Season 2, Ep 3: Elaine Penhaul, Founder and Managing Director of multi award-winning home staging business, Lemon and Lime

In the third episode of Invested Season 2, Laura Boyd sits down with Elaine Penhaul, Founder and Managing Director of Lemon and Lime, the UK’s largest property staging company outside London. Elaine’s story is one of reinvention, resilience, and relentless optimism. She talks openly about her unconventional career path, from studying maths and training as an actuary, to teaching sailing in Greece, and eventually building a multi-award-winning interiors business. What began as a favour to improve a property for sale became the foundation of Lemon and Lime, a company now preparing to franchise across the UK. Elaine reflects on the early challenges of starting a business later in life, the lessons learned from working in male-dominated industries, and why she believes in taking risks, offering practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Now an expert in property staging, her book, ‘Sell High, Sell Fast’ is an Amazon no 1 best-seller. A contributor to many property podcasts, she also writes for publications like Estate Agent Today and The Times, and has recently launched the first app to evidence return on investment for staging to a worldwide market. With a background in actuarial science, education, business coaching, and property development, Elaine brings a unique perspective on leadership, growth, and the power of optimism. This is an inspiring conversation about embracing change, building a business with purpose, and creating opportunities from adversity. Before you go, don’t forget to follow or subscribe to our podcast and if you want to hear more from some of our inspirational investees at the helm of some of the UK’s fastest growing companies, head over to mavencp.com.