The Gentleman‘s Journal Podcast

Topjaw turns 10: An interview with Jesse Burgess and Will Warr

It takes ten years to become an overnight success, they say. At the eight year mark, Topjaw’s Jesse Burgess and Will Warr very nearly tapped out. The pair had been making longish-form food-adjacent YouTube videos since 2015 — things like a 21-minute, three part series on the best burger in London. (“We haven’t exactly moved on,” laughs Will now.) It was going okay. It was going fine. It was even going quite well — which is a terrible way for anything to be going whatsoever.

“And then there came a moment when it was like, right: this has been a side project for so long,” says Jesse now. “Are we going to pack it in because it takes up a lot of time? Or are we going to carry it on — at which point we have to put our all into it. It was one or the other..."

 

Here, Jesse and Will discuss London's best restaurants, birthday celebrations, the problem with hype, and their admiration for the people behind the industry.

Caspar Lee — founder, YouTuber and VC

Caspar Lee made his first YouTube video at the age of 16 and made his first million from the platform at the age of 21. Now, he is the founder of three businesses that have put some of what he learned in that world into action — an influencer marketing agency, a creator management company, and Creator Ventures, a VC fund with $65m under management, with his Caspar invests in the technologies behind internet culture. 

Harry Stebbings, Podcaster and VC

“You really have to be unwaveringly obsessed..."

Harry Stebbings’ career began at the age of 13, when he watched The Social Network — David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s brooding portrayal of the earliest days of Facebook. But whereas many of us watched that film and thought: “I’d quite like to be a tech founder”, Harry watched it and thought: “Gosh. I want to be a venture capitalist.”

A few years later, and with £200 pounds in the bank and not a single contact in the VC world, Harry started his podcast, The Twenty Minute VC. Now, more than 10 years and 1400 episodes later, Harry has pivoted his juggernaut-like podcast into his very own VC fund — one that has backed 13 unicorns to-date. Here, in a beautifully candid interview, Harry tells the podcast about the AI start-up sphere; why he chooses to work nine-to-nine, six days a week; how his often lonely childhood formed his entrepreneurial mindset; the dangers of social media usage; and the things that make him optimistic about the future.

In conversation with Daisy Knatchbull, Editor of Kultura

In this special episode of the Gentleman's Journal Podcast we sit down with Daisy Knatchbull and Harry Jarman to discuss the launch of Kultura — a new magazine about pioneering women redefining success on their own terms. The entrepreneurs talk about how the venture first came about; the struggle of coming up with a name; why Lauren Hutton, at the age of 81; was the best possible first cover star; and why it’s always worth paying more for shoes.

Tom Gearing, CEO and Co-Founder of Cult Wines

The co-founder of the wine investment giant talks earliest wine memories, investment-grade riesling, and the enduring power of Burgundy.

 

 

Michael Kliger, LuxExperience, CEO

Among a slew of high-profile luxury e-commerce casualties, Mytheresa has enjoyed remarkable and sustained success — a trajectory that has been masterminded, in no small part, by the company's affable CEO, Michael Kliger.

Now, Kliger has spearheaded the formation of LuxExperience — a new group that includes Mytheresa, Net-A-Porter, Mr Porter, Yoox, and The Outnet under one roof.

Here, in a special recording at Huntsman on Savile Row, Kliger reveals the secrets of his success — and his predictions for the future of luxury.

GJ LIVE: A guide to alternative investments

This talk will serve as a comprehensive guide to alternative investments, offering insights into diverse asset classes beyond traditional stocks and bonds, empowering investors to explore opportunities in areas like real estate, wine, watches, art and cars. Joe Twyman (Classic Car Investment), Tom Gearing (CEO of Cult Wines) and Chris Youé (PHILLIPS Auction House representative on Contemporary Art and Watches).

 

GJ LIVE: Michael Lohscheller, CEO of Polestar

Michael Lohscheller, CEO of Polestar, reflects on mobility’s evolving scope, the geopolitics of car making in 2025, and what consumers really want out of the cars they drive today.

GJ LIVE: Jon Connell, Founder of The Week and The Knowledge

Jon Connell, Founder of The Week and The Knowledge, navigates the maelstrom of the modern media world — touching on the rise of digital platforms, the voices that actually shape culture, the publications and outlets that will survive and thrive (and those that seem destined to sink), and the changing consumption habits of the modern reader.

GJ LIVE: What good hospitality really means

Our panellists will dive deep into what good hospitality looks like in 2025, exploring common trends, frequent pitfalls, and the businesses and industry leaders renowned for getting it right.

 

Jesse Burgess (Presenter and Co-Founder of TOPJAW LTD), Santiago (Lastra Chef and co-owner of KOL) and Sandia Chang (Co-Founder at Bubbledogs and Kitchen Table)