What It Takes with Olly Fawcett

Olly Fawcett
What does it take to build something? What does building something take from you? In this podcast, we speak with the founders and owners of some of the most incredible brands and businesses to find out the truth about what it takes to build a brand from the ground up, and as founders what going through that process teaches you.
Olly Fawcett is the founder of 303, a creative performance marketing agency working with premium brands. Over the last 10 years, he has spent time inside some amazing brands as they have grown and now is sharing those insights through What It Takes.

All Episodes

Laura is currently launching Monk, a revolutionary ice bath brand which as been in development for over 2 years. But this isn't Laura's first business, she has not only already sold a brand she started, but also been through the high AND lows of building something from scratch. Follow Laura & Monk: https://www.instagram.com/laurafullerton/ https://www.instagram.com/discovermonk/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:02:15 Mastering the Flow State 00:07:40 Account Executive Insights 00:09:15 Sink or Swim 00:14:90 Creative Director's Journey00:29:20 Entrepreneurship Challenges: Losing Friends While Building a Business 00:33:30 Building Laura's First Brand 00:36:10 Life Under NDA 00:42:25 Leaving Corporate Life for Entrepreneurial Passion 00:48:20 Cold Water Therapy Benefits: Enhancing Health and Wellness 00:53:00 Biohacking Explained00:58:32 Cold Water Immersion: Combating Anxiety and Depression Naturally 01:06:58 Branding Strategy 01:16:04 MONK Product Launch 01:19:00 Brewdog Founder James Watt's Mentorship 01:24:20 Stress Management: Effective Coping Mechanisms for Entrepreneurs 01:27:00 Training Your Body to Handle Pressure 01:28:02 Exit Strategy: Building a Business with the End in Mind

Jul 21

1 hr 31 min

He was once almost about to be the new face of Versace, but then he became the face of M&S! Chris Baber has grafted his was into many amazing opportunities with the food world over the last few years, from winning TV show Yes Chef to working with Aston Martin on incredible projects. Chris has done it all, but how does a passionate home chef make it to the main stages? Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisbaber?igsh=NzN6bmVzanowNm5t https://www.tiktok.com/@chris_baber?_t=8nzl6p3VQiu&_r=1 Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ Listen Here: 01:38 "Recognising What You Have Before It's Gone" 03:45 Balancing Career Path 04:45 Entrepreneurial From a Young Age 07:00 Self-Startup Culture 09:50 Business Ventures During A-Levels 13:09 Nearly Becoming the Face of Versace 16:06 Sharing Recipes Online and Building a Following 18:00 TV Debut: Being Invited to Compete on 'Yes Chef' 22:05 Relocating to London to Work In Mayfair 25:58 Overcoming Challenges in Professional Kitchens: A Chef's Perspective 29:35 Building an Online Community 34:30 Networking in the Food Industry: Meeting M&S Director 37:30 Working Relationship with Marks & Spencer 41:50 Networking for Success & The Power of Connections 44:30 Developing a Unique Chef Identity 50:15 Celebrity Chef Partnerships: Collaborating with Hexclad Cookware 53:57 When a Product Sells Itself 55:20 What Drives a Successful Chef 56:31 What It Takes to Be a Thriving Chef

Jul 14

58 min 51 sec

We all have ideas of what life would be like following the world's biggest artists on the road as they tour for months on end. Zak had just that experience when he followed his childhood best friend Ed Sheeran as he travelled with his show, but why did Zak give this up and start a canned wine brand? Follow Zak & Vinca: https://www.instagram.com/vincawine/ https://www.instagram.com/zakarywalters/ https://vincawine.com Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:00 Introduction 03:35 Creative Upbringing 05:30 Smirnoff Ice Campaign 08:50 Working in New York 10:45 Narrative in Branding 13:00 Ed Sheeran Tour 14:40 Quitting 9-5 to Pursue Passion Projects 17:00 On Tour Atmosphere 19:45 BTS of a Global Superstar 20:18 Work Ethic 22:12 Sacrifices Made During Tour Life 24:16 Working With Lewis Capaldi 25:45 "How I'm Feeling Now" Documentary 26:40 Documenting the Journey 28:05 Niall Horan's Tour 00:31:14 Canned Wine Concept 00:34:30 Investors for Startup 00:37:30 Vineyard Relationships 00:40:00 Canned Wine Market Growth 00:40:35 What Makes a Wine Organic? 00:42:50 Sicilian Wine 00:43:40 Founder's Struggles 00:48:40 Ed Sheeran Album Art Design 00:57:15 Navigating Distribution Channels 00:59:25 British Airways Launch 01:02:10 West London Wine Bars 01:09:15 What Does It Take to Build a Brand?

