The Beautiful Business Podcast

• Capitalism for Good: How Change Please Tackles Homelessness with Cemal Ezel

  Cemal Ezel is the founder of Change Please, an award winning social enterprise that helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild their lives through work, housing, and wrap around support. A former commodities broker, Cemal’s turning point came during travels in Vietnam, where a silent tea house showed him business and social good can coexist. Since 2015 he has built a job first pathway that combines professional barista training, London Living Wage roles, fast tracked housing, and in house therapy then partners with major employers for onward careers. Operating across the UK and internationally, Cemal’s mission is to use trade (not aid) so capitalism becomes a force for good.This Episode CoversOrigin Story & The Rocking Chair Test: How a 29 year old “midlife crisis” and a Vietnam epiphany led to Change Please.Job First Model: Why work, skills, and a living wage (~£31k) are the fastest route off the streets paired with therapy, bank accounts, and onward jobs after ~6 months.Housing Without Friction: How Change Please removes barriers by paying deposits, underwriting rent, and paying landlords directly while people get established.Quality First, Then Impact: Only ~4% of customers go out of their way for “good.” The strategy is to win the other 96% with uncompromised coffee and service.Scale & Partnerships: ~370 partner/concession sites in the UK, 11 owned sites in London, and operations in 8 countries plus hiring pathways with global brands.Beyond Coffee: Mobile service buses (with partners like Colgate, HSBC, David Lloyd) and a new AI prevention platform with Southwark Council and the Centre for Homelessness Impact.Culture That Cares: “Outcomes over targets,” fitting the model to the person (not the other way around), and using surplus (not profit) to fund impact.Seeing the Whole Spectrum: What homelessness really looks like from redundancy and sofa surfing to abusive situations and long term rough sleeping and why connection matters.How Businesses Can Help (Today): Hire trainees, offer work experience, buy from social enterprises, and start small but do it with authenticity.The Future of Work: Why AI will reshape purpose and employment and how Change Please is preparing to adapt.LinksWebsite: changeplease.orgLinkedIn: Cemal Ezel

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• Peter Docker on Leading from the Jumpseat, Love vs Fear, and Building Teams with Humble Confidence

  Peter Docker is a leadership teacher, author, and former Royal Air Force senior officer. After 25 years in the RAF (including flying world leaders at age 24 and leading air-to-air refuelling operations in the Gulf War), he moved into high‑hazard industry consulting before spending eight years working with Simon Sinek, co‑authoring the global bestseller Find Your Why. Peter’s own book, Leading from the Jumpseat, explores how leaders can create extraordinary opportunities by handing over control, building trust, and leading through love instead of fear. Today, Peter works with organisations across industries worldwide, helping leaders foster commitment, humble confidence, and belonging.This Episode Covers• Love vs. Fear: Why everything that truly matters is driven by one of these two forces—and how to spot fear’s four triggers (life, livelihood, status, reputation).• Commitment over Purpose: The power of turning values into a personal promise that inspires others, and why commitment drives culture more effectively than purpose statements alone.• Leading with Humble Confidence: How to be resolute on direction while admitting you don’t have all the answers, and how to tap into your team’s “collective genius.”• Belonging Unlocks Discretionary Effort: Why people go above and beyond when they feel safe, cared for, and part of something bigger.• Lessons from the Gulf War: How Peter united 200 people under one clear commitment, resulting in 479 successful missions—and what business leaders can learn from it.• From Noise to Signal: How to cut through distractions and make every role clearly connected to the bigger mission.• Checking Ego and Preventing Burnout: Why trusted advisors and rest are essential to sustaining good leadership.• Shifting Perceptions in Uncertain Times: How to reframe VUCA and AI from scarcity to possibility, unlocking creativity and innovation.• Creating Better Conditions, Even with a Bad Boss: What you can and can’t control, and how changing perceptions changes outcomes.• Practical Steps to Move from Fear to Love: Naming the trigger, reconnecting to what (and who) you serve, and embedding daily habits to reinforce commitment.

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• The Fifth Industrial Revolution: How AI Will Reshape Work and Society with Dan Sodergren

  About the GuestDan Sodergren is a futurist, keynote speaker, and media commentator specialising in artificial intelligence, the future of work, and technology’s role in shaping society. With appearances on the BBC, Channel 4, and numerous podcasts, Dan is known for making complex tech trends accessible and engaging. A passionate advocate for ethical AI and human-centred innovation, he is also co-founder of Your FLOCK, a values-based people platform using AI to improve workplace culture. Dan’s mission is to help businesses and individuals understand and embrace the seismic changes brought by what he calls the fifth industrial revolution—a shift that could free us from repetitive work and allow us to become more emotionally intelligent, creative, and purpose-driven.This Episode CoversFrom Gaming to AI: How Dan’s early passion for computer games led him into the world of artificial intelligence.Automated Interns, Not Terminators: Why he describes AI as “automated interns” and how that mindset makes it less scary and more useful.Beyond ChatGPT: A practical guide to using multiple AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and more) to get the best results.The 3% Rule: Why only a small fraction of users pay for AI, what that means for data privacy, and why “free” often comes at a cost.The Future of Work: Why many current jobs may disappear, how AI could make us more productive, and why emotional intelligence and creativity will matter more than ever.Therapy, but Not Really: The dangers of relying on AI as a companion or therapist, and why human relationships and mental health support remain essential.A Beautiful Business Future: Dan’s vision of a world where AI frees us to be better parents, better colleagues, and better humans—where businesses measure success not just in profit, but in social and environmental impact.LinksWebsite: www.dansodergren.com For a free digital copy of Dan's book: https://forms.office.com/r/8F12yzcunTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-sodergren-futureofwork/

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• Season 3: Highlights with Chloe & Paul – Selling Without Selling, Leading with Care & Lessons from Creative Pioneers

  Welcome back to the Beautiful Business Podcast, brought to you by The Wow Company. In Part 2 of our Season 3 highlights, Chloe and Paul revisit even more standout conversations from across the series. From demystifying sales to the realities of succession, from happiness at work to building pioneering creative businesses, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and honest reflections.Episode HighlightsRyan Hall – Sales Coach & Author of Don’t Sell Ryan reframed sales as relationship-building, showing how curiosity, generosity, and trust are the true drivers of growth. His “don’t sell” mantra flips the script, proving that good business starts with being human.“Replace sales with relationship… it starts by talking to someone as a human, not a dollar sign.”Kelly Goodship – Managing Director, The Wow Company In a rare in-house conversation, Kelly opened up about stepping into the MD role and the fears, doubts, and imposter syndrome that came with it. Her candid reflections on succession, self-belief, and caring deeply for people resonated with leaders everywhere.“My fear is that I’m never going to do as good a job as you—but I won’t let that bottle up. I’d rather just call and talk it through.”Lord Mark Price – Former MD of Waitrose & Deputy Chairman, John Lewis Partnership Mark shared his lifelong mission to make work happier. He revealed the six fundamentals of workplace happiness, and why the relationship with your line manager is the single biggest factor.“None of the six things I talk about are expensive—yet they massively improve productivity and performance.”John “Sinx” Sinclair – Co-founder, ustwo Sinx pulled back the curtain on building a pioneering creative studio, balancing client services with breakout products like Monument Valley. He spoke openly about the tensions of diversification, the risks of seeing client work as ‘bread and butter,’ and why humility and simplicity matter most.“Clients don’t want to be the bread and butter—they want to be the cream cake. You have to love what you’re doing.”Practical TakeawaysRethink Sales Shift your mindset from closing deals to opening relationships. Trust and value come before transactions.Lead with Openness Succession planning isn’t perfect—but candid conversations and care for people create lasting trust.Happiness Drives Performance Pay and perks matter, but culture, recognition, and relationships are what make work truly rewarding.Balance Bread & Butter with Bold Bets Diversification can bring breakthroughs, but only if client service remains something you love—not just a means to an end. If you've enjoyed Season 3 so far, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share your favourite moments with us—we’d love to hear from you.

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• Season 3: Highlights with Chloe & Paul – Inclusive Culture, Olympic Wisdom & AI-Proofing Your Team

  Welcome to the Best of Season 3 of the Beautiful Business Podcast, brought to you by The Wow Company. This season has been full of rich conversations, eye-opening insights, and practical wisdom from leaders across the business, sports, design, and tech worlds.In this special highlights episode, hosts Chloe and Paul look back at the most memorable moments from the season—covering everything from high-performance cultures to inclusive leadership and the future of work in the age of AI.Episode HighlightsMo Kanjilal – Co-founder, Watch This Space Mo offered a fresh perspective on DE&I, encouraging leaders to look beyond box-ticking and see inclusion as a powerful driver of commercial success. Her insights on blind spots in leadership, silent feedback, and cultural listening left a lasting impact.“If 60% of people respond to a survey, the real question is—why didn’t the other 40%?”Tim Foster – Olympic Gold Medallist & Leadership Coach Tim’s experience with elite rowing teams translates directly into business. His episode explored how trust and accountability fuel high-performing teams, and why culture allows even the most junior voices to be heard.“Trust is the foundation that allows hard conversations to happen—without conflict.”Dr. Jon Finn – Tougher Minds Founder & Performance Psychologist Jon shared timely advice on how to “AI-proof” your business and build teams ready for the future. He outlined the new roles of innovators, automators, and elite cognitive performers—making the case that our brains are the most valuable asset in a tech-driven world.“There’s been a race to roll out AI—but no one’s been thinking about the humans.”Melanie Wendland – Co-founder, Sonda Collective Melanie introduced us to the world of decentralised, self-managed teams and explained how structure, not hierarchy, is key. Her real-world examples from global design projects and holacratic governance made this episode a standout.“We manage the process, not the person. That’s how self-management thrives.”Practical TakeawaysListen Like a Leader Creating an inclusive culture means paying attention to what isn’t being said—especially from those who stay silent.Build Trust for High Performance Whether in sport or business, trust is what allows teams to speak up, challenge each other, and raise the bar.Prepare for the AI Era Invest in the cognitive performance of your people. AI can handle tasks—but only humans can think, create, and lead.Structure Empowers Autonomy Self-managed teams don’t mean chaos. With the right systems in place, freedom and accountability can go hand-in-hand. If you’ve enjoyed this season so far, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share your thoughts or guest suggestions with us—we’d love to hear from you.

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