We Are Power Podcast
The We Are PoWEr podcast spotlights voices and perspectives that need to be heard. Our weekly podcast, with listeners in over 60 countries, delivers PoWErful conversations that inspire, challenge, and empower... from personal life stories to business insights and leadership lessons.
We share diverse experiences, bold discussions, and real solutions. Whether you're looking for career advice, topical themes, or stories of resilience and success - this is where voices spark change.
We Are Power Podcast
The Truth Behind The Apprentice: Would She Give Lord Sugar a Seat at the Table?
🎙️ In this episode of the We Are PoWEr Podcast, we’re joined by Foluso Falade — last years candidate on The Apprentice UK and founder/CEO of Brandin’ It, the first-ever social enterprise to feature on the show.
Foluso shares the story behind her pioneering organisation, which helps young people across the UK create and launch their own brands — a mission that’s rapidly building a platform set to reach 9 million teens.
She opens up about the challenges and triumphs of her time on The Apprentice — from being cut off from friends and family, to competing in a high-pressure environment with people she was up against. Throughout it all, she developed incredible resilience and proved the power of staying authentic under pressure.
Foluso also reflects on her early curiosity — including how she built a robot as a child, and why she’s always been passionate about challenging stereotypes and doing things differently.
Winner of the "One To Watch" award at the 2025 Northern Power Women Awards, Foluso gives an inspiring insight as to why this category meant the most to her.
And if she had a few seats at the table to invite anyone she liked… would Lord Sugar get one? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. đź’«
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power podcast. If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is the podcast for you, your career and your life. We release an episode every single Monday with listeners in over 60 countries worldwide, where you'll hear personal life stories, top-notch industry advice and key leadership insight from amazing role models. As we Are Power is the umbrella brand to Northern Power Women Awards, which celebrates hundreds of female role models and advocates every year. This is where you can hear stories from all of our awards alumni and stay up to date with everything MPW Awards and we Are Power. Well, today I'm delighted to be joined by Felucia Falade, the founder of Brandin' it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, brandin' it, it's a great brand and winner of the Northern Power Women Awards 2025. One to Watch winner. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Welcome to the pod Tell us about Brandin' it because it is it, because it is yeah, it's a whole movement, isn't?
Speaker 2:it yes, it is. It is. We are empowering young people, um, to get into business. We basically call ourselves the modern day lemonade stand. So exactly what you see in a lemonade stand back in the day, when you know you're making 50p on on a drink. We're doing that now, but digitally and for young people. So, yeah, that's kind of what we do and we give them an opportunity to start their own business and basically their goal is to, like, break that generational poverty cycle for a lot of young people who don't really have a choice. You know where they grow up and that kind of thing. So we're just trying to breed the next generation of entrepreneurs, you know, and give them a voice from early.
Speaker 1:Where did this motivation come from to do that Gosh do?
Speaker 2:you know what it is. I feel like for me, I wish I had that when I was younger. So obviously when I was a little bit younger it wasn't as easy to be as creative as I was and school wasn't the best for me, but I was really, really creative. I was really really creative and I'm like how do I get young people into creativity in a way where they're actually learning, they're earning and they're empowered from early? So that's kind of where it's come from just my childhood and what I didn't have.
Speaker 1:Basically, and what was that moment you go, actually, I want to make a difference. I want what maybe I didn't have or I would have liked, but what was that defining moment? Was there a person?
Speaker 2:what was that defining moment? Was there a person? Was there a mentor? Was there an opportunity? I met up with this young girl she must have been about nine at the time and she had mentioned that she really wants to make money and the passion was there. I'm like we need to like funnel this passion in the right direction, because money can be defined as many things. So I was like how do I give her a platform or a place to be creative, to make money, as she said, but in a way where she's still learning? And that's kind of how it came from there, just with that young girl, and then from there just kind of made it what it is now and everywhere else is going to be, which is really exciting.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, what has been your? What's one of the successes you're most proud of?
Speaker 2:Oh gosh, oh, where do I start? I mean outside of the award, which I don't want to get onto anyway, but this is. I think the award was a win for me. It was a you're on the right track, you're doing the right thing and people can see it, people recognize it, because actually one of the judges from the category actually found me at the event and they were just like you know can't say too much, but I genuinely love your business and stuff because even in that environment, you start doubting yourself, like maybe I wasn't the right person or, you know, maybe the other person deserved it more. Because I met the other people in my category but even meeting her and having a conversation with her as well, I was like you know what? Yeah, I'm doing it, you know.
