Episode Details

Maxine Laceby: Starting Absolute Collagen at 50 and building a £30m DTC Brand

This week Jo sits down with Maxine Laceby, co-founder of Absolute Collagen, to discuss how she built a pioneering liquid collagen, direct-to-consumer brand in midlife. After 25 years as a stay-at-home mum, turning 50 and studying fine art led Maxine to a self-identity project, “Dare to Go Bare,” and a wellbeing journey that began with homemade bone broth and evolved into discovering collagen. In 2017 she launched Absolute Collagen with her daughter Darcy, growing it from a kitchen-table idea into a £30m business, raising £15m investment, and earning major rankings and awards. Maxine credits transferable “mum skills” like emotional intelligence, intuition, and reading people, alongside a consumer-first mindset, strong team culture, hiring to offset weaknesses, and choosing aligned partners over money. She emphasizes authenticity, integrity, and scientifically proven claims in a “Wild West” supplement market.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

02:23 Motherhood Skills to Boardroom

03:06 Emotional Intelligence as Superpower

05:11 Designing for the Absoluter

08:01 Dare to Go Bare Origins

10:51 Finding Maxine Under the Masks

13:47 Kids Reactions and Leading by Example

15:39 Always a Problem Solver

17:51 Collagen Discovery with Darcy

19:13 Early Results and Hair Science

21:55 Mother Daughter Business Dynamic

23:28 Empowered Family Collaboration

26:08 Respect and Boundaries

27:07 Scaling With Great Hires

29:29 Authenticity Versus Celebrity

32:09 Brand Integrity and Science

33:58 Culture Fit and Team Freedom

34:53 Investment and Valuation Lessons

38:39 New CEO and Absoluter Mindset

40:44 Three Two One Advice

43:33 Thanking Brad and Closing

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Edited and produced by Jo Glynn-Smith 2025.
Recorded at Eight Works Podcast Studios, 1 Dysart Street, London, EC2A 2BX
For bookings: eightworks@eightclub.co.uk

Jo Glynn-Smith is an entrepreneur, professional coach, writer, and speaker from London, she is an expert in career transformation and change.

Instagram @jojoglynnsmith and @themidlifeentrepreneur

Contact: enquiries@joglynnsmith.com
www.joglynnsmith.com

MUSIC CREDIT Easy Money by REX BANNER licensed by Artlist.io
PHOTOGRAPHY by JONATHAN GLYNN-SMITH www.jonathanglynnsmith.com