Advertise on podcast: The Room Where It Happened

From washing dishes in a chaotic hotel kitchen at 13 to leading a global software company, Mark Moffat traces a leadership journey shaped by humility, curiosity, and learning from the ground up.. Mark opens up about his evolving relationship with AI, from early scepticism to using it practically in everyday life and high-stakes business decisions, and why industrial AI represents one of the biggest untapped opportunities of the next decade. From robots inspecting underground tunnels to helping frontline workers do safer, better work, he outlines a future where curiosity beats fear and people who learn to use AI outperform those who don’t. This is a conversation about first-principles leadership, staying close to customers as you scale, and why the mindset that took someone from kitchen porter to CEO might be the same one needed to build the next $100bn business. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software  👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Long before cybersecurity became a daily concern for businesses, Danny Jenkins encountered a moment that changed his entire trajectory. A ransomware attack on a small company didn’t just expose a technical failure, it revealed how easily a lifetime of work could vanish overnight. In this episode, Danny unpacks the unlikely experiences that shaped his worldview, from a childhood where learning to code became a way to regain control, to a formative business fallout that taught him why founders must guard their vision fiercely. He takes us behind the curtain of modern cybercrime, an industry run with structure, scale, and now AI, and explains why old security models are no longer enough. This is a conversation about seeing the problem before everyone else does, questioning accepted norms, and building a company designed not to react to threats, but to stop them before they ever begin. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software  👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a childhood helicopter dream to building and selling a £4.1bn company, Richard Harpin shares the moments that nearly ended, and ultimately defined,his journey as a founder. In this episode, Richard takes us inside the make-or-break decisions behind HomeServe, including the last-ditch mail shot that saved the business when they had just £10,000 left in the bank, and the devastating moment a partner told him it was over and to return to corporate life. He reveals how copying what already worked, then pivoting fast, became a survival strategy, and why hiring people to cover your weaknesses is one of the most underestimated leadership skills. Richard also reflects on the bold moves that unlocked global growth, from trusting local leaders to scale internationally, to the bittersweet decision to sell the company after decades of building.  This is a candid conversation about staying grounded, enduring setbacks, and the long journey from near-failure to lasting success, and why childhood dreams still matter at the finish line. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software  👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What begins as a personal crisis quickly turns into a leap of faith. For Olivia Ferdi, everything changed seven weeks before her wedding, when a serious ACL injury forced her to confront her health, and her future, head on. In this episode, Olivia shares how that moment sparked an immediate decision to walk away from a career in law and commit fully to building something of her own. She takes us behind the scenes of the early days of TRIP, from a chance meeting with a Selfridges PA at a vegan market to stacking cans floor-to-ceiling in her living room, and even launching the first-ever Deliveroo store from home during COVID. Olivia also reflects on the realities of starting with no safety net, why having “skin in the game” matters, and the importance of not letting so-called best practice talk you out of your own instincts.  It’s a story about trust, navigating uncertainty, and what can happen when you back yourself fully and unapologetically, even when the path ahead isn’t clear. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software  👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Heights hit a wall after rapid early growth, founder Dan Murray faced a brutal truth: the product wasn’t the problem, the story was.  In this episode, Dan takes us inside the moment everything changed, explaining how a simple rebrand unlocked a new phase of growth, and why founders often look for answers in the wrong places when momentum stalls. Dan is candid about the decisions that nearly broke him, including letting go of over half the team in a single day to keep the company alive, and walking away from high-profile influencer partnerships just before controversy hit. He opens up about the tension between ego and data, how his own love of science blinded him to what customers actually wanted, and why every brand needs an “edit button” when growth tactics start to carry reputational risk. This is a clear-eyed look at the real cost of entrepreneurship: years of low pay, emotional strain, and hard calls made without certainty. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software  👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Heights 👉 Join Jake in maintaining your energy, with Vitals. Get 20% off with code Room20: Youtube Link: https://highpfrmc.com/room-yt-vitals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What starts as a side idea quickly becomes a full-scale obsession. For Will Shu, that obsession turned into Deliveroo, and it began with him delivering meals himself, learning the business from the pavement up. In this episode, Will takes us inside the early days of building a food delivery company from scratch, including the mistakes no one sees, the moments that tested his resolve, and the realities of scaling at speed under intense scrutiny. He also reflects on everything from riding orders across London to navigating a major antitrust investigation, and the pressure that comes with building a category-defining business in public. This is a story about founder grit, learning by doing, and why staying relentlessly focused on the customer, even when the stakes are highest, can be the difference between building a product people use and a brand people trust. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a career built on spreadsheets collides with a gut-level belief in great food? John Eckbert’s path to becoming CEO of Five Guys is anything but conventional, and it nearly didn’t happen at all. In this conversation, John unpacks the improbable steps that took him from banking into the heart of one of the world’s most recognisable fast-casual brands. He shares how a single moment of curiosity turned into a bold move, the early discussions that defined Five Guys’ future, and the leadership calls made long before success was obvious. John also reveals the behind-the-scenes thinking that shaped the company’s culture, expansion strategy, and refusal to compromise on what matters most. This episode explores what it really takes to switch lanes at the highest level, why patience can be a competitive advantage, and how building something people genuinely care about often means saying no far more than yes. