We Are Whanau

When John Maffioli Founder | FEBE Growth 100 - For Entrepreneurs, By Entrepreneurs asked Whanau to become a Partner of FEBE and join this amazing community dedicated to celebrating and supporting the UK's most exciting and fast-growing founder-led businesses and privately owned brands, the answer was simple - 100% - YES! At Whanau, we're passionate about working with ambitious founders, entrepreneurs, and FEBE's mission aligns perfectly with our own — celebrating inspiring journeys and connecting like-minded leaders. Our purpose, Growth for Good, makes this partnership a natural fit. We're already proud to be working with some incredible brands from the FEBE Class of 2024 — Passenger, D. Louise, Stubble & Co, Dynasty Partners, and FAIRFAX & FAVOR — and we can't wait to collaborate even further. From sharing impactful stories to supporting FEBE's exciting future events (including more guest speaking opportunities for Steve Hewitt), we’re looking forward to helping this incredible community thrive. Who knows — maybe a future entrepreneur reading this today will be joining the FEBE 100 ranks in the years to come! 🚀

Another incredible vlog is on the way—this time straight from the New Forest, featuring our very own Steve Hewitt in conversation with the talented, insightful, and always engaging Richard Sutcliffe, founder of the much-talked-about sustainable brand, Passenger. Richard talks about his journey—long before the brand existed—always chasing that next moment of escapism. Then came the turning point: he and Alex (now his wife) had a powerful realisation. Inspired by the places they loved and driven to protect them, they saw the need for meaningful, sustainable products that aligned with their way of life. And the rest, as they say, is history. When asked to choose the perfect setting to bring out his best for the vlog, he didn’t hesitate—a roaring fire in his garden, reflecting on the highs and lows of building a brand like Passenger. And of course, we had to mention his closing words. "Describe yourself in one word?" Rich—“Dickhead.” A humble guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously, but takes his business, the environment and what he stands for incredibly seriously. Don’t miss this one—get early access! +Follow us today! #Successinaction #Wearewhanau #Leadership

🚀 The wait is over! Gian Power OBE The SuperPower Podcast with Steve Hewitt is here! Former CEO of Gymshark and founder of Whanau Advisory and Investments, Steve shares how he scaled Gymshark from £4M to £400M, leading it to Unicorn status with a $1.5B valuation. 💥 Tune in for game-changing insights on leadership, growth, and his journey from building an empire to mentoring the next generation of brands like D. Louise. In this episode, Gian and Steve discuss: ⚡ Surrounding yourself with the right people ⚡ Removing ego from leadership & decision-making ⚡ The power of coaching for peak performance ⚡ Backing the underdog & giving young people opportunities ⚡ The secret sauce behind Gymshark’s success ⚡ Building a community-led brand ⚡ Creating an unstoppable company culture https://lnkd.in/eP4NYrYa Don't miss this one! 🎧 #Successinaction #Wearewhanau #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth

SEASON 3 - Gian Power OBE SuperPower Podcast ⚡️- with Steve Hewitt coming soon.   ⚡️Founder of Whanau Advisory and Investments and probably better known as former CEO of Gymshark, who played an integral role in building the brand from an 8 employee start-up into a 1000+ global powerhouse. Under his leadership, he created an environment where everyone aspired to belong, and no one wanted to leave. He built a business that achieved Unicorn status—not as the ultimate goal, but as the natural outcome of doing everything else right. Along the way, he embraced high risks, made mistakes, and loved the company policy 'We'd rather have a hole than arsehole' - never losing sight of ‘Work Hard and Stay Humble. 🦄✨ This is a great listen - don't miss it! ⚡️ Find the episodes wherever you usually listen – YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts – search up ‘The SuperPower Podcast’! #thesuperpowerpodcast #successinaction

We asked a selection of our clients, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, HUUB Design, NADINE MERABI, D. Louise, K9 JETS and Progress Jiu Jitsu - "Describe your Northstar experience in one word". The verdict? Transformational, impact, freedom, direction, focus, clarity and game-changing. Don't just take our word for it—see how a Northstar from We Are Whanau can transform your business. Contact us now https://lnkd.in/eEnVjrYS! #WeAreWhanau #SuccessInAction

LAUNCHING SOON 🚀!!!! Season 3 of The SuperPower Podcast with Gian Power OBE – featuring none other than our very own Steve Hewitt! 🎙️ The first episode drops on Sunday, 2nd February, at 6 PM UK time, kicking off a season packed with incredible stories and insights. Plus, a new episode will be released every two weeks to keep the inspiration flowing! And there’s more: starting 1st April, the entire season will be available exclusively on Emirates’ in-flight entertainment platform, reaching 85 countries and 158 destinations. ✈️🌍 Get ready for an epic season you won’t want to miss!

This week, We Are Whanau team jumped on a flight to Amsterdam to partner with Sassy Saints, tackling their growing pains head-on, understanding their ambitious expansion plans, and navigating the challenges of running a high-growth business in today's fast-moving world. 🚀 The team spent two immersive days with founders Sem Buitelaar, Roos van der Aa, Ramey van Zetten, Hugo Pires, Roza Hosnavi and Hester van Lint, diving deep into Sassy Saints' purpose, audience, values, and business model. The result? A powerful 36-month roadmap designed to bring discipline, realism and, focus - setting the stage for Sassy Saints to become the ultimate version of itself in the forthcoming years of growth! Proving to be anything but sassy—in fact, the team were one of the most engaged, open-minded groups we've worked with. When challenged by Steve Hewitt and Greg Thorndick on aspects of their business model, they showed zero egos or agendas, just a genuine drive to improve! Here are a few key takeaways, straight from the team across the 2-days! 🚀 Embrace discipline - keep the business as simple as possible for as long as possible. 🚀 Trust the process - always keep the business aligned to the Northstar. 🚀 Stay patient - build a business correctly with foundations that allow you to grow sustainably. Thank you, Sassy Saints for embracing the space we created to challenge and have meaningful conversations about your current and future state of growth for the business. And understanding the power of values being more important than ever during your journey. #WeAreWhanau #SuccessInAction

Dave Parry has a true passion for businesses with purpose, and what could be more fitting than a scaling company with a powerful mission? Having worked with JAAQ. for some time, Dave was invited to a fireside chat to reflect on his time as Chief People Officer at Gymshark. He shared invaluable insights and experiences from the hyper-growth years, all while maintaining and protecting its unique culture.

Big thanks to AMBITIOUS for bringing Steve Hewitt on board to kick off this exciting series! Can’t wait to see the final edit!

As we close out 2024 and celebrate Whanau's second year of trading, we’re honestly astonished of what we've achieved. This year has been a testament to the team and our clients of building a vibrant, infectious environment that collectively people want to be a part of. We’ve had the privilege of supporting many brands and businesses, fostering partnerships that continue to thrive as we look ahead to 2025 and beyond. From driving double-digit EBITDA growth for clients to living out our purpose, Growth for Good, we’ve made impressive impacts that extend far beyond the bottom line. Among our proudest moments of 2024 has been supporting Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust on their journey to achieving a £10 million income goal, a remarkable three-year ambition. Equally impactful has been our work with St Basils, providing support and awareness to young homeless people—a mission that feels especially significant during this season of giving. Merry Christmas, everyone, and here’s to a positive and impactful 2025! 🎄🎅🏻🎁🥳