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May 26

1 hr 11 min

Toby Hoppy has been behind the scenes of some amazing brands as they have grown in their respective industries. From Trip Drinks to Patch Plants, Toby's experiences within these brands and the skyrocket in their online growth gave him the insights and learnings to now be driving the growth of All Things Butter. Follow Toby & All Things Butter: https://www.instagram.com/allthingsbutter__/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-hoppy-32a4b367/ https://allthingsbutter.co.uk Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ Listen Here: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:40 Growing up in an entrepreneurial family 00:03:30 Pursuing entrepreneurship for freedom 00:08:50 Developing a strong work ethic from a young age 00:11:20 Reflections on the university experience 00:18:40 Going into business with friends 00:23:00 First job at AO.com 00:31:30 Gaining experience across different businesses 00:39:02 Working with marketing agencies 00:41:02 Approaches to career development 00:53:08 Aspiring for the next career level 00:57:55 Navigating a 95% overnight revenue loss 01:06:45 Building confidence in a role 01:10:00 Joining TRIP in its early days 01:14:36 Partnering with Thomas Straker 01:18:00 Raising Capital for Strakers restaurant in Notting Hill 01:20:40 Creating viral food content on social media 01:22:40 Chilli butter mussel flatbread dish 01:26:25 Balancing consistency and creativity in content 01:28:16 Gaining 1.5 million TikTok followers 01:34:45 Decline of veganism as a trend 01:39:40 Selling butter products online 01:48:02 Overcoming imposter syndrome 01:50:50 Operating a low-margin business 01:54:06 Educating consumers on quality ingredients 01:57:00 The importance of patience in your career journey

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May 19

1 hr 58 min

The UK is now fully addicted to running, and at the heart of it is Runna. The Running coaching app is taking users from being unable to run a few miles, to completing marathons around the world. It's not a surprise that Co-Founder Ben Parker, has not only completed & been a part of some incredible running achievements, but he has also an amazing passion for helping users reach their goals week in and week out. After only 3 years of the business being around, what has it taken to get to this stage? Where did the concept come from? Let's find out. Follow Ben & Runna: https://www.instagram.com/runna_coach/ https://www.instagram.com/benparkerfitness/ www.runna.com Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:00 Introduction 01:33 Excelling in Academia at Oxford University 04:31 Progress in the Gym 05:49 Career in Fitness 07:16 Finding Purpose in Fitness 09:05 Conventional Career Path 10:45 Final Year of University 11:34 Being Out of Your Comfort Zone 15:40 Get Better at Ironman, Running and Cycling 16:20 Addicted to Getting Better at Things 18:18 Running Journey 18:55 Started the Love of Running 21:00 Training for an Ironman 26:38 The First Ironman 31:00 Gym Membership's Don't Work 34:55 What Progress Means 39:51 Getting the First Online Client 40:25 London Marathon 2024 at Redbull 42:20 London Based Running Coach 42:50 7 Marathons in 7 Days 47:50 From 0 Subscribers to 100,000 in 80 Countries 49:56 Raising Capital 54:15 Building 'the App' 1:00:15 Run Buddy to Runna Rebranding 1:02:50 Getting the Trademark 1:07:36 Opening an Office 1:10:42 Building a Team 1:13:00 Sitting at a Desk All Day 1:14:23 Making the Best App Possible 1:22:00 Saying No To Money 1:23:30 Raising 5 Million Pounds 1:26:45 Addicted to Work 1:29:00 Working for Runna 1:30:38 The Future of Runna 1:33:10 Building the Best Coaching App 1:34:30 Strava Statistics 1:35:00 What Does It Take to Build an App Like Runna