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before it became a worldwide holiday staple, The Elf on the Shelf was simply a Pitts family tradition, one that Christa Pitts helped turn into a cultural phenomenon through grit, creativity, and unshakeable belief. In this episode, Christa looks back on the early days of being rejected by every publisher, the decision to self-publish with her family’s savings on the line, and the scrappy marketing tactics that brought their little elf to life in homes across America. She reveals the unexpected celebrity moment that sent the brand soaring, the battles to protect their idea from copycats, and the hard lessons learned while scaling a fast-growing company. Christa also opens up about leading through personal loss, staying true to the brand’s values, and building a culture that embraces experimentation, heart, and the occasional failure. It’s a conversation about family, courage, and the magic that happens when you bet on your own story, no matter how many times you hear “no.” --- JOIN OUR COMMUNITY 👔 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-room-where-it-happened/?viewAsMember=true 📸 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/room.where.it.happened/ 🗞️ Newsletter 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-room-where-it-happened-7315326937923485696/ PARTNERS IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  #JakeHumphrey #business #highperformance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Top Gear to The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm, Andy Wilman has spent decades redefining what car television can be, and learning a few hard lessons along the way. In this episode, Andy opens up about the high-stakes Amazon deal that launched The Grand Tour, the legal and creative gymnastics of building something “like Top Gear, but not Top Gear,” and the spontaneous tent idea that became the show’s trademark. He reflects on the behind-the-scenes chaos, the unexpected magic of Clarkson’s Farm, and the times they got it wrong, and what those moments taught him about humility, persistence, and trusting your instincts. It’s a candid look at creativity under pressure, the fine line between chaos and genius, and how taking risks (and a few punches) can lead to something unforgettable. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Andy’s book ‘Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure’ is out now and available to purchase - https://hppod.co/mr-wilmans-motoring-adventure-clarkson  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From delivering coffees at 14 to becoming CEO of Matchroom Boxing, Frank Smith has lived every side of the fight game. In this episode, Frank reflects on the defining moments that shaped his career, from his first “final warning” as a teenager to leading global events watched by millions. He shares the unexpected twists behind major fights like Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul, the lessons learned from high-stakes negotiations, and why ego is the enemy of progress.  Frank also offers an inside look at the business risks behind boxing’s biggest nights and how staying grounded, adaptable, and relentlessly positive helped him rise through the ranks. It’s a story about graft, growth, and learning to fight smart, both in and outside the ring. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's notebook I discuss the importance of not just finding your why, but acting on it. I share the unexpected panic I felt travelling back from my interview with Robert Lewandowski because of the thought I might miss my flight home. That rising fear revealed something important: when your purpose shifts, your reactions shift too. For me, family has become my why, and anything that pulls me away from it hits hard. If you’ve been feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or out of alignment, this episode is a reminder that purpose isn’t a luxury — it’s your anchor. When you know your why, the world settles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou joins us from Monaco to revisit the moment easyJet was created, beginning with the 1994 launch, where he persuaded his father to back his idea for a new kind of airline. He reflects on the early years of bold marketing stunts, legal battles with British Airways, and a fierce rivalry with Ryanair that pushed him to keep costs low, move fast and build a brand the public instantly recognised. Stelios speaks openly about the pressure of running a young airline, the mistakes that almost derailed it, and the key decisions that shaped its future, including adopting the internet early and expanding the "easy" name into hundreds of businesses. He also shares how this success now fuels his philanthropic mission. IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au  Heights 👉 Join Jake in maintaining your energy, with Vitals. Get 20% off with code Room20: https://highpfrmc.com/heights-vitals-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's notebook, I talk about the fear I felt going into an interview with footballing superstar Robert Lewandowski, why we should enjoy our struggles, celebrate ourselves, and actively seek fear, not run from it. If you're currently feeling paralysed by fear or dissatisfied with everyday life, this episode's here to remind you that life's not meant to be perfect. Be proud of yourself and celebrate your successes, no matter how small, because everything above zero compounds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does someone go from tinkering with computers in a small Manchester bedroom to leading Microsoft UK’s AI revolution? For Darren Hardman, it began with curiosity, hard work, and a lesson that changed his outlook forever: success isn’t about working more hours, it’s about working with purpose. In this episode, Darren shares the defining moments that shaped his leadership journey, from early sacrifices and personal turning points to the bold initiatives driving Microsoft’s role in making the UK an AI superpower. He offers a candid look behind the scenes at what it takes to lead through rapid technological change, empower teams, and build a culture of learning and innovation. It’s a story about balance, belief, and how embracing change can transform both a career and an entire industry. --- PARTNERS IFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/ifs-au   Heights 👉 Join Jake in maintaining your energy, with Vitals. Get 20% off with code Room20: https://highpfrmc.com/room-yt-vitals --- JOIN OUR COMMUNITY 👔 LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-room-where-it-happened/?viewAsMember=true 📸 Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/room.where.it.happened/ 🗞️ Newsletter 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-room-where-it-happened-7315326937923485696 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's notebook, I talk about the invisible force that quietly decides the quality of every relationship, the surprising link between doing the hard things you’d rather avoid and living a longer, calmer life, and the truth about time — how we use it, and how it completely changed my view on discipline and what’s truly important. If any part of you feels stuck, stretched, or short on motivation, this episode will give you something real to work with. Press play and discover the three lessons that have already changed mine. Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off before the launch on 1st January. https://hppod.co/472Og7q Book Recommendation: Unlearning Masculinity by Cassandra Andrews https://amzn.eu/d/dqPXW2l Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.