Katerina Hayes Went From Homeless Single Mum to Building a Million-Pound Tech Startup | Episode 23

Katerina Hayes didn’t just build businesses, she rebuilt herself through every breakdown, burnout, and rock bottom moment. Seventeen years in oil & gas. A dream career abandoned. Postnatal depression. Raising a son with autism. Starting over in a new country. At one point, she and her daughter were homeless, sleeping on sofas in her production facility. And yet, she kept going.

In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Katerina to uncover the truth about what it really takes to keep fighting when the world tells you to quit. From creating Naked Kimchi in her kitchen, to walking away from it all and co-founding B Brio AI, her story is proof that you can break apart, piece yourself back together, and come back stronger gold seams and all.

It’s raw. It’s real. And it’s full of the kind of lessons you only get when you’ve had everything stacked against you.

Key moments include: ✔️ The oil & gas career she fought for and why she walked away after 17 years ✔️ How postnatal depression and parenting a child with autism reshaped her life and identity ✔️ Suicidal thoughts, loneliness, and the hidden struggles behind “success” ✔️ Building a business from nothing… then facing homelessness with her daughter along the way ✔️ Why scaling Naked Kimchi broke her health and the brutal numbers vs passion reality check ✔️ The decision to let go of her “business baby” and the opportunity it unlocked ✔️ Why Scotland has more support for entrepreneurs than people realise (if you ask for it) ✔️ What it’s really like as a woman in business and why entrepreneurship is a mindset, not a gender ✔️ The role of ADHD, burnout and hustle culture in her entrepreneurial journey ✔️ How her new venture, B Brio AI, is using tech to support solopreneurs and high achievers with wellness built in ✔️ Her top three pieces of advice for anyone in business who feels like giving up

Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more raw, straight-talking conversations with people who’ve built, broken, and kept moving forward when quitting would’ve been easier.

 

Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/

 

Follow Katerina Hayes: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerinahayes/ 

 

Timestamps:

[00:00] Intro: James welcomes Katerina and reflects on when they first met

[02:00] Oil & Gas Journey: 17 years offshore, career sacrifices, and postnatal depression

[06:00] Hidden Struggles:  Suicidal thoughts, guilt, loneliness, and fighting through the dark times

[10:00] Naked Kimchi: Starting from her kitchen, early wins, and the reality of scaling a food business

[15:00] Burnout & Family Pressures:  The impact of the war in Ukraine, health scares, and losing contracts

[21:00] Homelessness: Living in her production facility with her daughter while still running a business

[24:00] Asking for Help: Support for entrepreneurs in Scotland, but the challenge of seeking it

[29:00] Letting Go: Closing Naked Kimchi and realising lifestyle vs scalable businesses

[35:00] Turning Point: Projects in Saudi Arabia, joining Min Ventures, and meeting her new co-founder

[38:00] B Brio AI: Building tech with wellness at the core to support solopreneurs & high achievers

[47:00] The Future: Scaling a tech startup and women’s performance cycles in wellness

[49:00] Final Advice: Katerina’s top three lessons for anyone struggling in business

[53:00] Outro: How to connect with Katerina and B Brio AI