logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
18m 39s

Business Daily Meets: Sarah Willingham

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The hospitality entrepreneur Sarah Willingham has worked extensively across the UK restaurant and bar industry. She also featured as a Dragon on the BBC TV show, Dragon's Den (the UK equivalent of Shark Tank).

Sarah took a bet at the height of the coronavirus pandemic that cocktail bars would thrive again - and is now CEO of UK-based hospitality group Nightcap, a rapidly expanding drinks-led investment firm which she started with her husband in 2020.

The company has acquired around 20 cocktail and party bars across the country, employing more than 1,000 staff.

Sarah talks to Dougal Shaw about the difficulties of entrepreneurship in lockdown, some of the current challenges facing the hospitality industry and about the imposter syndrome she felt earlier in her career.

Presenter and producer: Dougal Shaw

(Image - Sarah Willingham. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
Taking stock: China gains in the AI race
Is China rapidly catching up with the United States in the race to dominate artificial intelligence? Rahul Tandon is joined by Walter Todd in the US and Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore to discuss, following a week of sharp moves in AI-related markets and growing questions ove ... Show More
24m 19s
Apr 7
Headspace: from mindfulness app to military partner
Headspace started life as a mindfulness app. Now it's partnering with the US Navy and investing in artificial intelligence for mental health support.The company's CEO Tom Pickett speaks to us about therapy, the increasing role of technology, and tackling burnout at scale.If you'd ... Show More
17m 28s
Apr 7
Anthropic: the $300bn AI firm at war with the White House
Anthropic’s rise from startup to one of the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence has been staggering, but so in recent weeks has been its row with the US Government.Today, we look at that journey to becoming a 380 billion dollar company, ask why Claude has become on ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2023
Sara Davies: Dragons’ Den star’s savage advice to aspiring entrepreneurs
Sara Davies is an entrepreneur and the youngest ever female investor on Dragons' Den. She founded her company Crafter's Companion whilst a student in 2005 - and by the time she graduated the business was turning over half a million pounds a year. This episode is absolutely jam-pa ... Show More
55m 40s
Jan 2025
Sara Davies on Dragons’ Den Secrets and How to Lead with Emotional Intelligence (E321)
<p>Sara Davies is a brilliant entrepreneur, TV personality, and founder of Crafter's Companion, a leading arts and crafts business. Known for her infectious energy and no-nonsense advice, Sara has inspired countless people with her journey from a small-town girl to a global busin ... Show More
1h 6m
Apr 2024
Using STAR Power to GROW your Business & Reach Millions of Customers | 005
005. Entreprenette | Sarah Shaw is Founder & CEO of Entreprenette. She's an experienced business owner who has created and nurtured many businesses. In this episode, she discusses her secrets to getting your products in the hands of celebrities and revealing how to leverage that ... Show More
30m 22s
Apr 2024
Sara George
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks to Sara George, Sidley Austin's lead crisis management and strategic response lawyer in Europe and vice-chair of the Employed Barristers Committee of the Bar Council. Will and Sara discuss Sara's journey from a criminal cha ... Show More
40m 56s
Jan 2018
Learn how getting products to celebrities can boost your sales with Sarah Shaw
Sarah is a serial entrepreneur and is the leading expert on successfully launching products — and getting them into the hands of A-list celebrities, and in the media. Top 3 Value Bombs: 1. Don't get caught up in the small things. 2. Sometimes you just don't know when things will ... Show More
18m 53s
Mar 2025
Women in Business
tail spinning
53m 1s
Mar 2022
5.Picnics in Vegas' Sara Khalil on motherhood, entrepreneurship & social media.
Sara Khalil is a mother of two, a boss babe entrepreneur, a wife and she makes it look easy. She gets into details on how she started her own business in the middle of a pandemic and scaled it. She's very inspirational and we loved having her on today's episode. Enjoy! Find us on ... Show More
32m 38s