Growing Further

S3 E1 | Vicky Finlay - Building The MenoPal: Transforming Menopause Through Technology

In this episode, David speaks with Vicky Finlay, founder of The MenoPal, a platform aiming to transform how women navigate menopause and hormonal health through data, technology, and personalised support.Vicky shares her journey from computer teacher to fashion entrepreneur to building a health-tech company focused on closing one of the biggest gaps in healthcare: women’s health data. She explains why menopause remains misunderstood, how hormone loss impacts everything from mental clarity to long-term health, and why existing healthcare systems still leave many women without answers.They also discuss the future of health tracking, wearable technology, and how The MenoPal is building a global infrastructure for menopause health data — helping women better understand their symptoms, treatments, and overall wellbeing.It’s a conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, innovation, and building technology that has the potential to improve millions of lives.#GrowingFurther #Menopause #WomensHealth #HealthTech #FemTech #HormonalHealth #StartupFounder #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #Innovation #HealthcareInnovation #FounderStory #Podcast #BusinessPodcast #WomenFounders #DigitalHealth #HealthInnovation #TechForGood

S2 E8 - Jack Stenson – Why fear-based decision-making holds founders back

In this episode, David speaks with Jack Stenson, Founder of Charrlie. Having built a platform that supports high-stakes innovation and investment decisions, Jack brings a unique perspective on navigating uncertainty, making smart choices without perfect information, and scaling a business from the ground up.He shares the realities of entrepreneurship, from why everything takes longer and is harder than expected in the early stages to how founders can stay focused on solving the problems that truly move their business forward.Jack also discusses the role of risk in building a company, why fear-based decision-making can hold founders back, and the importance of maintaining ownership over key decisions while navigating complex challenges.It’s a conversation about resilience, focus, and learning how to build a business step by step with a long-term mindset.

S2 E7 | Bill Cogan - The Startup Lawyer’s Playbook

In this episode, David speaks with Bill Cogan, founder of Seven Legal, a law firm designed specifically for startups raising capital and scaling fast. Bill breaks down the legal parts of fundraising that can quietly cost founders later, from term sheets and investor protections to key clauses that shape control, dilution, and exit outcomes. He shares how to approach a funding round without slowing it down, what “market” actually looks like in practice, and why getting the structure right early makes everything easier as the company grows. They also discuss Seven Legal’s model, giving founders direct access to experienced lawyers who have handled hundreds of funding rounds, alongside flexible general counsel support for companies not yet ready for a full-time Head of Legal. It’s a conversation about raising smarter, scaling faster, and building a company that is structured to win long term.

S2 E4 | Ankita Vijayvergiya - Building BillionCarbon, the Startup Tackling Food Waste at Scale

In this episode David speaks with Ankita Vijayvergiya, CEO and co-founder of BillionCarbon, the startup developing food waste processing technology that turns waste into nutrient-rich outputs and lowers carbon emissions at scale.Ankita explains why food waste is one of the biggest and most overlooked climate problems.They talk about moving from consulting into building hardware, why many food waste solutions fail to scale, and what it takes to turn a climate problem into a commercially viable company.

S2 E5 | Banór — From Farmyards to Skincare Aisles

How do you turn sheep milk into a premium skincare brand? 🐑🧴 In this episode of the Growing Further Podcast, Nicola and Elaine share the journey behind Banór, an Irish skincare brand born from farming roots and pharmaceutical science. They talk openly about the two year research process, manufacturing setbacks, building during Covid, and why proof matters more than hype. You’ll hear how independent lab testing validated their products, how customer feedback shaped new launches, and what it takes to prepare a brand for global markets. A powerful conversation about patience, resilience, and building something different in a crowded industry 🌿🔬 Subscribe for more founder stories and real startup lessons. ---- Our website: growingfurther.io [http://growingfurther.io] and follow us on Instagram @growingfurther.io [http://growingfurther.io] #Podcast #FounderStory #Entrepreneurship #SkincareIndustry #StartupJourney #IrishBrands #Innovation #BusinessPodcast #GrowingFurther