This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by Zareen Roohi, Founder & CEO of Gift Wellness, an inspiring voice in purpose-led entrepreneurship.

In the first of a powerful two-parter, Zareen shares her remarkable life and career journey – from growing up as the daughter of Pakistani immigrants in the West Midlands to navigating early life challenges, building a remarkable and diverse career and then, tragically, losing her daughter Halimah in 2007.

Out of this unimaginable loss came incredible resilience and purpose. Zareen built the Halimah Trust and later launched Gift Wellness – the latter born out of a sudden and powerful moment of clarity.

In part 1 of our conversation, Zareen shares:
• Navigating identity and racism in building her career.
• Her experience as CEO of the British Muslim Forum in the wake of the 7/7 bombings.
• Building a legacy through her daughter’s passions and values.
• The birth of Gift Wellness and its mission to restore dignity to women in crisis.

This conversation is raw and real - and offers real insight to entrepreneurs seeking purpose, as well as profit.

Stay tuned…because part 2 is coming soon where we dive deeper into Gift Wellness and Zareen’s brilliant advice for fledgling entrepreneurs.

Dr. Zareen Roohi Ahmed:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zareen-roohi-ahmed-phd-3b51b219/
Gift Wellness: https://giftwellness.co.uk/
Halimah Trust: https://www.halimahtrust.org.uk/
Period Poverty: https://www.periodpoverty.uk/
Website: https://www.zareenroohi.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Karl Pontau – entrepreneur and host of The Human Connection Podcast.

Karl’s journey is nothing short of inspiring - from teenage brain tumour survivor to a purpose-driven entrepreneur, podcast host and soon-to-be author.

In this episode, Karl dives into the importance of having a network and forging real human connections, especially in a world increasingly obsessed by data, metrics and AI.

Key insights that Karl shares in this episode include:
• How his life-threatening experiences as a teenager shaped his attitude toward risk and entrepreneurship.
• How he discovered the power of storytelling through his passion for creativity.
• The power of intentional networking and the importance of giving rather than receiving.
• His passion for his Human Connection Podcast.

…and much more!

Karl:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpontau/
Podcast: The Human Connection

Trevor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

In this episode, I discuss a topic frequently misunderstood and undervalued: creativity. The everyday creativity that fuels problem-solving, drives innovation and unlocks confidence.

I explore three common barriers that hold people back in their creativity:

⏳ “I don’t have time to be creative” – Time constraints aren’t a barrier. It’s what can light your creativity in the first place.

🤔 “I’m not a creative person” – Despite popular belief, creativity isn’t a talent you’re born with; it’s a mindset anyone can develop with practice.

💪 Creativity and resilience – They’re not only connected, they’re intertwined.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader or stuck in a rut, this is episode is a reminder that your creative potential is already within you.

Plus, I share a 7-step guide to help you unlock creativity and give you more confidence (but you’ll need to tune in to hear those!).

Look out for cameo appearances in the episode from my previous podcast guests Marie-France Samba, a Branding and Leadership Coach extraordinaire and Cheryl Luzet, CEO of Wagada.

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn: https://merriborn.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

Joining me on The Merri-Cast this week is the fantastic Liz Sebag-Montefiore – co-founder of career and talent management consultancy 10Eighty.

Along with current CEO Michael Moran, the pair have steered the growth of the business for over 13 years now. And in June, Liz takes over as CEO, so it seemed like a great moment to talk to her about her entrepreneurial past, present and future.

In this episode Liz shares stories about her early employment including the two people who inspired her to find confidence and the courage to take risks.

Key insights that Liz shares in this episode include:
• Going with your gut
• Accepting that you will make mistakes
• The importance of delegation
• Being authentic to oneself
• Making sure the work you do is what you want to be known for

…and much more!

Liz Sebag-Montefiore:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizsebag/
10Eighty: https://10eighty.co.uk/
Email: liz.s-montefiore@10eighty.co.uk

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

Joining me on The Merri-Cast this week is the wonderful Katharine Plunkett.

