Podcast Summary
Finding Top Talent on LinkedIn and Overcoming Adversity: LinkedIn is a valuable platform for discovering hidden talent and building a professional network. Adversity and criticism are common, but with resilience and a positive mindset, one can overcome them and achieve success.
LinkedIn is a valuable resource for hiring professionals, especially those who aren't actively looking for new jobs. Sandra, a professional who wasn't found on other job sites, emphasizes the importance of using LinkedIn to find top talent. Meanwhile, Ella Mills, the founder of Deliciously Ella, shares her journey of dealing with criticism and adversity in her personal and professional life. Despite facing harsh criticism and negative press, Ella remained resilient and continued to build her business, which started as a recipe website and grew into a restaurant, food products, app, podcast, and best-selling recipe books. Her story serves as a reminder that setbacks and criticism are inevitable, but with determination and a positive mindset, one can overcome them and achieve success.
From Bedridden to Success: Ella Mills' Journey with Deliciously Ella: Despite chronic illness, Ella Mills turned her health journey into a successful plant-based brand, Deliciously Ella, inspiring thousands with her recipes and lifestyle.
Deliciously Ella, the plant-based brand founded by Ella Mills, has made a significant impact in the UK market, with multiple bestselling cookbooks, a lifestyle app, a café, and food products in over 7,000 stores. Ella's journey began with feeling lost and unfulfilled during her university years, studying history of art despite her father's disapproval. Her life took a drastic turn when she suddenly fell ill with chronic fatigue, leaving her bedridden and uncertain about her future. Despite these challenges, Ella's story is one of resilience and determination. Her illness led her to focus on her health and wellbeing, which eventually inspired her to create Deliciously Ella and share her plant-based recipes with the world. Her personal struggles and subsequent success demonstrate that even in the darkest moments, there is always the potential for growth and transformation.
Living with a chronic illness like POTS: Despite challenges, remember chronic illnesses are real and those living with them deserve support and understanding.
Living with a chronic illness like Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can be incredibly challenging and isolating. The symptoms, which include rapid heart rate, dizziness, fainting, pain, and digestive issues, can be debilitating and difficult to explain to others. Despite multiple doctor visits and various specialists, it can take a long time to receive a diagnosis. Once diagnosed, the lack of familiarity with the condition and its invisible nature can make it even more difficult to navigate. The exhaustion and pain can lead to feelings of self-doubt and a desire to retreat from the world. It's important to remember that chronic illnesses are real and valid, and those living with them deserve support and understanding.
Understanding personal goals can aid mental health recovery: Realizing personal desires and goals can motivate and provide direction during mental health struggles, while neglecting them may worsen feelings of hopelessness.
Relying solely on medication for mental health issues may not yield the desired results, and a lack of self-understanding or purpose can hinder the search for alternative solutions. The speaker's experience of apathy and isolation following a diagnosis and unsuccessful treatment led to a prolonged period of stagnation. Understanding one's desires and goals could potentially provide motivation and direction during challenging times. The realization of personal inadequacies or lack of ambition may exacerbate feelings of hopelessness and make it harder to seek help or find alternative paths forward.
Navigating University Friendships Amid Challenges: Being vulnerable and honest can lead to stronger connections, while acknowledging limitations and seeking support can help combat feelings of exclusion and isolation during college.
University friendships can be incredibly valuable but also quite fleeting during the first few years as individuals navigate their new identities and adulthood. This period can be challenging and isolating for some, especially those dealing with health issues or feeling excluded. Depression, in particular, can manifest as apathy rather than sadness, making it harder to recognize and reach out for support. It's essential to remember that vulnerability and honesty with oneself and others can lead to stronger connections and a more fulfilling college experience. Additionally, opening up to friends about limitations and seeking their company during social events can help combat feelings of exclusion and isolation.
Accepting life's challenges and taking responsibility: Recognize your role in making positive changes, find meaningful activities, and stay motivated to overcome unexpected challenges.
Life presents unexpected challenges, and it's essential to accept this reality and take responsibility for finding solutions. This realization came to the speaker after recognizing the bleakness of her situation and the need to take control. It started with small changes, such as taking responsibility for her health, but soon expanded to broader aspects of her life. By recognizing her role in making positive changes, she felt empowered and hopeful, even when the situation didn't improve immediately. Additionally, she discovered the importance of finding meaningful activities to occupy her time and remove excuses for inaction. Overall, this experience taught her that internal motivation and taking control are the keys to making significant changes in life.
From personal health challenge to helping others: Turning a personal health struggle into a positive experience can lead to helping others and potentially going mainstream.
Starting Deliciously Ella, a blog about plant-based recipes and health, was a way for Ella Mills to turn a personal health challenge into a positive experience and potentially help others. She began the blog as a hobby in 2012, when plant-based diets and health were not as widely discussed as they are today. Ella faced resistance and criticism, but her blog gained popularity and went mainstream with the release of her first cookbook in 2015. Despite the public attention, Ella was dealing with her own mental health struggles and found it challenging to handle the narrative shift from being talked to to being talked about at a young age. Despite the challenges, Ella's story shows the power of taking control of one's health and using it as a means to help others.
UK's cultural tendency to build up and tear down women influencers: Despite nuanced debates needed on healthy eating, addressing public health's poor state and role of diet is crucial. Media bias against women influencers should be questioned.
There is a cultural tendency in the UK to build people up, particularly women, to the point of putting them on a pedestal, only to tear them down dramatically. This was evident during a period in early 2017 when the speaker, a successful healthy eating influencer, faced intense criticism in the media. The criticism was focused on healthy eating and the culture surrounding it, but the speaker felt that the gender bias in the media was a significant part of the narrative. She also believes that if she had been promoting a baking cookbook instead of a healthy eating one, she would not have faced the same level of criticism. The speaker acknowledges that there should be nuanced debates about healthy eating, but also emphasizes the importance of addressing the current poor state of public health and the role that diet plays in it. Overall, the experience taught her the importance of standing up for herself and questioning the biases in the media.
Making self-care and healthy choices enjoyable: Support individuals in their unique health journeys, respect autonomy, and make self-care accessible and enjoyable.
Making healthy choices, whether it's about food or self-care, should feel accessible, exciting, and enjoyable. Paige shared her experience with Olive and June, a company that makes at-home manicures affordable and convenient, which can make self-care feel more appealing. However, it's important to remember that everyone's journey is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. This was a lesson Paige learned the hard way when she felt pressured to be "vanilla" and please everyone, even if it meant sacrificing her own values and opinions. In the context of food and health, it's crucial to support individuals in their choices, especially when they're dealing with chronic illnesses or recovering from them. The press should be more mindful of the impact of their words and respect people's autonomy to make their own choices for their wellbeing.
Respecting individual choices in health and well-being: Empathy, understanding, and respecting individual choices are crucial in all aspects of life, including health and well-being. Gender bias in medicine and the importance of letting go of rigidness and dogmaticness in conversations were discussed.
It's essential to respect each other's individuality and autonomy in all aspects of life, including health and well-being. The speaker shared her experience of being judged for her choices regarding her chronic illness and nutrition. She emphasized the problematic gender bias in medicine and the need for women's health to be taken seriously. The speaker also discussed the importance of letting go of rigidness and dogmaticness in conversations and allowing people to make their own choices. She encouraged being interested and inspired by each other while recognizing that what works for one person may not work for another. The speaker's journey towards building the confidence to stand up for herself and her choices is a consistent life journey. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and respecting individual choices in various aspects of life.
A cookbook sparked a business and a romance: Meeting over a cookbook, this entrepreneurial couple started a business and got married, proving that shared vision and belief in each other's abilities can lead to unexpected success in both love and business
The journey from publishing a successful cookbook to building a business encompassing products, restaurants, and more, was sparked by a gap in the market for better-for-you, plant-based food options. This entrepreneurial couple, who met shortly after the cookbook's release, shared a strong connection and parallel life experiences that led them to start a business together and eventually get married within a year. Their whirlwind romance and business partnership were met with surprise and confusion from those around them, but their shared vision and belief in each other's capabilities drove their success. Despite initial skepticism towards marriage, they found an unexpected connection and built a thriving business together.
8 years of love and business: Building a strong partnership and successful business involves navigating personal and professional challenges, recognizing each other's strengths, and embracing the rewards of a fulfilling journey.
A successful long-term relationship and building a business can be an intense and challenging experience, filled with highs and lows, but also incredibly rewarding. The couple in question met and fell in love quickly, and over the past 8 years, they have built a family, moved multiple times, and started several businesses together. Through it all, they've faced numerous obstacles, including personal loss, economic instability, and the demands of entrepreneurship. Despite the challenges, they've recognized the importance of each other's strengths and have learned to navigate the ups and downs of both their personal and professional lives. The key takeaway is that while the journey may be intense and unpredictable, the rewards of a strong partnership and successful business can make it all worthwhile.
The founders' partnership was crucial to Delicious Yeller's success: A strong partnership can help entrepreneurs navigate risks and challenges in a fast-moving business, enabling them to succeed despite a lack of experience or resources.
The partnership between Delicious Yeller's founders was crucial to the company's success. They entered a new market with a leading brand and the opportunity to create physical products, but without each other, they likely wouldn't have achieved the company's current presence. Despite the fast-moving business and personal relationship, they never questioned their ability to work together. Their unwavering support for each other allowed them to take risks, like opening a restaurant with no hospitality experience, and learn as they went. The tiny, underprepared restaurant saw long queues within days, and they worked tirelessly to learn and improve. Their partnership's strength allowed them to navigate the chaos and ultimately succeed.
Managing Multiple Businesses: A Case of Prioritization: Focusing resources on one scalable business can lead to greater success in the long run, despite the need to let go of less profitable ventures.
Attempting to scale multiple business lines at once, especially when starting out with limited resources, can lead to overextension and the need to make tough decisions. In this case, a company faced the challenge of managing a retail FMCG business and a hospitality business simultaneously. While both were profitable on their own, the financial strain and cash flow issues made it clear that focusing on the retail business was the more scalable and viable option. Despite the need to close down the hospitality sites and central kitchen, the narrative was spun negatively in the media as a business failure, overshadowing the success of the rapidly growing FMCG company. The lesson learned is that prioritizing and focusing resources on one scalable business can lead to greater success in the long run.
Assumptions based on media reports can be inaccurate: Be aware of media reporting inaccuracies and don't let external perceptions influence important business decisions. Learn from mistakes and continue to adapt and grow.
Appearances can be deceiving in business. The speaker shared an experience where their business was thriving, but they received a call from a large retailer assuming they were going out of business based on misinformation in the media. This incident had a significant impact on the business and caused frustration, especially due to the negative perception created by the journalist involved. The speaker also acknowledged their own role in the situation, as they had been hesitant to make tough decisions, which ultimately hindered their growth. It's essential to be aware of the potential inaccuracies in media reporting and not let external perceptions influence important business decisions. Additionally, the speaker highlighted the unique challenges their business faced, operating without external investment and relying on organic marketing through social media, making it difficult to compete with larger brands. Despite the setbacks, the speaker emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and continuing to adapt and grow.
Navigating life's uncertainties: Stay adaptable and resilient, acknowledge and manage stress, and enjoy the journey for personal growth
Life's ups and downs are unpredictable, and it's essential to stay adaptable and resilient. The highs may not be as brilliant as anticipated, and the lows may not be as dire. Nothing is permanent, and every challenge presents an opportunity for growth. It's crucial to enjoy the journey rather than constantly focusing on the end goal. The entrepreneurial life, as described in Ben Horowitz's book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, is a constant state of euphoria or terror. However, living in this state can be detrimental to one's health and wellbeing. It's vital to acknowledge and manage stress effectively to maintain a balanced and livable environment. Ultimately, the ability to navigate life's uncertainties with a positive mindset and a willingness to adapt is the key to success and personal growth.
Maintaining a Balance of Productivity and Self-Care: Strive for productivity and efficiency, but not at the expense of well-being. Automate business finances with SAP Concur Solutions to focus on other aspects of life and be prepared for challenges.
Being in a constant state of high productivity and stress can be both good and bad. It's important to recognize the benefits, such as increased efficiency and productivity, but also the potential drawbacks, such as burnout and decreased focus. It's essential to find a balance and prioritize self-care. Jen, a guest on the podcast, shared her own experiences and the importance of learning this lesson. SAP Concur Solutions can help automate business finances, allowing individuals to focus on other aspects of their lives and be prepared for unexpected challenges. The key takeaway is to strive for productivity and efficiency, but not at the expense of well-being. It's a work in progress, and we're all in this together. Thank you, Jen, for sharing your insights. To learn more about taking control of your business finances, visit concur.com.