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May 5

1 hr 37 min

After starting and selling her first business, Lucy Busk went on to work with some of the most exciting new brands within the food & beverage space. Consulting them on how to grow their revenue through sales effectively and quickly. She wanted to get back to being a founder, partnering with her now Co-Founder Jeremy, she is now building NICE, a wine brand with a difference. But what is the biggest driver of their current success? Follow Lucy & Nice: https://www.instagram.com/drinknice/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-busk-wright-52966086/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ Listen Here: 00:00 Introduction 02:48 Life growing up 04:05 Work experience 06:00 Interior design idea 07:30 Lessons from selling a business 09:05 Excitement and challenges of starting up 12:29 Embracing entrepreneurship 14:00 Leveraging consultancy experience 14:30 Building trust for business success 18:34 Perseverance in business 19:40 Resilience as a founder 21:00 Disrupting the wine sector 24:10 Co-Founders shared vision and skills 33:50 Innovative marketing strategies for growth 38:00 Connecting with your audience 41:58 Effective marketing for entrepreneurs 45:00 Turning "No" into opportunities 51:15 Navigating UK Retail 52:05 Identifying top sales talent 56:10 Hustle culture 57:30 Company values foundation of strong business 01:01:10 Importance of cultural fit 01:04:29 Creating your own luck as a founder 01:05:00 Balancing entrepreneurship and parenthood 01:08:00 What does it take to be a founder?

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Apr 28

1 hr 8 min

Leaving the security of a 9-5 can be scary, but doing it with only a small idea of what you might do with no real concept, name or starting place can be an even bigger jump. For Tom, starting El Rayo with his Co-Founder Jack, was just that. A massive jump from the corporate world into starting a brand new business with limited experience. Did the gamble pay off? What did it take? Follow Tom & El Rayo: https://www.instagram.com/elrayotequila/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-bishop-843111a3/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/https://www.tiktok.com/@ollyfawcett303?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/ 00:00 - Intro 01:19 - The city broker 02:48 - Risks of leaving a job prematurely 04:30 - From idea to reality 05:30 - Co-Founder dynamics 07:58 - Startup beginnings 08:20 - Essential advice for startups 09:10 - TEQUILA11:20 - 5-Star Hotels in London 12:35 - E-Commerce strategies 13:55 - Cultural influence on business 16:00 - Sombreros & cactus 16:58 - London’s agency scene 18:21 - Defining your brand in the market 23:00 - Hustling 28:58 - Engaging your audience 34:20 - Luck in entrepreneurship 39:01 - Establishing a strong identity 43:08 - Raising capital 50:42 - 818 Tequila and Kendall Jenner 56:00 - Brand building essentials

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Apr 21

57 min 9 sec

Moth Drinks has seen some incredible growth over the last few years, going from 1 listing in the UK with two founders making the product by hand to a team of 30 with national distribution. Rob, Co-Founder of Moth believes this isn't just down to hard work, luck and timing but most importantly building a company culture that the team want to be a part of every day. Follow Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8D%B8-rob-wallis-162801113/ Follow Moth:https://mothdrinks.com/https://www.instagram.com/mothdrinks/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/olly-fawcett-668566177/

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Apr 7

1 hr 2 min

It's no secret that it's hard to have a successful career within the art industry, but what does it really take to be a world-renowned artist? Marine Tanguy has worked in the industry for over 15 years, working with some of the best talent within the space, at the highest level. She speaks about her own struggles to make it in the industry, and also how the landscape of art is changing, as well as some of the business challenges she has been through. Marine's Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Visual-Detox-Consume-Without-Letting/dp/1529912644 Follow Marine: https://www.instagram.com/marinetanguyart/ Follow Olly: https://www.instagram.com/olly.303/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4in_oxnotmfhxc54pfB-GQ

