Brown Game Strong

In this episode we sit with Nikita Dawda, self proclaimed Chief Avocado Officer and co-founder of Omega Pressery, a cold-press oil brand bringing Kenyan avocado and macadamia oils to UK shelves. In this episode, we talk about growing up in Kenya, building a business with your spouse, the reality of successfully pitching to retailers such as Waitrose, the impact of seeing success arguably a little too early and what it takes to scale a lifestyle business into something more.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction to Niki and Omega Pressery(01.50) On being Chief ‘Avocado’ Officer(03:10) A key unexpected learning from running Omega Pressery (05:30) How to be kinder to yourself by design(08:49) Niki’s early years in Kenya(10:45) Kenya life vs. UK life(17:00) Applying the structure (26:30) The retail pitching process(36:35) From a lifestyle business to scaling(42:00) Cooking with Avocado and Macadamia Oil(44:45) Visiting the farms in Kenya(54:30) Spouse or co-founder?(59:20) What Niki is most excited about right now(01:04:30) Prioritising the supply chain and traceability(01:07:30) What does Niki have strong game in?Find Omega Pressery on: Website: https://www.omegapressery.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omegapressery/To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

In this episode, we are joined by Mishika Narula and Srisruthi Ramesh, founders of Brown Girl Bookshelf, during their recent trip to London. We talk about how what started as a passion project has since grown into a global community of over 40,000 readers, all united by a love of literature and a curiosity to discover a diverse range of stories.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction(02:35) How Brown Girl Bookshelf began(07:35) Navigating co-founder dynamics(14:52) A foolproof system (20:20) How guest reviewers are selected(29:25) Beyond South Asian stereotypes in literature(32:20) How books are selected for reviews on BGB(34:30) On the risk of burnout(42:20) Handling co-founder disagreements(45:00) Being the go-to platform for South Asian readers and authors(51:30) How to get back into reading after a hiatus(01:00:18) What Sri and Mishika are currently reading(01:03:04) What do Mishika and Sri have strong game in?Find Brown Girl Bookshelf (BGB) on: Website: https://browngirlbookshelf.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browngirlbookshelf/

Today we sit with Anshu Ahuja, the founder of DabbaDrop, to explore how she took inspiration from the traditional Dabbawala system to cater to a modern, busy but conscious audience. We talk about how over the past 7 years she has spent building a 7-figure values-led meal delivery business rooted in culture, community, and sustainability. (0:00) Introduction(5:00) Anshu’s childhood and upbringing(13:30) The ethos of DabbaDrop(20:25) Transitioning from TV to entrepreneurship (23:00) I didn’t have a grand plan(31:35) How DabbaDrop works(34:50) The research behind the regions(41:25) How zero-waste is achieved(43:32) Aspirations for expansion(52:17) What Anshu is currently excited about(53:35) A key learning from 7 years in business(55:55) What does Anshu have strong game in?Find DabbaDrop on: Website: https://dabbadrop.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dabbadrop/

In this conversation, we welcome Niki Mahon, founder of jewellery brand NIKITA. Fourteen weeks into her pregnancy, she offers some of her most candid reflections on a decade of entrepreneurship.Niki reveals the evolution from spreading herself thin across every aspect of her business to embracing the ‘inch wide, mile deep’ philosophy - focusing on what truly drives returns in a product-led enterprise, giving us some real life examples from her business.In conjunction, we explore her inner transformation through her early thirties: her fertility journey, the reality of pregnancy, her nesting journey and how her ambition has not dampened but grown through embracing her femininity.(00:00) Introduction(03:45) The beginning of the pregnancy(05:32) Telling your employees you are pregnant(06:45) Striking a balance between professional and friendship(09:36) Niki’s shifting relationship with social media(14:18) ‘Inch-wide, mile-deep’ ethos in business(19:30) Nikita’s strategy on running ads(25:54) The mindset shift over the years as a founder(29:05) Living a softer life whilst having the highest turnover (33:57) Niki’s fertility journey(45:00) Preparing the business for maternity leave(50:32) Embracing her inner femininity (56:49) What does Niki have strong game in?Find Niki and NIKITA on: NIKITA Website: https://nikitabyniki.com/NIKITA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikitabyniki/Niki's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikimahonTo be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!

Creative director and choreographer Bhavini Jagpal, founder of Bespoke the Company believes that movement should be for anyone and everyone. We deep dive into her early days as the eldest of three sisters, her experience training and performing with dance companies in London since the age of 16, and the gaps she noticed in the industry that she has made it her mission to fill through her company, Bespoke. We talk about the pressures around looking and dressing a certain way when you are performing, but also when training. We also discuss the nature of collaborative working in a dance team as well as creating a family atmosphere where people feel safe for their voice and opinion to be heard, where everyone is treated equally.Something that comes up near the end is this concept of a dance 'avatar' which really hit home. This idea that you can temporarily separate from yourself when you're performing, and that is actually a healthy thing.(00:00) Introduction to Bhavini Jagpal, founder of Bespoke(02:35) Adapting Bespoke to the digital age(04:30) The values and ethos behind the company(06:30) Going from being loud to more introverted(09:20) Exploring team dynamics(13:40) The pressure of being the founder(14:30) Making the headspace to create(18:30) Dance styles covered across the team(23:25) Movies were the heart and soul of my inspiration(26:00) Bhavini’s dance training journey(28:06) You shouldn’t have to look or dress a certain way to be a dancer or take class(43:15) Maintaining focus and clarity on what Bespoke stands for(49:00) Non-desi choreographers that inspire Bhavini(50:37) The dance avatar(54:02) Bespoke’s Europe Tour(58:50) The process of hiring new dancers(01:00:40) On taking Bespoke full time(01:06:10) What does Bhavini have strong game in?Find Bhavini and Bespoke on: Bespoke's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bespokethecompany/Bhavini's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhavini_jagpal/To be the first to get updates on new episodes, please do give us a subscribe or follow!