Take The Plunge

This is a podcast for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs who are thinking of taking the plunge! This week Ciaran and his guest of this episode, Russ Wakeham, the founder and CEO of Two Drifters Distillery – a premium British rum company with a unique, carbon-negative footprint. In this episode, they dive deep into Russ's journey in the spirits industry, where he shares his experience of building a sustainable brand from the ground up.Two Drifters Distillery is not just known for its high-quality rum, but also for its commitment to sustainability, as the entire production process leaves a positive impact on the environment. Russ explains how they have combined their passion for great rum with innovative environmental practices to create a company that's both profitable and planet-friendly.Website: (https://twodriftersrum.com/)LinkedIn: [Russ Wakeham] (https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-wakeham-984a1938/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app)Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/2DriftersRum/)Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/twodriftersrum/?hl=en)Ready to start your own business? You can get a head start with support from Swoop! Learn more about Swoop here 👉 https://app.swoopfunding.com/stageFollow Swoop on our social media platforms as well! LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/swoopfunding/?viewAsMember=true)Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/SwoopFunding)Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/swoopfunding/?hl=en)

Welcome to Take The Plunge, a podcast for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs ready to take the plunge into the world of business! Join your host, Ciaran, as he dives into an inspiring conversation with this week’s guest, Ernesto Moreno—a powerhouse in the entrepreneurial world.Ernesto's journey began in 2003 when he moved from Venezuela to the UK at just 23 years old with only £300 in his pocket. Fast forward two years, and he had already opened his first Subway restaurant with his business partners. This was just the beginning. Over the next few years, Ernesto expanded his Subway franchise to 15 restaurants across the South West of England, and his entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop there. He went on to co-found two more franchise businesses, CeX and Miniso, and co-create Arepa & Co, a Venezuelan-inspired restaurant chain in London, now boasting four thriving locations.Today, Ernesto's ventures employ over 450 people across 32 stores and four distinct brands. In this episode, he shares the secrets behind his success, the challenges he overcame, and his vision for Arepa & Co as he works to make it a household name.Beyond his active role in his businesses, Ernesto is passionate about helping other entrepreneurs launch and grow their own ventures. He is a seasoned business consultant and people development specialist, with over 22 years of experience working with top consulting firms like Atos Consulting and PwC. Ernesto also delivers Leadership Development and Management Training programs in partnership with edoMidas, a renowned management consultancy.If you dream of taking the plunge yourself, you can get a good start with help from Swoop Funding! Learn more about Swoop here 👉 https://app.swoopfunding.com/stage

Ciaran and his guest of this episode, female founder Emma Thompson, talk about the processes of becoming a beekeeper, how to make a business from a hobby and many more bee-related topics. Follow Ciaran and Thompson down the rabbit holes of beekeeping and Emma's story of how she started her business Bee Haven Body Care, a body care brand selling products made with Emma's own honey.

This episode, Ciaran Burke gets to interview female entrepreneur and business owner Deidre Mc Gettrick. Deidre, or "Dee" as Ciaran calls her, is the founder and CEO of the furniture and furnishing retail website ufurnish.com. The idea behind ufurnish.com is to bring furniture from every possible retailer and manufacturer together, to make the furniture-buying journey easier for the customer. She shares her journey, from idea to successful business, so listen closely because you can definitely learn something.

In this edition of 'Take The Plunge', our own Ciaran Burke interviews renowned British businesswoman Sháá Wasmund MBE, delving into her many past ventures and experiences. What Wasmund is, is hard to explain as she has been a boxing manager, a business owner and an author, but most of all she is headstrong and ambitious. Through her many years of working, from when she was barely 20 to today, she has stayed determined and keeps working to better herself and the industry.

In this episode, Ciaran meets Pamela Laird a renowned entrepreneur and the creative force behind MoxiLoves, a thriving beauty and lifestyle brand that has taken the industry by storm. With her keen business acumen and unwavering determination, Pamela has built an empire from the ground up, providing invaluable guidance to aspiring business owners and anyone seeking inspiration to pursue their dreams of owning a business.

This week Ciaran met with the co-founder of LABELL-D, Julia Vendramin. Julia discusses her long spanning career in fashion and her learnings from starting her own sustainable fashion business. This episode is packed with insights on starting and scaling your own business as well as defining your brand identity. 

In this week's episode of 'Take the plunge' Swoop Founder Ciaran Burke is speaking to Inverse Funding Founder Jamie Harford. Find out how Jamie went from running a healthy fast food business in 2012 to being responsible for 20% of funding raises in Europe (2020).