From Street Food Store to Multi-Award Winning Restaurant - Saran Raj

From Street Food Store to Multi-Award Winning Restaurant - Saran Raj

In this episode, we sit down with Saran from Katana Restaurant in Peterborough to explore the story behind one of the city’s most distinctive dining destinations. With a family history in food spanning more than 50 years, Saran brings together deep hospitality experience, international training and a genuine passion for creating memorable restaurant experiences. From working in restaurants and hotels across France, Italy, the United States, New Delhi, New York and Mayfair, to helping shape Katana’s Indian and Japanese dining concept in Peterborough, this conversation gives a fascinating look into what it really takes to build a restaurant with ambition, standards and soul. Katana is not just another restaurant. It is a 200 cover venue offering Indian cuisine, Japanese teppanyaki, sushi, cocktails, Sunday roasts, private dining, group menus, live music, monthly nightclub events and cultural food festivals. Saran talks openly about the challenge of bringing a higher quality restaurant experience to a city that relies heavily on local support rather than tourism, and why creating something affordable, memorable and consistent matters so much.

From A Salary In An Office To A Thriving Business - Kate Willett

In this episode, Adam and Jon sit down with Kate, founder of Chequered Fox, to explore the story behind a specialist fit out business supporting nurseries, schools and offices. Kate shares how her competitive nature has shaped her approach to both personal and professional growth. Rather than surrounding herself with people who think and work in exactly the same way, she has learned to build relationships with people who bring different strengths, perspectives and qualities to the table. Chequered Fox began with Kate drawing on her experience in childcare and her understanding of the early years curriculum, she recognised an opportunity to provide nurseries with carefully selected furniture, equipment and learning resources that genuinely support children, practitioners and the spaces they use every day. Kate explains how her childcare background gives Chequered Fox an important advantage. She understands that nursery furniture and educational products must do more than simply look attractive. They need to be practical, safe, durable and suitable for the way early years environments operate. Sustainability and longevity are also central to the business. Chequered Fox focuses on supplying high quality products that are designed to last, helping clients create better environments while reducing the need for constant replacement.

The Goal Setting Process That Changes Your Life - A Masterclass with Lucia

In this episode, we sit down with Lucia to explore the often overlooked gap between career success and genuine happiness. Many people spend years chasing development, promotions, job titles and the next step on the corporate ladder, only to realise that progression does not always equal fulfilment. Lucia specialises in career happiness coaching, helping people understand what they truly want, why they may feel misaligned and how to build a working life that feels more meaningful, balanced and personally rewarding. Lucia shares her experience working with individuals, universities, entertainment companies and businesses, supporting people who may appear successful on the outside but feel disconnected from what actually makes them happy. She explains how societal pressure, comparison and a lack of self awareness can lead people to pursue goals that are not truly their own. A major theme of the conversation is presence. Lucia discusses the importance of mindfulness, being in the right moment and using practical tools to support wellbeing. From improving sleep routines and setting realistic personal goals, to sharing goals for accountability, this episode explores how small changes can have a powerful impact on happiness and emotional balance.

Sometimes It's Just About Being Happy - Leslie Hughes

In this episode, we sit down with Leslie Hughes to explore the deeply personal story behind Renegade, a mindset and personal development programme created to help people overcome adversity, unlock potential and build their own version of success. Leslie speaks openly about her own journey, including a fractured family background, abuse and the difficult decisions she faced as a young mother. At one point, she considered adoption for her son because of the circumstances around the other parent, but ultimately chose to raise him herself. That decision became a defining moment in her life, giving her the determination to break the cycle she had experienced and create a better future for both herself and her child. Now, with her son aged 21 and their relationship stronger than ever, Leslie reflects on the choices, resilience and mindset that helped shape their lives. Her story is not only about survival, but about growth, responsibility and the power of deciding that your past does not have to define your future.

How Aviation PR Helps Brands Reach Airlines and Industry Decision Makers - Maryann Simson

In this episode, Adam and Jon sit down with Maryann, founder of Jetway Communications, to explore the specialist world of aviation public relations, airline technology and international business communications. Jetway Communications is a boutique aviation PR firm that helps companies communicate with airline executives, industry decision makers and the wider aviation market. Rather than trying to serve every sector, Maryann and her team concentrate specifically on aviation, allowing them to understand the terminology, publications, personalities and commercial pressures that shape the industry. Maryann founded Jetway Communications around 10 years ago, although her career in aviation began in 2008 when she joined a magazine focused on airline catering as an advertising salesperson. That early role introduced her to the aviation community and gave her an understanding of how companies reach airline buyers through media, events, editorial coverage and industry relationships.