Speaker 1:So I think that was a pretty defining moment in this process for me and you will see this from the other side this year, so we will invite you to be a judge this year.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow which.
Speaker 1:I always think it's brilliant when we bring our previous winners and commended back into the judging environment, if you like, because it gets very competitive in the room. So, judges only do one category, because when you've got 1,600, nominations it's impossible to try and concentrate across different categories and people literally are pitching for their favourites and advocating yes, she was like I fought for you.
Speaker 2:I'm like how, what did that look like? She's like I was fighting for you to get to win. I'm thinking, oh my gosh. But even when she said that, I was like do you know what? Yeah, this is even more encouraging. Do you know what I mean? To know? It's not automated, it's actual, real people reading your story and saying, yeah, I like you and it's about the story.
Speaker 1:It's always about the story. That's the one thing where we love about the Northern. Power Women Awards is the how can we amplify, how can we you know sort of really accelerate?
Speaker 2:these stories and just chatting before we started recording you talked about.
Speaker 1:You love the idea of this particular category because it's that almost not, not quite a launch pad, because you've already launched right. Yeah, it's just it's the one to watch.
Speaker 2:It's like, yeah, literally it's, it's put in it. I was explaining to someone. It felt like I was. You know, put on a lineup of like runners and like the Olympics and then the what they call the person that makes the announcements. I don't know what their name is.
Speaker 1:The host, the commentator, yeah, the commentator, or, as we say, the fantastic Nina, just saying Exactly, yeah.
Speaker 2:It was saying, like you know, oh, felicia's the one we're watching this year. It felt like that. It felt like, okay, I like, okay, I have back in. There's people cheering me on, you know, um, there's people looking forward to what I'm gonna do next year. So it was the perfect. I personally think it's my favorite category because it's the perfect balance of you're doing it, we believe you, we're supporting you. Like, go do it even more. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:and that just felt, feels amazing and weren't you at the awards a couple of years ago?
Speaker 2:yeah, and you were sat with or you spoke to.
Speaker 2:Yes well, I spoke to Linda, linda Plant, yes, which is so random. So I came with my previous employers um, because they actually won mid-sized company, yeah, um. So I came with them just to attend, having no idea I'd be back, which is crazy, but even that day I remember you guys um were really one of the topics you're talking about was like um, oh, I can't remember the name of it. It was to do with a lot of like race stuff and names and like a lot of like African names. There was this beautiful video I watched there. It was, honestly, I still remember it from like two, three years ago. It was amazing. We won the award and then I met Linda. I was like, oh it, and I said I'm going to meet that woman again.
Speaker 1:I said I'm going to be back here again and this is Linda Plant, who's one of the Lord Sugar's judges on advisors on the Apprentice. So not only in that room did you say I'm going to come back and I'm going to hell. Yeah, I'm going to win. You then decided to go through the application process for the Apprentice, right yeah, yeah, so this was what a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2:Yes, you finished?
Speaker 2:seventh yeah, yeah, this was last year. I went on the show and so I applied for the Apprentice the year after the awards. Actually, yeah, so it would have been the following year when they were open again. Um, so applied for that, got on the show and then came seventh last year, so that was week 10 of 12, and which was a huge achievement. The social enterprise has never been on the show before in 18 years, so the first ever social enterprise to get on the process was a big win in itself. And then to get that far, I was like big tick.
Speaker 1:And again we were chatting earlier. So bright colours are a thing, right? Do you know what? Yeah, Did you say highlighting.
Speaker 2:I feel like they define us by what colours we're wearing. They must do, because before you leave the house in the morning, they've got to make sure your outfit's okay. Yes, it was the whole thing. Now do they do that for the guys as well? Everyone gets it. Yeah, everyone gets it. Stand there, change your outfit, change your top, wear a different dress or the night before whichever one.
Speaker 1:And what were your highlights, what were you most proud of from that period?
Speaker 2:Actually just going through the application process, which was so intense, was such a big win. And then all the weeks that I was project manager and won the task, particularly like week two, which was my favourite, the cheesecake task. I had to make like thousands, hundreds of cheesecakes. What flavour it was mango mojito.
