Rewriting the Rules Three entrepreneurs share how they broke away from traditional paths, challenged the status quo, and built successful businesses by forging their own way.

Kunal Trehan, Auria Heanley, and Karl Neale each have their own unique story, but what ties them together is their ability to break away from the usual path and create something truly their own. They didn't follow the traditional route to success. Instead, they questioned the norm, took risks, and forged their own paths. Their journeys show that success isn't about sticking to the rules - it's about rewriting them and doing things your own way.

Kunal Trehan: From redundancy to renowned interior designer
Kunal Trehan's journey into the world of luxury interior design wasn't born from a traditional path or a lifelong dream to create opulent spaces. Instead, it was the result of a pivotal moment in his life - a moment that many entrepreneurs face, where adversity turns into opportunity. After being made redundant during the 2008 financial crisis, Trehan found himself at a crossroads, but failure was simply not an option.

"The short answer? I needed to earn an income, and failure was not an option," Trehan admits. "Being made redundant during the 2008 financial crisis forced me to reassess everything. I knew I had to make this work, and I was determined not to let circumstances define my future."

Trehan's background in recruitment-specifically, his work in launching a healthcare division within an engineering firm - taught him the resilience and adaptability needed to thrive in saturated markets. This experience laid the groundwork for his transition into the interior design world, where he knew he had to stand out. "I pushed boundaries to offer my prospective clients something unique, something that wasn't readily available. My market share may have been smaller, but that exclusivity became the key to my success."

Today, as the founder of Manchester based Touched Interiors, Trehan's work is synonymous with luxury, functionality, and cutting-edge design. His designs are featured in high-end residential and commercial spaces across the UK, and his use of technology, like virtual reality, has made him a forward-thinking leader in the field.

Reinvention at 50
For Auria Heanley, her entrepreneurial journey began at a life-defining moment when she was turning 50. At that time, she felt that her career had plateaued. Yet, a new opportunity came into her life that would change everything - an opportunity to co-found London based Oriel Partners with Olivia, her future business partner.

"I was turning 50, and it was a real turning point for me," Heanley reflects. "I wasn't challenged where I was working and could see myself drifting into semi-retirement. However, an opportunity presented itself, and life took a very different turn!"

Having already built an extensive career in recruitment, moving from corporate giants to boutique firms, Heanley brought with her a wealth of knowledge and a clear vision of what it would take to succeed in the world of business. "My whole career has shaped my approach to entrepreneurship," she explains. "I was lucky to have an extensive and successful recruitment career behind me. Starting in a big corporate and then moving to smaller boutique businesses, working across all areas of the business from consultant to senior management, this gave me a real depth of experience."

Heanley's advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is practical yet profound. "Pick a business in which you know well and have experience in, make sure you have enough financial investment behind you for all your business start-up costs and salaries for 6+ months, have a clear vision and viable business plan, and if you are going into business with someone, make sure that their values and vision align with yours." Her approach to business is shaped by her deep passion for what she does, her resilience in the face of challenges, and her ability to make quick, informed decisions. "Being extremely passionate about what I do and resilient has been invaluable, as well as being a quick decision-maker and happy to take calculated risks," she adds.

Engineering the Fragrance Revolution
Karl Neale's story is an example of how challenging conventional industries can lead to major breakthroughs. An engineer by training and a personal fragrance expert by passion, Karl saw an opportunity to revolutionise the perfume industry, which he felt was overly reliant on marketing and branding to justify high prices for low-cost products. Rather than follow the traditional route of becoming a trained perfumer, Neale applied his engineering mindset to fragrance development, focusing on efficiency, formulation, and cutting unnecessary costs while still delivering a premium product.

"I've always been someone who questions why things are done a certain way," Neale says. "When I started looking into the fragrance industry, I noticed how heavily marketing and branding dictated pricing. A bottle of perfume that costs pennies to produce was being sold for hundreds, purely because of the name on the label. That realisation pushed me to explore how I could apply my engineering mindset to fragrance - focusing on efficiency, formulation, and cutting out unnecessary costs while still delivering a premium product."

Nealel's engineering background trained him to approach problems analytically and creatively. "Engineering trained me to work within strict parameters while still finding creative solutions. Aircraft maintenance isn't just about following manuals - it's about diagnosing problems, understanding systems, and making things work under pressure. That ability to troubleshoot and adapt directly translates into business."

By approaching fragrance formulation scientifically, Neale created Rebel Aromas, a company focused on producing high-quality perfumes at a fraction of the typical cost. "Instead of relying on the same expensive bottling and distribution methods, I looked for alternative solutions that kept costs down without compromising on quality,"he explains. "I built Rebel Aromas from the ground up, applying the precision of engineering to an industry that often relies on perception rather than performance."

Neale's advice to other entrepreneurs challenges them to think outside the box and embrace their unique perspectives. "Don't assume you need to follow the same route as everyone else to succeed. Expertise isn't just about where you studied or how long you've been in an industry - it's about how you think and the skills you bring to the table. If you have a different way of approaching a problem, that's an advantage, not a disadvantage."

Neale's approach to disrupting the fragrance industry is rooted in experimentation and a focus on solving real problems. "Learn everything you can about the industry you want to disrupt, but don't feel confined by how things have always been done. Some of the biggest breakthroughs come from people outside the industry who bring fresh perspectives. Be willing to experiment, fail, and adapt. Most importantly, stay focused on solving a real problem rather than just fitting into an existing system. If your idea challenges the norm, you're probably onto something worth pursuing."'

Common Threads
What unites Trehan, Heanley and Neale is their ability to think beyond traditional frameworks, innovate, and take calculated risks. Each of them, in their own way, has questioned how things are done in their respective industries and used their unique skill sets to disrupt the status quo.

For Trehan, his background in law and recruitment gave him the foundation to build a brand that thrives on exclusivity and personalized design. For Heanley, her extensive experience in recruitment and her willingness to reinvent herself at 50 helped her co-found a business that emphasises integrity and a personal approach. For Neale, his engineering background gave him the tools to challenge an industry that often prioritised brand over quality, leading to the creation of a more efficient and cost-effective approach to perfume production.

All three entrepreneurs offer valuable lessons to anyone looking to break free from traditional career paths: Stay grounded in your values, don't be afraid to experiment, and always be ready to adapt to new challenges. As the entrepreneurs look toward the future, they are all committed to growing their businesses and making an impact in their respective industries. Trehan continues to push the boundaries of design, embracing new technology to create innovative, immersive spaces. Heanley remains focused on growing Oriel Partners, always adapting to new challenges in the recruitment industry. Neale, meanwhile, is dedicated to further revolutionizing the fragrance industry with Rebel Aromas by refining his formulas and expanding his market.

Their journeys prove that entrepreneurial success doesn't follow a prescribed path. Instead, it's about reinvention, leveraging your unique background and skills, and having the resilience to continue evolving. As they each move forward, they continue to defy expectations and pave the way for future entrepreneurs to do the same.