The Smarter Podcast with Emily Austen

Today’s guest has spent the last decade shaping one of London’s most iconic cultural brands into something bigger than nightlife. Caitlin McAllister is the Managing Director of Ministry, where she’s helped transform the business from a legendary nightclub and record label into a multifaceted empire spanning shared workspaces, wellness, global touring, publishing, and even fragrance.With a background in live events and a passion for creating experiences that feel human first, Caitlin’s career is a testament to the power of hospitality, community, and relentless high standards. From launching The Ministry workspace to overseeing weddings, fitness raves, and international tours, she’s driven by the belief that if you’re going to do something, you should do it brilliantly.In this conversation, we talk about leadership, resilience, and why knowing when to push and when to let go is the real skill of building a career that lasts.Here’s Caitlin McAllister—let’s get into it.

Today’s guest is someone who truly embodies what it means to juggle it all with grit and grace. Erin Dana Lichy was selling real estate developments in New York before she turned 23, went to grad school at NYU for sustainable development, and then threw herself into entrepreneurship—learning the hard way when her first business failed, but using that experience as her “real business school.”Fast forward to today: Erin is a powerhouse. She’s a mom of four, a cast member on The Real Housewives of New York City, the co-founder of a mezcal brand born out of her love for Tulum, and now the author of a beautiful new book that blends her family traditions, entertaining, and food into something inspiring and accessible.In this conversation, she shares her lessons on resilience, building businesses from scratch, balancing motherhood and ambition, and why trusting your gut is the smartest move you can make.This is a story of hustle, reinvention, and doing it all on your own terms. Here’s Erin Dana Lichy—let’s get into it.

Today’s guest is Jodie Harrison – founder of brand consultancy Fell and Scar, and now Chief Brand Officer at Rapha. Before that, she held senior roles at Belstaff, shaping the identity of some of fashion’s most distinctive brands. In this episode, we talk about what it really means to build a brand with soul, the power of emotional storytelling, and the bold decisions that come with stepping away from something that looks perfect on paper. Jodie’s sharp, self-aware, and unfiltered – this one’s for anyone who’s ever wondered what happens when you stop following the expected path and start backing yourself instead.

Today’s guest is Alessia Pasin – Managing Director at Huishan Zhang, one of London’s most exciting luxury fashion houses. In this episode, we talk about her journey from corporate consulting to high fashion, the realities of leading a global brand, and how she balances business strategy with creativity. Alessia shares what it’s really like behind the scenes of a luxury label, the power of intuition in leadership, what she’s learned from motherhood, and why she’s not afraid to do things differently. She’s smart, candid, and full of insights for anyone navigating their own career leap.

Today’s guest is chef Kate Austen – the winner of The Great British Menu 2024, and someone who knows a thing or two about pressure. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to walk away from a steady job in pursuit of something bigger, the mental and physical toll of competing on national TV, and what happens when you go from working behind the scenes to suddenly being in the spotlight. Kate shares the reality of putting your entire career on the line for one main course, how she handled the highs and lows of the process, and what’s next after such a defining moment. She’s also my sister – which means I’ve been taste-testing her experiments long before the judges did.Our sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off with code SMARTER.

Today’s guest is someone who truly redefined the fitness accessories space. Natalie Holloway is the co-founder of Bala, the brand that turned ankle weights into must-have wellness accessories and became a global movement along the way. After burning out in advertising, Natalie and her husband Max swapped agency life for a sabbatical – and ended up creating one of the most design-forward, purpose-driven fitness brands out there. From bootstrapping and shipping Shark Tank orders by hand, to navigating wild growth, burnout, and building a business with three kids under four – Natalie’s story is as inspiring as it is honest. This one’s for anyone who’s ever Googled 'how to find a factory' at 2am.

Today’s guest is one of those people who makes you sit up, take notes, and seriously question why we’re still doing things the way we are.Tash Grossman is the founder and CEO of Slip, the B2B startup transforming dull, forgettable digital receipts into powerful post-purchase marketing tools. She's a former management consultant who swapped client decks for startup chaos—and did it with the clarity of someone who lives her life on a Google spreadsheet.In this episode, we talk about everything from what inspired the business (hint: it involves a Zara return gone wrong) to the emotional toll of fundraising, hiring, and being a 20-something female founder in a room full of older white men called Paul. Tash shares how she built Slip from a bold idea into a scalable tech business, what she’s learned about leadership, and why she’s more afraid of failure than spiders, heights, or horror movies combined.We also get into the realities of hustle culture, the myth of balance, and why launching a startup young is both a blessing and a strategic advantage. Whether you're deep in founder life or just addicted to ambitious women rewriting the rules, this episode is full of unfiltered lessons, smart thinking, and one very relatable fear of morning sickness ruining a Series A.Our episode sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off with code SMARTER. 

This week’s guest is someone who understands that good marketing isn't just about campaigns—it’s about people. Jo McClintock is the VP of Brand & Marketing at Trainline, and one of the most commercially creative marketers working in tech today.From launching new customer segments at Screwfix in her early twenties to repositioning Moonpig as a modern gifting destination, Jo’s built her career by pairing data with deep human insight. She’s worked across travel, telco, and ecommerce—helping brands grow, reposition, or rebuild—always with an eye on what actually drives behaviour.In this conversation, Jo talks candidly about what it means to build people's trust, what most early-stage businesses get wrong about their customers, and why marketing is less about stunts—and more about substance. We also talk parenting, burnout, navigating wedding planning while running a team, and her refreshing take on building a career without a university degree.Jo is sharp, honest, and deeply insightful—and this episode is full of practical gold. Our sponsor this week is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off, with code SMARTER.

Today’s episode is a deep dive into grit, gut instinct, and the kind of entrepreneurial vision that reshapes an entire industry.Vanita Parti launched Blink Brow Bar in 2004 — back when threading was virtually unheard of on the British high street, let alone in department stores. What started as a single chair tucked between lingerie rails in Fenwick has since become a nationwide brand, credited with bringing brows into the beauty conversation in a completely new way.We talk about everything from cultural shifts and copycats to customer loyalty and scaling with soul. Vanita shares what it was like to pitch an unproven idea, face rejection from big-name retailers — and then get those same calls back once word started to spread. We also get into the intensity of founder obsession, the reality of growing a service brand at scale, and why the post-pandemic world pushed her to rethink everything from store footprint to DTC.It’s a conversation about branding, bravery, and building something that lasts — and one that proves you don’t need to be first to everything, but you do need to do it differently.This episode sponsor is Happy Mammoth. Head to www.happymammoth.com for 15% off with code SMARTER.