Speaker 1:I remember.
Speaker 2:See, I don't watch lots of TV but I do do binge watching on the.
Speaker 1:Apprentice. I have to watch lots of TV, but I do do binge watching on the Apprentice. I have to watch them in sessions, five and five at a time, 100%, yeah, mango mojito.
Speaker 2:I remember, yeah, mango mojito cheesecakes and that almost took it out of me, but we got through that in the end. So that was one of my favourite tasks. But just the experience was incredible, like meeting, you know, 18 or 17 other people who are just really incredible. Do you know what I mean? Really reputable in their own field, but then living together like school kids, with no TVs, no phone, no nothing. You know, trying to entertain ourselves was so much fun, oh, interesting.
Speaker 1:And how long is that whole process in the house?
Speaker 2:Oh we're there for about two months Wow, yeah, about two months and like no phone.
Speaker 1:If we want to watch TV, tv, we have to get permission and we all have to watch it together literally like school kids.
Speaker 2:It was very funny. What did you learn most about yourself during that period, gosh, do you know what? Because I'm someone who and I think this is something I've really benefited from in my business coming out of it as well, I'm normally the kind of person who needs a lot of people's opinions and approval, like what do you think of this? What do you think of that? Um, and I do think it comes from a place of low confidence at the time.
Speaker 2:So I came out of the apprentice and I was like wait, I did all of that as an individual. Do you know what I mean? Like I didn't call my friends. My sisters weren't there, my mum wasn't there for me to check in and make sure it's okay and obviously, as much as I love everyone in the house, you are fighting against them at all times. You can't get comfortable, um, so there was something about going in and standing as an individual, having to make my own decisions, having to defend myself. Um, that really, you know, as soon as I came out, I was like you know what? I can do it. I just can do it. I've done it and I can do it. So, yeah, that was a big thing for me.
Speaker 1:I want to take you back to your 18 year old self. Did you not create a robot?
Speaker 2:yeah, look, I just I love a bit of everything. Yeah, I just I love a bit of everything. I like getting involved. To be fair, at that age I loved electronics. I was really, really big on it again, I think because it was a man's thing, I just really enjoyed who said that's the thing that's the thing I was like who said it's a man's thing?
Speaker 2:and I think I got like an A star in in school when I did electronics and stuff like that and then I went on to study construction management just everything that I wasn't meant to do. I'm like I'm gonna do that are you like that?
Speaker 1:here's the rule book, yeah.
Speaker 2:I'd be like rip it up, just change every, every word in there. I can do it, I can do it, I can do it. So you literally, yeah, electronics, love making robots. And then went to study construction management. There's like two women in the whole year group, which is crazy, yeah, but I enjoyed that.
Speaker 1:How do you, how would you describe yourself in like three words.
Speaker 2:Gosh.
Speaker 1:I don't think that's possible. Do you know what I?
Speaker 2:mean, I feel like I talk too much.
Speaker 2:Three sentences, maybe Let me think Three words. I would say I like to be um an anomaly, like to stand out, um, I like, well, I consider myself quite um, light-hearted, you know is what it is. I'll try, it doesn't work, it's okay. Um, and I would say, um, spontaneous, yeah, yeah, I would say those three words.
Speaker 2:I think I've just kind of grown up, you know, with. So my mum's actually owned a shop for my entire life. So since I was well, she was pregnant with me when she started the shop, basically. So we're the same age, so I call it my twin brother, um, and it's a business. So you can imagine I've grown up around business and then, with my mum's personality just being quite, you know, just outrageously funny and just lighthearted, it doesn't take life too seriously. I think being around that has taught me that do you know what you can do both? I could call my mum tomorrow and be like I'm starting a brand new business. She's like, yeah, where do we sign up? And she just is that person. So I think with my upbringing I'm just like, yeah, why not?
Speaker 1:She's always that role model for you yeah definitely 100% and you brought to the awards and you also brought a mentor as well, didn't you? Mentorship is something you are very passionate about giving back, paying forward, yeah, and often, sometimes, when I see people who are really passionate about that- yeah it's hard sometimes to take the time for your own mentorship. Yeah, yeah, so you brought Daryl with you to the awards, daryl.
Speaker 2:Clark is my mentor. He's actually from the Peter Jones Foundation.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's how I met him. I just cold called and sent a bunch of emails. I was like I need help, I'm in business, I need help, and they assigned me to Daryl, which was, honestly, one of the best business decisions I've had so far. Daryl is amazing and he really cares, which is really important. He's put me in touch with you know Peter Jones as well, and who supports the business as well. Where he can and and he's a he's arranged meetings with other people. So I'm literally just like so grateful for what mentoring is, because it's it's not just business, it's life as well. Right, you're doing life together?
Speaker 1:um, so, yeah, no, that's a big, big win and I think, when you are an entrepreneur, an entrepreneurial, it's always going to blur right, yes, yeah what do you do? What's it if you have any damn time? What is that?
Speaker 2:do you know what I love doing things on my own. I go karaoke on my own. I go to the cinema on my karaoke. Your own is so much fun. I'm telling you. No one's in the room, you get your pretend to your backup dancers in and you're having a great time. I love going to karaoke. Um, I go to the cinema on my own. I go out for dinner on my own.
Speaker 1:I'm a big solo dater well, I want to know what your your song of choice is. You know what?
Speaker 2:I always start with um shallow. Do you know what I mean? You have to start with shallow, if you could sing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, obviously you can't.
Speaker 2:You know it's a bit best, but you're on your own so no one can hear you. So it's fine, you know, um? And then cheeky Adele, and then you've got to go to Beyonce. And then, do you know, let me finish with the dancing queen.
Speaker 1:I'm good oh, I'm loving that. Yeah, yeah, we book you in next year for the awards. Yeah, and you are a gospel singer yeah, yeah, yeah, I am, I am.
Speaker 2:I'm actually flying to Amsterdam tomorrow for another event, which is really cool because you, you, literally, it was not so long ago you were singing at a convention in America for like three thousand yeah, it was just super cool. That was amazing. That was um february, I think it was, so I sang for like two, three days there, which is really cool, and then I'm out of town tomorrow singing for two days there, which is cool as well then talk to me about uh advice that you would give your younger self.
Speaker 2:Oh, advice I would give my younger self. I would say, just well, my younger self, I would say you're only a child until you're 18, so just try it, do it, be it. Do you know? I mean, go there, send that email, try everything possible. Um, and also that I'm, you know, going on 30 now when I still don't know what I want to do, and that's okay, you know. I'm, you know, going on 30 now when I still don't know what I want to do, and that's okay, you know, I'm giving myself freedom to just live and exist, and I think that's one thing. Especially when I go into schools, they're like oh, your career choices, I'm thinking, guys, I can change my mind in the next five years, and I have no problem saying that because you know, 50-year-old me is going to look back at this version of me and be like you were so young, and then 70-year-old me will look at 50-year-old me and say you were so young.
Speaker 1:Do you know what I mean? There is no one. We talk on this podcast so often about not having just one straight line. You do this you do that, you pass, go, you get your 200 pounds and off you go, yeah, 100%. It doesn't work like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You can change your mind. You can make mistakes. What's one of the biggest sort of? I don't think it's a mistake, but what's one of the biggest things you think, yeah, okay, maybe that wasn't the best decision in the world. Oh gosh, let me think what wasn't. Or is it one of those things that are not mistakes? Do you know what they're learns, aren't they Not?
Speaker 2:fails. I'm that kind of person. I'm like no regrets. Definitely would have an accountant if I could go back, because I had a lot of issues when it came to the money side of things and just trying to do that by yourself, um, and I would probably say getting more help and shouting for help, more, um, and not trying to do it all by myself, definitely. But I don't believe in mistakes. I'm like look, worst case, you get it wrong, you try again, and it's that simple and I think asking for help is really key.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because people do want to help. Yes, you know, people do want it, like people who seek you out at the awards. Yeah, oh my god, you're brilliant. I wanted to fight. People do want a champion.
Speaker 2:People want a pass on knowledge and skills so you know, it aids people you know and I get that from the, from the event as well you know, like even the mentor I got from the awards that people are actually willing to help yeah, I think that's that's how this organization has grown, the path that it's gone.
Speaker 1:Because it's that, what can I do? How can I get involved? Now, I know you're a solo diner, but if you were going out for dinner with and you had two spare seats at the table, who would you have with you?
Speaker 2:oh, we're talking celebrities or anyone, anyone, okay, give me. I'm thinking am I doing this for entertainment or am I actually trying to get some business knowledge here?
Speaker 1:I I'm thinking it depends what month it is right. This is the point I'm like.
Speaker 2:I could go with, you know, an actor, or I could go with like an actual. Do you know what I?
Speaker 1:mean we're going to have to get a bigger table, aren't we? Yeah, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:I can't, honestly I can't. Okay, I'll say, um, I can't, it's really hard. You know I need a table of 12. Can I do 12? Yeah, go on then. Okay, cool, I'll take. I'll put Alan Sugar back on there okay, yeah, I would. I would put Baroness Brady on there. Yeah, yeah, she's a good. She looks like a good time. Good vibe, and then for the entertainment, I'll go with Matt Rife, the comedian. Okay yeah big fan. Do you want to come on my table as well?
Speaker 1:I'd love it. Yeah, I'm in you're seat number four. Thank you, that's great. I'm loving that. Yeah, that's great. We can have a chat. I can't think of the rest, but something along that line. You might have to bring Linda Plant back again do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2:I might as well get her involved. Your mum, tim, my mum, yeah, yeah, daryl, mentor, obviously he can do all the championing and then maybe just some pay it forward places.
Speaker 1:Do you know what I?
Speaker 2:mean, I'll put Peter Jones on there as well. Do you know what I mean? And then just stand up and pitch. You guys. Be like hey what?
Speaker 1:is that? Do you have like a quotation? Um, because you're very spiritual, um, you've got such a lovely energy. Is there a quotation that you live by?
Speaker 2:oh, I think I would probably say it's a scripture, um, and I would say okay. So there's a scripture in Isaiah 40, verse 8, which is what I live my life by, and it basically says the grass where there's the flower fades, but the word of God stands forever. And that's just like my life by. And it basically says the grass where there's the flower fades, but the word of God stands forever. And that's just like my life scripture, because I think it really anchors this journey and I think my faith really anchors just how I am as a person. You know, I don't believe in losses. As long as I prayed about it, and you know it's something I do believe, I'm doing this journey with God. I'm doing this journey with God. I'm just like it's okay. You know God's got me, um, so, yeah, I would say that, and is that what lifts you?
Speaker 1:when you're, if you have that moment where you just feeling a little bit vulnerable today, or you know, my resilience isn't as hard as it. Tough as it should be is that where you go for?
Speaker 2:yeah, in my bible or just at church and you know gospel singer, so it probably helps as well. I just literally use any opportunity to just talk to God and pray about it and it really does lift me. I think that's the one reason why I can be the person I am is because I'm like, quite spiritual and you have that faith.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And what? What are you excited about?
Speaker 2:do you know what I said to myself? I said I'm excited to go to the awards next year. I think I'm excited to be one to watch in 2025 and then to see what happened in this next 12 months. So I think that's one thing I'm very excited about, you know, to kind of be in this environment, but to also see what the fruit of that is next year, which will be really cool.
Speaker 1:You can't get rid of us. You know that, don't you?
Speaker 2:We're not for Christmas, we're for life right, I'm here for it, I love it, I love it. And you know what? It's so lovely to see other women as well, especially at the event. They're just so supportive. Everyone reached out on LinkedIn and just chatting with people and exchanging information. It's so cool, such a good environment.
Speaker 1:I'm proud of that, that is the environment. We're 10 years in, 10th anniversary of the awards next year.
Speaker 2:We've just just hit the 10th anniversary of the organization and it's and there's no, there's no sign of us stopping. How can, how could you stop when there's so many amazing humans like yourself? There's more coming up, there's more growing up and getting involved and I'm like, yeah, 100. I love initiatives like this because it's it's a reminder that you know what we're seeing. You know we're seeing which is really cool well, we wish you well.
Speaker 1:We can't wait to see you next year. Using your voice for song, for power, for karaoke, for all of the above, felicia, you are totally amazing. Thank you so much. Safe travels, thank you On your gospel singing and we will see you very soon. Yes see you soon. Appreciate you, subscribe on YouTube, apple, amazon Music, spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review or follow us on socials. We are Power underscore net on Insta, tiktok and Twitter. We are Power on LinkedIn, facebook and we are underscore Power on YouTube.
