Is your tap water actually as safe as you think?

In this episode of the Built By Her Podcast, Georgie sits down with Charlie, General Manager of The Filter Tap Company, to uncover what’s really in our water and why more people are starting to question what they’re drinking every day.

From microplastics and “forever chemicals” to the reality behind what’s classed as “safe” water in the UK, this conversation is eye-opening (and slightly shocking in parts).

We also dive into the growth of The Filter Tap Company as a startup, what it’s like building a business from the ground up, and how Charlie’s perspective on health, water, and daily habits has completely changed.

In this episode, we cover:

💧 What’s actually in your tap water (and why “safe” doesn’t always mean clean)

💧 Microplastics, PFAS, and the long-term impact on your health

💧 The biggest myths around boiling water and filtration

💧 Why bottled water might not be the better option

💧 The importance of maintaining filter systems (and what most people get wrong)

💧 Building a startup and learning as you grow

This episode will make you think twice about what you’re drinking and why taking control of your health might start with something as simple as your water.

If you’ve ever assumed your tap water is “fine”… this one’s for you.

Find Charlie & The Filter Tap Company

🌐 Website: https://www.thefiltertapcompany.com

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefiltertapcompany

💼 LinkedIn: The Filter Tap Company

📍 Visit them at The Site, Cheltenham

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Join the community, come to an event, and be part of the conversations beyond the podcast.

🎙️ Hosted by Georgina McDonald founder of G R Design Studio

🌐 Website: https://www.grdesignstudio.co.uk/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g_r_designstudio

🎧 Produced by Richard Lannen at Nozzle Media
🌐 https://nozzle.media
📸 https://www.instagram.com/nozzlemedia

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building something of their own.

What does it really take to turn a passion into a business that lasts?

In this episode of the Built By Her Podcast, Georgie sits down with Maria Young, owner of The Serenity Suite in the Forest of Dean, to talk about building a beauty business from the ground up and why real success in the industry goes far beyond treatments.

Maria shares how she started out straight from college with a mobile beauty kit, built a loyal client base, worked with premium brands like Clarins, and eventually grew her business into a thriving salon with a team, training courses, and a clear reputation for client care.

This episode is such an honest conversation about passion, resilience, confidence, and creating an experience people genuinely want to come back to.

From the importance of ambience and consultation, to growing a team, overcoming self-doubt, and building a business around making people feel good, there is so much in this one for anyone interested in beauty, business, or backing themselves.

In this episode, we talk about:

✨ How Maria started her beauty career straight from college
✨ Building a loyal client base through mobile treatments and word of mouth
✨ Working for Clarins and how that shaped her confidence and standards
✨ Why skincare matters just as much as makeup
✨ Treatments like microneedling, facials and bridal beauty prep
✨ The importance of ambience and creating a client experience
✨ Why the beauty industry needs more support between qualification and real salon work
✨ Growing a salon team and creating consistency in service
✨ How passion and care create returning clients
✨ The stigma around beauty as a career and why it deserves more respect
✨ How difficult experiences can shape your drive and resilience
✨ Why understanding your “why” matters when starting a business

About Maria:

Maria Young is the owner of The Serenity Suite, based at Bells Hotel in Coleford, Forest of Dean.

With over a decade of experience in beauty, massage, skincare and salon management, Maria has built a business centred around client care, ambience, and helping people feel good in themselves. Alongside running a successful salon and team, she is also developing online beauty courses to help support and elevate others entering the industry.

Listen if:

This episode is for you if you’re building a business, working in beauty, or want to hear a real story about how passion, consistency and care can create long-term success.

It’s also a brilliant listen if you’ve ever underestimated the skill, emotional intelligence and business thinking that goes into the beauty industry.

Connect with Maria:

Instagram:

Follow Built By Her

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtby_her
🎟️ Events & Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/114520957181

Join the community, come to an event, and be part of the conversations beyond the podcast.

🎙️ Hosted by Georgina McDonald founder of G R Design Studio

🌐 Website: https://www.grdesignstudio.co.uk/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g_r_designstudio

🎧 Produced by Richard Lannen at Nozzle Media
🌐 https://nozzle.media
📸 https://www.instagram.com/nozzlemedia

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building something of their own.

What if building a business didn’t come down to doing more… but to doing the right things, in the right way, with enough time to let them work?

In this episode of the Built By Her Podcast, Georgie sits down with Verena, founder of Fox and Doe, a private lash studio based in Cheltenham, to talk about building a business with intention, clarity, and self-trust.

With a background in finance and project management, Verena’s route into the beauty industry wasn’t the obvious one. But what she’s built is a brilliant example of how creative businesses can thrive when they’re rooted in strong systems, thoughtful positioning, and a really clear understanding of what makes them different.

From launching a bespoke lash studio alongside a corporate career, to navigating the silence that can come at the start of any business, Verena shares a refreshingly honest look at what it takes to grow something slowly, strategically, and in a way that actually aligns with who you are.

This is a real conversation about momentum, perfectionism, visibility, marketing, and learning how to focus on the things that are actually in your control.

In this episode, we talk about:

✨ Building a business alongside a full-time corporate role

✨ Moving from finance and project management into the beauty industry

✨ Why simple systems and clear priorities matter so much

✨ How to stay focused when growth feels slow at the start

✨ Letting go of perfectionism and taking action faster

✨ Why social media doesn’t have to be your whole marketing strategy

✨ Finding ways to market your business that actually suit your strengths

✨ The importance of testing ideas and failing quickly

✨ Giving your business enough time to breathe before judging it too soon

✨ Creating a client experience that feels personal, safe, and genuinely bespoke

✨ The thinking behind Fox and Doe’s facial mapping approach

✨ Why consultation, trust, and lash health sit at the heart of the service

About Verena:

Verena is the founder of Fox and Doe, a private lash studio in Cheltenham offering bespoke, natural lash enhancements with a strong focus on client care, consultation, and thoughtful design.

With a background in finance and project management, she brings a unique blend of structure and creativity to her business — combining high standards, clear systems, and a personalised approach to create an experience that feels both luxurious and considered.

Her work is rooted in the belief that beauty treatments should feel collaborative, calm, and tailored to the individual, helping clients feel like the best version of themselves without overpowering what’s already there.

Website: foxanddoe.co.uk
Instagram:

Follow Built By Her

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtby_her
🎟️ Events & Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/114520957181

Join the community, come to an event, and be part of the conversations beyond the podcast.

🎙️ Hosted by Georgina McDonald founder of G R Design Studio

🌐 Website: https://www.grdesignstudio.co.uk/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g_r_designstudio

🎧 Produced by Richard Lannen at Nozzle Media
🌐 https://nozzle.media
📸 https://www.instagram.com/nozzlemedia

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building something of their own.