Expert Masterclass Recap

Ramona Hazan didn't set out to build the UK's number one houmous brand. She started RAMONA's from her own kitchen because she couldn't find houmous that tasted like the food she grew up with, fresh, vibrant, and full of flavour rather than another beige tub on a supermarket shelf. What followed was a 17 year climb that tested her patience at every turn.

People close to her didn't see the vision. They told her to play it safe, stick with something stable, and let the idea go. She heard far more no's than yes's along the way. But she kept going, and when that first real yes finally landed, everything shifted, growth that had felt impossible suddenly moved fast.

Ramona spoke openly about what it actually took to get there: resilience through years of doubt, boldness when her team thought her bright yellow, green, and red packaging was a mistake, and the discipline to build a team of people who understood where she was headed. She was equally honest about scaling, admitting that some people and habits that helped her early on had to be let go of to reach the next stage.

The session closed with a live business pitch competition, giving attendees the chance to put those same principles into practice.