Business Class

What does it really take to build a global business?
This week on Business Class, Vicky is joined by Colette Laxton, co-founder of The INKEY List, for one of the most honest conversations yet about what happens behind the scenes of building a huge business.
Colette shares how The INKEY List went from an idea between two people to a global skincare brand, launching in 2018 and rapidly expanding into retailers including Sephora, Boots and Cult Beauty.
But this isn't a polished founder success story.
Colette opens up about the realities of scaling incredibly quickly, cash-flow problems, having to raise investment, the pressure of running a business across multiple countries and the decisions that nearly overwhelmed the company.
She also talks candidly about COVID, when The INKEY List had hundreds of thousands of pounds tied up in Sephora stores just as they closed globally and how the company went from fearing it might not survive to tripling its growth during lockdown.
The conversation then gets into the realities of leading a 100+ person team, making difficult decisions about employees, company culture, people-pleasing, being underestimated as a woman in business and learning to trust your own judgement.
Colette also shares her experience of burnout, the pressure of constant growth and how her definition of success has completely changed. Instead of chasing bigger and bigger numbers, she now talks about sustainable growth, balance and actually enjoying the business she has built.
If you're a founder, entrepreneur or business owner who has ever wondered whether everyone else has it more together than you do, this episode is a must-listen.
In this episode:
• How The INKEY List was created
• Turning a clear business “why” into a global brand
• Going from idea to launch in just 18 weeks
• The reality of scaling too quickly
• Cash flow and the hidden costs of rapid growth
• What COVID really looked like behind the scenes
• How The INKEY List survived and then grew during lockdown
• Building and managing a 100+ person team
• Leadership mistakes and lessons
• Company culture and understanding what employees actually value
• Being a woman in business and feeling underestimated
• Imposter syndrome and learning to trust yourself
• Burnout and the pressure of constant growth
• Redefining what success means
• Why sustainable growth matters more than endless growth
This episode is kindly sponsored by Omnisend.
Omnisend is an email marketing platform used by Vicky in her own business. If you've outgrown your current email marketing tools but the thought of migrating feels overwhelming, Omnisend handles the migration for you.
Use code VICKY for 30% off your first three months.
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Produced by TAEPodcast www.taepodcast.co.uk

How do you actually get your business back on track when you’ve lost a bit of momentum?
In this episode of Business Class, Vicky is getting brutally honest about how to lock the fuck in for the rest of 2026 and taking you through the exact business reset she’s using to get herself, her team and her business focused again.
From setting SMART goals and auditing your business to reviewing your finances, productivity, sales, ideal customer profile and personal life, this episode is essentially a full end-of-year business audit you can do alongside her.
Vicky shares the questions she asks herself (and her team) to work out what’s going well, what isn’t, what’s been put off and what needs to change, plus plenty of honest admissions about her own productivity, finances, competitors, sales process and business blind spots.
Inside the episode:
• How to set SMART goals for the final three months of the year
• Why you keep putting things off and how to create your own leverage
• How to do a bird’s-eye-view audit of your entire business
• The importance of reviewing your finances, team and offers
• How to create a bank of testimonials and positive customer feedback
• The seven areas of life every business owner should assess
• Productivity tips including time blocking, traffic-light lists and the Circle Method
• How to identify your ideal customer profile (ICP)
• Questions to ask about your offer, competitors, pain points and positioning
• How to review your current sales systems and customer acquisition
• Why your first DM or email can make or break an outreach opportunity
• Using the AIDA framework for better sales and outreach
• How to build a database of people you meet and potential leads
• Why stepping back and auditing your business can reignite motivation
Plus, Vicky talks about recovering from the intensity of preparing for her TED Talk, her recent Forbes 30 Under 30 achievement, the realities of running a growing business, and why sometimes being too comfortable can actually leave you feeling stuck.
This is your sign to stop winging it, grab a notebook and spend a few hours properly looking at where your business is right now and where you want it to go next.
This episode is sponsored by Omnisend. Vicky uses Omnisend for email marketing, and in this episode she talks about making the switch easier by letting Omnisend handle the migration process. 
Use code VICKY for 30% off your first three months.
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, freelancer or ambitious professional who needs a reset before the end of the year, this one is for you.
Send us Fan Mail
Produced by TAEPodcast www.taepodcast.co.uk

What happens when ambition, business and everyday stress start taking a toll on your health?
In this episode of Business Class, we’re joined by Zoe Jane Hindle, functional wellness coach, practitioner, speaker and hormone educator, for a honest and practical conversation about burnout, women’s health, hormones, cortisol, fertility, gut health and nervous system regulation.
Zoe shares her own journey from a demanding corporate career and severe burnout to building a business helping women better understand and support their health. We explore why so many ambitious women and business owners feel constantly exhausted, overwhelmed and stuck in survival mode, and what we can realistically do about it.
We chat about:
The early warning signs of burnout that business owners shouldn’t ignore
How chronic stress and cortisol can affect the body
Why you can feel calm mentally but still have a physical stress response
Nervous system regulation and simple ways to feel more grounded
Women’s hormones, PMDD, menstrual cycles and fertility
Why stress can affect energy, periods, gut health and overall wellbeing
Supplements, minerals, B vitamins and why they aren’t a replacement for the basics
Ultra-processed food, blood sugar and making healthier choices when you’re busy
Small, realistic habits that support your health without adding more pressure
Why successful businesses can still come with overwhelming stress
Protecting your energy, setting boundaries and avoiding “busy girl syndrome”
How to stay ambitious without sacrificing your health
This episode is for anyone who feels like they’re constantly running on empty, especially female business owners, founders, entrepreneurs and ambitious women trying to balance work, health and everyday life.
Expect honest conversations, practical advice and plenty of reminders that you don’t have to do everything all at once.
Please note: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
Find Zoe @zoejanehindle 
Find Vicky @vickyowens 
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Produced by TAEPodcast www.taepodcast.co.uk

What if the biggest thing holding you back in business isn't your business at all… but your own mind?
In this solo episode of Business Class, Vicky shares some of the biggest lessons she's been learning through therapy and mindset training, from dealing with other people's opinions and the pressure of being perceived, to managing anxiety, people-pleasing and the stories we create in our own heads.
Vicky talks about why your brain isn't always telling you the truth, how to tell the difference between anxiety and your internal alarm system, and why sometimes you have to go through fear rather than around it.
She also explores the idea of becoming your own safe space, separating fact from fiction, understanding your values, and the difference between making decisions for your ego versus making decisions for your soul.
It's a very honest, very Vicky episode packed with the mindset lessons and practical techniques she's been using in her own life and the things she's finding genuinely helpful as a business owner.
If you're a recovering people pleaser, an over thinker, someone who struggles with anxiety, or simply someone who puts far too much pressure on themselves, this one's for you.
Because ultimately, the question isn't "What does everyone else think of me?"
It's "Who am I when nobody else is watching?"
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Produced by TAEPodcast www.taepodcast.co.uk

How do you take a business from an idea to a brand stocked internationally, with thousands of customers and a growing team?
This week on Business Class, Vicky sits down with Suzanne Cooper, founder of Glowwa, for an incredibly honest conversation about what really happens when your business starts to grow.
Suzanne shares the journey behind building her supplement brand, from creating the idea after struggling with her own hair and skin concerns to developing a product, launching the business and scaling it far beyond those early days.
But this episode isn't just about the success.
They talk about the pressure that comes with growth, building and managing a bigger team, stepping outside of your comfort zone, comparing yourself to other people and navigating the parts of business that don't always look as glamorous from the outside.
If you're in the middle of building something, dreaming of scaling or wondering whether success actually makes business easier, this is a refreshingly honest conversation you won't want to miss.
Follow Business Class for more honest conversations with the people behind brilliant businesses. Sharing the ups, the downs and everything in between.
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Produced by TAEPodcast www.taepodcast.co.uk