally rehearse worst case scenarios, things going wrong, things failing.

27:11Honestly, everyone puts their hand up all the time, even the top athletes in the world. And my point to them is I think that's great because you're already doing the skill. You're doing the hard part, which is the visualization. The thing is you're visualizing the wrong thing because that's what's wiring your brain to feel more anxious and to be like, oh, my gosh, where's the danger? so if you started now mentally rehearsing okay things may be going a bit better or you acting more confident or maybe you achieving your goals you're going to also start to change the beliefs you have and the other thing to mention is some people come to me and they're like Maya I just want to I just want to get rid of my negative thoughts or I don't have any self-doubt and I'm like great well but I'm not the person for that because that is impossible it's impossible it's okay if you have negative thoughts and it's okay if you have doubts.

28:03The thing is, are you going to choose to believe them and let them dictate how you move forward? That is where the power lies. The thoughts will come. The fears will come. The doubts will come. It's normal. That's where you have to say, one second, am I actually going to believe this or am I going to choose different? And that's where the responsibility comes in, the ability to respond. Early in the podcast episode, Maya told me about this simple mindset routine she does each morning. As she opens her eyes without fail, she says to herself, show me how good it gets. The idea that it immediately shifts your brain into looking for all the positives and good things.

28:46And I'm only a few weeks in, but my sister and I will text it to each other most mornings. and whilst I do live in gratitude, it actually has been a really positive inclusion in my morning routine. So much so, of course, my next thought was, hmm, what co could I ask to help me bring this to life? Is this a piece of artwork on Holly & Co?

29:15When it comes to your Christmas shopping this year. One of the best things about giving gifts you've bought on Holly & Co. is knowing you can give them with pride. Because not only are they unique, handcrafted and made to last, but they also support a whole community of UK artists and makers. By shopping with the small business on our site, you're voting with your money for the kind of world you want to live in. You are supporting female founders as 95 % of the businesses on Holly and Co. are women-owned, and you're choosing to back a better way to live that looks after people and the planet. Plus, everything we sell has a story behind it, whether that's something interesting about the way it was made, the materials it's made from, or the person who created it.

30:06We're not just a marketplace, we're a movement, and you don't even need to shop with us to be part of it. We champion independent businesses on the high street across the UK because we believe in the power of this community. So if you want to bring colour, creativity and the values you hold dear into your shopping basket this Christmas, shop small.

30:36next year will mark the final year of my 40s and so midlife age and my outlook has been high on my mind this year i've gone on my personal journey learning about my hormones incorporating gut health and truly i suppose i'm feeling more confident in my own skin than ever before i'm excited to age, to see what's in store in my 50s and see how my perspectives change. This very topic was high on the agenda with Katie Piper, a recent guest. She was so incredibly warm, articulate, and I liked her immensely. I spoke to her on a day when I was definitely on a low end, and I can't tell you how much she lifted me.

31:19Her strength, her outlook on life, and her determination to lead the change, rewrite the standards by which women live in. It's inspirational. And I know that word can be often thrown around, but it really is. I could say this maybe about every podcast, but truly Katie is a force to be reckoned with, an entrepreneur at heart, although she's never described herself like that. And she speaks such wisdom. So I urge you to listen to her episode and full. What was interesting for me was entering this new era, this new decade in my 40s, because I'd done so much work with my foundation, but outside of my foundation, through my books and programs around beauty, right?