In this episode of the Built Not Born in Business podcast, Chris and Helen sit down with Arti Halai, a former BBC and ITV Central News presenter who spent 15 years delivering live television before taking everything she learned about trust, pressure and communication into the world of business. From reporting on the death of Princess Diana and the September 11th attacks to co-founding and exiting three companies, Arti's story is one of reinvention rooted in one unwavering principle: trust is everything.

Arti opens up about what it was really like inside the newsroom when the biggest stories in modern history were unfolding, how she trained herself to stay composed under extreme pressure and why the skills that made her a credible news presenter became the foundation for everything she built in business. She shares the unconventional tactics she used to stand out early in her career, from a CV designed like a magazine with a tea bag stapled to the front, to insisting on named testimonials when every competitor was hiding behind anonymous quotes.

Chris and Helen bring their own experiences to the conversation, including a brutally honest story about a studio mistake that became a masterclass in how to handle a crisis and build deeper trust in the process. Together they explore why so many business owners confuse talking with communicating, why psychological safety is the one thing most leaders overlook in their teams and why the decision to be the best rather than the biggest was one of the most important they ever made.

This episode is packed with practical wisdom that listeners can use immediately. From Arti's children's storybook exercise for improving vocal delivery, to the two-second pause that signals authority, to her belief that confidence is not a prerequisite but a result of taking action. Whether you lead a team of two or two hundred, this conversation will change how you communicate, how you lead and how you think about the trust your business is really built on.