The Room Where It Happened

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/RWIH-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/RWIH-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/PARTNERSIFS - award-winning Asset & Service Management software 👉 Reimagine your operations at: https://highpfrmc.com/RWIH-IFS-yt#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/RWIH-IFS-auAndy’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/RWIH-IFS-yt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.