THE SLOW DOWN

Ben Branson is the founder of Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit that pioneered a movement of non-alcoholic drinks. In under 4 years Seedlip shot to success - being stocked in over 8000 bars and in homes across 35 countries before being sold in a multi-million pound deal. But what did this rapid success mean for Ben? Ben who is open about his autism and adhd diagnosis. Ben who is launching his new venture - Sylva, spirits that explore the untapped flavour potential of trees. I had so much I wanted to unpack with Ben - from going to rehab many times, to coming up against the entire alcohol industry, to his love of ‘lifestyle businesses’ and creating a product that is designed to be sipped slowly. 

In this episode we cover: 
Boarding school, autism and routine 
Pushing the limits to a near-death experience in India 
Starting a new, sober, life at 25  
Following your hobbies and curiosities 
Seedlip’s astronomical rise & acquisition by Diageo 
Why businesses need to slow down

Mentions: 
The Art of Distillation by John French, 1651 
Brutal Simplicity of Thought, M&C Saatchi, 2013 
A Life on Our Planet, David Attenborough, 2020 
Podcast episode with Ben’s wife: https://www.hidden20.org/podcast/episode-17-sam-branson 
Links:

https://www.instagram.com/seedlip_ben/?hl=en

Katri Josling doesn’t have a job title, awards, or even an active social media account - she’s a housewife. But she’s also a constant learner - whether it’s completing a new boating license, a culinary chemistry course to create the most amazing meals, learning her fourth language, going skitouring in Svalbad or training her two giant Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
She was a consultant with a UCL degree in Political Science and an MA in European Politics. She was working and traveling the hours you can imagine - so when her husband’s career took off - she had to make a choice between her own career and spending what time was possible, together. I want to know about her decision to leave work, how she found purpose, what architecting a world for a partnership looks like and her view on it all now.
One of the things I’ve always held  judgement around is the idea of being a “housewife.” But after years of chasing goals, building things, and burning out, I’ve started to see that choice differently — with empathy, understanding, and even admiration. I’ve started to ask myself: if I could build enough of a passive income, would I stop working? 
In a culture where you are pushed to overachieve, where the only goal touted by the media seems to be to have a multi-billion dollar business - I want to share a story that makes those who have chosen NOT to do that also feel worthy, valuable and acknowledged.

In this episode we cover: 
Growing up in the USSR and moving between Estonia, Russia and Sweden
The freedom of going to UCL for university 
Meeting her partner and how getting married was the most rebellious thing they could do 
Living in London, Nigeria, Geneva and (almost) Johannesburg 
The dinner party moment when they ask: what do you do? 
The battle with self and ego that she has overcome

Chloë is best known for her leadership in the creator economy as the founder and CEO of SHFT, a talent agency she grew into a multi-award-winning, 6-figure business while advocating for fairness, inclusivity, and integrity across the industry. In 2024 she was recognised on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her impact in influencer marketing and entrepreneurship.
Last year, Chloë chose to exit her company, take a break and channel her expertise into coaching. She now works as a Mindset and Business Coach, supporting entrepreneurs, leaders, and creatives to build clarity, confidence, and sustainable success.
I don’t think we hear enough empowering stories of successful founders stepping away from their businesses. The narrative seems to simply be that we should build and gain recognition and money - but what happens next? What happens when you outgrow that idea you had in your early 20s, or when you don’t feel challenged or fulfilled anymore? Leaving a successful business means going against the grain of our culture  in so many ways - and then what do you do with that newfound space? 

In this episode we cover: 
Growing up in Peckham & young entrepreneurship 

Dance & the creative importance of hobbies 

Carving a path in influencer agencies 

Black Lives Matter: her turning point 

Creating SHIFT , success stories & Forbes 30u30

Waking up unhappy at 30 

Autism & ADHD diagnosis 

Why and how she left her business 

What she did while off social media 

Why coaching is her next move 

Mentions: 
Laban Dance School - https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/
Spirited Away, Studio Ghibli (2001) 

Links: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloedownes/

Stefanie Sword-Williams is an award-winning founder, speaker and author of the book  F*ck Being Humble: Why self-promotion isn’t a dirty word. A global mission, movement and training consultancy inspiring individuals to be unapologetically proud of their achievements and overcome the fear of self-promotion.
She has spoken at the offices of Apple, Netflix, Unilever, Nike, Google, L’oreal and Microsoft,  at Universities for  the Wharton Business School in New York to  London College of Fashion, trained over 700 people in her Side Hustle School programme, has been Forbes 30 under 30, recently won the ‘Future is Female’ LinkedIn award for her positive contributions and impact on the industry and did a TEDx on why the world needs to be less humble. 
Stef’s support towards those who were unemployed during the pandemic led to her being invited to become a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts and she continues to reinvest profits and time into community projects to help improve the lives of many.
Her new book is called The Career Comedown.

In this episode we cover: 
Switching from agency work to self-employed
The reality behind the ‘big’ moments 
Managing your own expectations on growth 
Why someone needs to pay for your recovery time 
The career comedown - are you feeling it?
Finding Ease in a world that values “Hard” work 
The power of having a business coach 

Mentions: 
Surreal - cereal brand 
Tiny Experiences by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Links: 
Linkedin
Instagram (Personal)
Instagram (F*ck Being Humble)

Karimah Hassan is a British-Yemeni artist, writer and performer whose practice spans large- scale painting, spoken word, and socially-driven storytelling.
Trained as an architect but called to storytelling, she paints large-scale portraits that vibrate with colour, emotion, and spirit. Her work has been exhibited across London, New York, Toronto, and the Middle East, with collectors ranging from Vogue editors to global institutions. Karimah’s art is an invitation: to belong, to feel, to show up. Through her spoken word performances, poetic newsletters like The Gremlins, and weekly 'poem casts', she explores the complexities of identity, visibility, and healing. Her practice is communal and grounded, often unfolding in public spaces with people watching, contributing, or simply witnessing. 
Karimah’s redefinition of success isn’t measured in accolades — but in connection, in creativity without compromise, and in returning again and again to the joy of making. On The Slow Down, she speaks on finding rhythm in chaos, why beauty is an act of resistance, and how to stay soft in a world that demands you harden.

In this episode we cover: 
Growing up mixed race in Wales 
Architecture to Art 
Portraits of hundreds of strangers during COVID 
Art as Therapy 
Reclaiming our cycles 
Meeting Vera Wang on the Eurostar

Mentions: 
The Artist’s way, Julia Cameron
Letters to a Young Poet - Rilke 
Inception (2010)
City of God (2002)
Rothko room at the Tate 
Links: 
https://www.instagram.com/karimah.hassan/?hl=en
https://www.karimahhassan.com/ 
Season 3 of The Slow Down is created in partnership with period and cycle tracking app Clue. 
Especially for The Slow Down listeners, CLUE is offering a 75% discount on the annual Clue Plus subscription via their website. To redeem, go to helloclue.com and enter the code SLOWDOWN at checkout). So, download Clue today in the App Store or Google Play, and start making space for the signals your body’s been sending all along.
Link to sign up with discount already included: https://helloclue.com/login?discount_code=SLOWDOWN