Story & Lesson Highlights with Kate Hardcastle MBE

Kate Hardcastle MBE shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Kate, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My first ninety minutes rarely look the same: that’s the reality of being on the road so much. I can be up before dawn for live breakfast news in London, on a plane reviewing market reports, or walking into a boardroom in New York. What is consistent is preparation; I wake up and immediately scan the headlines, financial data, and consumer updates, because I know I could be called on to interpret the numbers for millions of viewers within the hour. I always make time to connect with home too; a quick call with my family wherever I am in the world. And if I’m lucky enough not to be racing to camera, I’ll find a quiet moment with good coffee and my notebook. Those early hours are about being ready, informed and present, so that whether it’s a broadcast, a keynote or an advisory meeting, I’m stepping into the day at full speed.”

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Kate Hardcastle MBE, and for nearly three decades I’ve been known as the ‘Customer Whisperer’ helping some of the world’s biggest brands truly understand the people they serve. My work takes me from live market reports on breakfast TV to advising CEOs for brands in sectors as diverse as luxury fashion to mainstream entertainment -behind closed doors, always with one mission: to give the consumer a voice at the table.

What makes my journey a little different is that I’ve walked every side of retail and business; from factory floors in Asia to boardrooms in New York. That perspective allows me to see both the numbers and the human story behind them.

Right now, my focus is on my book, The Science of Shopping. It takes readers behind the scenes of why we buy, and how our decisions are shaped by psychology, technology, and the theatre of the store. But beyond the book, I’m working with global businesses on how to evolve in an era where consumers demand more honesty, more humanity, and more innovation.

It’s a life of constant travel and change, but what keeps it fascinating is that people: their habits, hopes, and choices are endlessly interesting. That’s the heart of my work, and why I still love what I do.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A defining moment for me came in the early 2000s, when I was working across Asia, spending time on the factory floors where so many of the products we all consume are created. I was young, ambitious, and suddenly seeing the sheer scale of global production up close: the precision, the pressure, the human effort behind every item. It was a world away from the glossy stores I’d later see those same products displayed in.

That contrast shaped everything I do. It taught me to always look beneath the surface, to understand the real story of how something comes to market – and, most importantly, the people involved. It also gave me the confidence to challenge the industry when I felt consumers weren’t being given the full truth.

Even now, whether I’m broadcasting live on television, advising a Fortune 500 board, or writing for Forbes magazine, that experience is with me. It keeps me grounded, it makes me curious, and it fuels my belief that business has to be both brilliant and human.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self: your values will be your superpower. I was lucky enough to be mentored as a young woman by Dame Anita Roddick, the visionary behind The Body Shop, who showed me that business could be daring and ethical in equal measure. That lesson has stayed with me in every decision I’ve made.

Over the years I’ve dedicated myself to causes that reflect that belief, from over a decade with Women in Sport, fighting for equality on and off the field, to founding the Positive Image campaign to challenge toxic ideals and give young people the confidence to be themselves. Supporting the Diana Award and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has allowed me to see firsthand how we can empower the next generation to step into their future with courage and compassion.

I’ve also worked with young people globally to help them understand sustainability and their role as conscious consumers, because they are the leaders who will shape the future. Those conversations remind me daily that business isn’t just about today’s bottom line, it’s about legacy.

So if I could speak to my younger self, I’d say: never compromise on your principles. They will carry you through the challenges, and ultimately, they will be what makes your work and your life, extraordinary.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Fads are fun, but they’re fleeting, they catch fire on social media and then fade just as quickly. A foundational shift is different: it becomes part of how we live, shop and even define ourselves.

Take the recent Labubu craze. Those collectible figurines went viral overnight, queues around the block, frenzied resales online. That’s a fad. But the deeper movement behind it: our desire for community, nostalgia, and the thrill of limited-edition drops, that’s a foundational shift. It’s the same psychology driving everything from sneaker culture to luxury beauty collaborations.

Because I work across data and human behaviour, whether I’m live on television analysing markets, or advising brands in the boardroom and I can see when something is simply ‘of the moment’ and when it signals a cultural reset. And that’s exactly what I unpack in The Science of Shopping; not just what people are buying today, but what those choices say about the future of consumer culture.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I’d like people to say that I used my voice to make life better and fairer for others. That I stood up for consumers, giving people a seat at the table when decisions were being made about what they buy, how they live, and what they’re told.

I’d want the story to include the young women I’ve mentored, the charities and foundations I’ve worked with, and the campaigns I’ve launched to promote confidence, equality and sustainability. But also the moments on television, on stage, or in the pages of a book where someone felt seen, understood, or inspired to think differently.

At its heart, my work has always been about making business more human. If the story people tell is that I brought a little more honesty, courage and compassion into an industry that can feel very transactional, I’d consider that the greatest legacy.

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Kate Hardcastle MBE

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