Business and a Brew
Welcome to Business and a Brew – the podcast where real conversations about business happen over a good drink. Hosted by Danielle and Simon, this show brings together two friends with years of shared experiences, lessons learned, and plenty of stories to tell.
We’re here to explore the highs, lows, and in-betweens of business, from awkward challenges to unexpected victories. No topic is off the table – if it’s part of the entrepreneurial journey, we’re talking about it. Whether you’re looking for relatable advice, fresh perspectives, or just a laugh, you’ll find it here.
Think of us as your business buddies, chatting over coffee (or something stronger), keeping it real and keeping you entertained. So, grab your brew of choice, tune in, and let’s get talking. Cheers!
Business and a Brew
Kellogs & the culty wellness retreat
Cornflakes: the innocent breakfast staple… or the crunchy legacy of a bizarre 19th-century wellness cult?
We’re diving spoon-first into the truly wild origins of Kellogg’s, because this isn’t just a story about cereal. It’s a story about celibacy, enemas, and accidental entrepreneurship. Yes, really.
It all started in 1894 with Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a wellness-obsessed doctor running a sanitarium that promised to cleanse both body and soul. Picture it: strict diets, no caffeine, no meat, and definitely no… solo activities. He and his brother, Will Keith Kellogg, created Corn Flakes as part of this very pure, very bland lifestyle. But when Will suggested adding sugar to the flakes to make them actually taste nice, Dr. John lost it. Cue a dramatic brotherly bust-up, a new company, and the birth of the Kellogg’s we all know today.
Fast-forward to the 1950s, and the brand exploded with Special K, Frosties, and later Pop-Tarts, becoming a breakfast icon across the globe. But over the decades, the shine has worn off. Sales have been steadily dropping, 10% down in the 2010s and still sliding by 2–3% each year.
Now, Kellogg’s is trying to reinvent itself, leaning into snacks, global markets, and a rebrand that quietly avoids mentioning its culty past. But let’s be honest, once you know your morning cornflakes were invented to suppress desire, it kind of changes things, doesn’t it?
Grab a bowl, pour some tea (or milk, we’re not judging), and join us for a crunchy look at breakfast’s weirdest backstory.
About Simon and Danielle:
Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.
Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.
Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.
Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.
Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.