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Mar 31

1 hr 15 min

Imagine your life as an addict from 12-15 years old, then going sober for three years, and then relapsing at 19, and then building a global brand at 22 with your two best friends, that gets investment from The Sidemen, Dave, & Ricky Gervais. Well, that has been Josh's life, and even after everything he has been through he is here today to tell his story, and truly prove, that if you just keep going, you have a chance of making it to where you want to be. 00:00 Intro 01:42 Josh's Early Years 04:00 Being Lost As A Child 07:24 Dealing With ADHD 10:47 Drinking at 12 years old 19:00 Building Resilience 20:23 How Bad The Addiction Got 22:50 Life In Rehab 26:20 Relapsing 29:17 Changing For The Better 30:54 Starting His First Company 34:08 Lifestyle At 19 36:00 Building The 1st Business 43:38 Trying To Help Others 49:28 The Birth of CanO Water 53:33 Solving Issues In The Early Days 01:01:50 Gaining Investment from Celebrities 01:04:20 Having Celebrities Endorsements 01:08:03 Dealing With Rejection 01:14:33 COVID Almost Destroying The Business 01:18:45 What It Takes To Build Brand 01:21:25 Closing Thoughts. Follow Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh_white1/?hl=en Follow CanO Water: https://www.instagram.com/canowater/?hl=en

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Mar 3

1 hr 23 min

Building a brand from £0 to £24 Million is not a simple process, however, THIS has managed to achieve it in just 4 years. But with achievements like this, the journey can't be smooth sailing. In this episode of WIT, Co-Founder Andy Shovel tells us his personal journey to get to this point and some of the reasons why THIS is currently outperforming its competitors. 00:00 - Intro 01:32 - Andy's Early Years 03:50 - Being Diagnosed With Autism 05:36 - Andy's First Business Idea 07:14 - The First Business 09:00 - Working In McDonald's 12:12 - Why Chosen Bun Worked 14:48 - Meeting The Deliveroo Founder 16:30 - Finding Problems To Solve 21:46 - Almost Starting A Medical Business 24:44. - Going From Meat to No Meat 27:17 - Why Do You Need A Co-Founder? 30:08 - THIS Product Development 31:20 - Going from £0 - £20 Million 33:33 - Getting The First Retailer 35:51 - What's Not Working In The Category 38:35 - THIS Approach To Marketing 41:45 - The Stunt That Went Wrong 47:18 - Stepping Down As CEO 50:22 - Learnings From The Journey 53:18 - What It Takes To Build Brands 54:53 - The Future Follow Andy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-shovel-92533414/ Follow THIS: https://www.instagram.com/this.uk/

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Feb 18

58 min 15 sec

In just 2 years, Quarter has gone from being a brand new brand, in a brand new sector, to now being stocked in some of London's hottest locations. Co-Founder Rohan tells us how it all happened, and the strategy to start building a new sector. 00:00 Intro 00:43 Early Beginnings 02:31 Rohan First Business03:00 How Quarter Started 06:14 Did you want to be a founder? 08:00 Is being A Founder What You Thought it Would Be? 11:55 What Do Brands Get Wrong? 14:45 Do You Need A Co-Founder? 19:40 The Mission For Quarter 21:57 Thoughts On The No/Low Market 28:14 Binge Drinking Culture 30:00 How To Stand Out In A Busy Space 33:33 Winning The Biggest Stockist 37:18 Revenue Focus Split 40:22 Behind The Scenes On Dragons Den 50:41 Crazy Growth From Dragons Den 53:33 Low Moments Building Quarter 55:15 Keeping Team Lean 57:17 The Future for Quarter Follow Quarter: https://www.instagram.com/quarterproof/?hl=en Watch: https://youtu.be/2pGvUvODwkY

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Feb 4

1 hr 1 min