I first met Katharine around 25 years ago when we both worked for Haymarket Media Group. She made a big impression on me then - and continues to do so in this episode.

Katharine is an entrepreneur and commercial business leader with extensive international experience in global business growth. And today, she runs two businesses plus an extensive network of founders in the travel industry.

In this episode, Katharine shares the story of her early employment before taking the plunge and becoming a business founder.

Key insights that Katharine shares in this episode include:
•Why hard work always pays off.
•The superpower of managing your calendar.
•Regularly changing your work environment.
•Going ‘bigger’ – be ambitious and don’t hold yourself back.
•Why travel is essential to both her personal and professional life.
•The importance of a strong network.
•Always being of service to her clients.

Katharine Plunkett:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katharineplunkett
Pablo and Paloma: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pablo-and-paloma-limited/
Luxe Travellers: https://www.linkedin.com/company/luxe-travellers/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

Joining me this week is the fantastic Assim Ishaque.

He is the Founder & Director of Envirup and Simbrix Ltd as well as being a Business Coach, Speaker, Inventor, Investor and NED.

Assim’s career journey is truly fascinating. From early redundancies, dyslexia and industry barriers to building multiple, successful business ventures, his story is one of true resilience, adaptability and innovation.

He also highlights the importance of giving back. Throughout his career, Assim has provided opportunities to hundreds of interns so they can gain experience in their chosen field and launch successful careers.

His belief? Supporting others is just as important as personal success.

Other key takeaways Assim shares in this episode include:
•The power of innovation.
•Harnessing your creativity.
•Understanding who to trust.
•Giving business ideas time.
•The importance of quality and profitability in business.

…and much more!

Assim Ishaque:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/assimishaque
Envirup: https://www.envirup.com/
Simbrix Ltd: https://simbrix.com/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

What is the best possible question you can ask, when you're curious about someone or something?

The #MerriCast is the podcast show that puts you on the fast track to business confidence. And this week I'm taking a more personal look on the role that curiosity played in building my confidence.

When I was younger I lacked a lot of personal confidence. I developed it through asking lots of questions about the world around me. And I (very) slowly came to realise that real confidence came through the answers. They helped me find 'joy in the journey' rather than just striving to get to 'the top', whatever that means.

Now I want to help others find confidence and joy in their own journey …

I have 5Cs in my coaching model – inevitably, they all have to begin with the same letter (Merriden's First Law of Alliteration🙂 ) – and the first of these is to help others release power of their …. Curiosity.

Well the first thing is – it’s not a gift, it’s a skill! Curiosity is really, really coming into its own in a very messy world, and the great news is that it is very, very learnable. So I'll be asking ..

* How can you pick the right questions to ask of others, without just seeming a bit nosey?

* Which questions work best (put your own in the link below!)?

* And how can you take the discoveries you make for your your own personal growth?

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

For our latest episode of The Merri-Cast podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sandra Healy, Co-Founder and CEO of inclusio.

For 20 years, Sandra excelled in engineering and leadership roles in the global tech sector. She eventually took a leap and started inclusio, alongside her co-founders Deborah Murphy and Arthur Lubambo in 2020…just as the pandemic hit.

At one point, Sandra pitched the business over 40 times before getting a positive response. Despite these and other challenges her story is one of resilience, vision and seizing opportunities when they come.

Her advice to other fledgling entrepreneurs?

‘If it’s in you, do it.’

We couldn’t agree more!

Key takeaways Sandra shares in this episode include:
•How to move from being an ‘intrapreneur’ within a business to an ‘entrepreneur’ out on your own.
•Why you only regret the things you don’t do – with more support and funding than ever before, there’s no better time to become an entrepreneur.
•Don’t be daunted if it’s just you and your idea when you start – there are so many ways to get backing for what you do.
•That moment when you ‘take the leap’ – the best opportunities open up when you back yourself.

…and much more!

Sandra Healy:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-healy/
inclusio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inclusio-io/
inclusio: https://www.inclusio.io/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk