40 Minute Mentor

Season 14 of 40 Minute Mentor has been one of our most special seasons yet, and in this short wrap-up episode, James reflects on the pocket-sized mentorship moments throughout this season and over the last 14 seasons.  In this season alone, we’ve had some incredible guests joining us, and we covered everything from Co-Founder dynamics, High Performance, the realities of hyper-growth, AI and the importance of diversity in leadership.  If you haven’t caught up on Season 14 yet, or you’re new to the podcast, make sure you dig through the archives of over 310 episodes.  In today’s episode, you’ll also find out more about what’s next for 40 Minute Mentor and how you can get even more involved and benefit from our pocket-sized mentorship  in 2026…. 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Subscribe to our 40 Minute Mentor emails ✨ Follow JBM on LinkedIn ✨ Subscribe to the 40 Minute Mentor YouTube channel 🎧 You may also like: Alex Depledge MBE on taking a Founder’s Mind into the Government & why the UK is a great place to scale Shimona Mehta on scaling Shopify Plus to $1B & transitioning into the CEO role at F11 Murvah Iqbal on scaling one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups and disruption a billion dollar industry with Hived  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to build and scale Startups in the UK, even when the odds feel stacked against you? Find out from today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Alex Depledge MBE, serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Resi, and Entrepreneurship Advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer - the first time an entrepreneur has ever sat at the heart of the UK Treasury. After co-founding Hassle.com and scaling it to £8m in revenue across four countries in just two years, Alex sold it for €32m and not long after decided to jump straight back into the Founder seat. This time with Resi, the UK’s largest residential architectural firm, using technology to help solve the country’s housing challenges through extensions and renovations. In today’s episode, Alex shares her journey from growing to building category-defining companies, why resilience and stoicism have shaped her leadership style, and why she believes the UK is brilliant at starting businesses, and we’re just about to see the next wave of change with doubling down on Scaleups.  📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ Building resilience early on [05:20] ➡️ Choosing yourself & changing the narrative [08:20]  ➡️ Why the UK is a great place for Startups [14:40]  ➡️ Going again and building Resi [16:50] ➡️ Inside the Treasury [24:10] ➡️ The biggest blockers for UK Scaleups [28:30] ➡️ What changed in the Budget & why it matters for Founders  [30:50] ➡️ The emotional cost of entrepreneurship [39:30] 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Alex ✨ Find out more about Resi ⭐ Enjoyed this episode? ⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also like: Talent Predictions for 2026: How to attract and hire the best talent in the year ahead with Amplified People Group’s Sophie Graci, Zach Rose, James Adams and Lisa Crane Behind The Doors Of Number 10 Downing Street with Sam Gyimah  Downing Street, Death Threats and DE&I with Baroness Oona King  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does the hiring landscape really look like for 2026, and how can founders attract and retain exceptional talent in a market that’s evolving faster than ever? Continuing on from Wednesday’s episode on People Predictions for 2026, James Mitra is joined by more Amplified People Group team members, Sophie Graci and Zach Rose from JBM, James Adams and Lisa Crane from Foundation Partners, to unpack the biggest shifts shaping the talent market heading into 2026. From the rise of player-coach leaders, to the renewed importance of human connection in an AI-enabled world, the team share their front-line insights on how founders can scale smarter, avoid costly hiring mistakes, and stand out to top candidates. They also dive deep into the growing role of fractional talent, why alignment and clarity are still the most underrated parts of hiring, and how candidates can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. If you're hiring in 2026, or gearing up for your next role, this conversation is full of practical and actionable advice. 📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ The biggest shifts in hiring throughout 2025 [03:20] ➡️ The most common hiring mistakes [07:30] ➡️ Employer brand & attracting the best talent [12:30] ➡️ Fractional hiring - and when it doesn’t work  [17:20] ➡️ Scaling in 2026: Advice for founders preparing to grow  [34:00] ➡️ How candidates can stand out in a competitive market [37:00] 🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Find out more about Foundation Partners ✨ Find out more about JBM ⭐ Enjoyed this episode? ⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also like: People Predictions for 2026: The Future of Leadership and High-Performing Teams with Amplified Group’s Sophie Matthews, Nat Falconer, Mikael Nilsson and Logan Black Alan Cairns on hiring in hyper-growth & a guide to culture and performance Neda Sahebelm & Carla Hoppe: How to make fractional hiring & careers work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does the year ahead really hold for leaders, founders and people teams? In this special 40 Minute Mentor roundtable, James Mitra is joined by Amplified Group’s people experts, Sophie Matthews, Nat Falconer and Mikael Nilsson from Foundation Partners, and Logan Black from Unleashed, to explore the biggest people and talent trends shaping 2026. From leaner organisations and the rise of fractional talent, to more focus on high-performing cultures, the team unpack what high performance will actually look like next year, and why middle managers may become the most influential layer in your organisation. If you’re looking to scale your team, embed new technology or simply want no-BS guidance on hiring and retaining top talent, then this episode is for you.  📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ The rise of leaner and more efficient teams [05:10] ➡️ AI hype vs reality [12:00]  ➡️ Defining high performance [25:45]  ➡️ The biggest people challenges heading into 2026 [31:00]  ➡️ What top candidates are really looking for [35:00]  ➡️ Bold people predictions for the year ahead [40:00]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Find out more about Foundation Partners ✨ Find out more about Unleashed ⭐Enjoyed this episode? ⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm  🎧 You may also like: Murvah Iqbal on scaling one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups and disruption a billion dollar industry with Hived Tamara Lohan MBE on scaling the iconic Mr & Mrs Smith travel brand from idea to exit  Andrew Richardson on building high-performing businesses & leadership teams with Amplified Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to build one of Europe’s fastest-growing startups in a legacy industry?  Find out from today’s 40 Minute Mentor, Murvah Iqbal, Co-Founder and CEO of Hived, the UK’s first customer-centric, all-electric, tech-enabled parcel delivery company designed for modern e-commerce. Long before raising a $42 million Series B and rolling out an 100% electric fleet across eight UK cities, Murvah was captaining Manchester City’s women’s youth team, running marketing for her family’s fast-food chain, and hustling entrepreneurial ideas.  Today, she leads a team transforming parcel delivery through world-class technology, operational excellence and a relentless belief that there had to be a better way. This episode is a masterclass in leadership grit, co-founder dynamics, building high-performing teams, and scaling a moonshot idea from two founders on bikes to millions of parcels delivered for some of the UK’s biggest brands. 📚Episode Chapters: ➡️ Transferrable skills from football to entrepreneurship [06:05]  ➡️ The Silicon Valley spark that led to building Hived [08:00]  ➡️ Co-Founder dynamics & complementary strengths [13:00]  ➡️ From bikes to millions of parcels delivered [15:00]  ➡️ Fundraising realities [24:00]  ➡️ Scaling hiring and culture [30:00]  🔍 Find out more:  ✨ Connect with Murvah ✨ Find out more about Hived ⭐Enjoyed this episode? ⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices