National Mentoring Day: Behind the Breakthroughs, Honest Lessons from Founders

When it comes to entrepreneurship, we often hear the highlight reel - funding rounds, viral moments, rapid growth ... But behind every breakthrough is a story of rejection, risk, and resilience.

To mark National Mentoring Day, Virgin StartUp and FEBE brought together three exceptional founders:

Gyve Safavi (SURI), Olivia Jenkins (D. Louise), and Richard Sutcliffe (Passenger Clothing) who joined us for a raw and refreshingly honest conversation hosted by Anoopreet Rehncy, brand and narrative strategist. Nearly a hundred founders joined us in person to hear what it really takes to build something that lasts.

Read on for the highlights of their conversation, from candid lessons on failure and resilience to practical advice on growth, mentorship, and building a brand with heart.

The evening was proudly supported by our partners Sage Accounting and Virgin Wines, who brought extra energy (and refreshments) to the night. Ahead of the panel, Sage hosted two hands-on finance drop-in sessions to help founders untangle everything from cash flow to forecasting, while Virgin Wines kept everyone hydrated in style.

Resilience: The Real Startup Currency

All three founders spoke about the invisible side of success - the setbacks, near-misses, and lessons learned along the way.

Gyve Safavi shared how he left a corporate career to build SURI, the world’s most sustainable electric toothbrush. Before success came 24 factory rejections. His secret? Focusing on creating what he calls a 'minimum lovable product' that genuinely solves a customer problem. Three years later, SURI has sold more than a million toothbrushes.

Olivia Jenkins, founder of D. Louise, turned unimaginable personal loss into purpose. She launched the brand in honour of her mum, who passed away before seeing her daughter’s dream take shape. Not long after starting out, Olivia’s brother also died by suicide - a heartbreak that deepened her determination to create something meaningful. She told the audience she refused to let grief define her, choosing instead to channel it into building a brand that helps people feel strong, confident, and connected. Her waterproof jewellery line, created so people could wear it every day without fear of damage or loss, became a symbol of that philosophy. Today, D. Louise has sold over 650,000 pieces and is the official jewellery partner of Chelsea FC Women.

Richard Sutcliffe, who built Passenger Clothing from scratch after working as an electrician, reminded the audience that every great brand starts with a belief. His company is now approaching £100 million in revenue, built on authenticity and community first.

Community and Brand Before Product

'Community isn’t a marketing tactic, it’s your foundation,' said Richard. The panel agreed that genuine storytelling, not surface-level branding, builds long-term loyalty.

When budgets were tight, social media became their storytelling playground. They used partnerships, personal voice, and creative collaborations to keep their audiences close and their brands human.

Listening to Your Customers

For Gyve, SURI’s growth has been powered by relentless customer focus. During a major shipping delay, he and his team personally wrote to more than 3,000 customers. That direct connection didn’t just solve a problem, it strengthened their brand.

The takeaway? Customers remember how you make them feel.

Mentorship and Asking for Help

Each founder admitted that letting go of ego was key to growth. Olivia credited her partner and mentors, including Steve Hewitt (ex-Gymshark CEO) for helping her scale smartly. She encouraged founders to 'get in the room' even if it means stretching yourself to do it.

Gyve reminded the audience that mentorship evolves as you grow, and that asking for help isn’t a weakness, it’s a strategy.

Handling Rejection and Celebrating Wins

Setbacks are inevitable. What matters is how you respond.

Olivia urged founders to be 'type A about your mission, flexible in your methods.' Richard talked about celebrating progress, not just milestones, to keep team morale high. And Gyve emphasised building relationships even with those who say no, because today’s rejection could be tomorrow’s opportunity.

Final Thoughts: Behind Every Breakthrough

Behind the Breakthroughs was a reminder that every founder story is full of grit, grace, and growth.

The night ended with a sense of shared understanding, that success isn’t about avoiding failure, it’s about learning to move through it together.

At Virgin StartUp, we’re proud to support founders who tell it like it is and lift others as they grow.

Founder Perks

A huge thank you to Sage Accounting and Virgin Wines for helping make the evening possible, and for continuing to support our founder community with exclusive offers and founder perks. We didn't want you to miss out, so grab your deal now . . .

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