Excel against the Odds

Author: Sarah Berthon

Inspiration and advice about work and self-employment for people with chronic illnesses
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Language: en

Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship

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Working with a Chronic Illness - Interview with Hortense Julienne, founder of Miss Nang
Episode 6
Tuesday, 1 September, 2026

In this episode of the Excel against the Odds podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking to Hortense Julienne the founder of Miss NangHortense Julienne is a Franco-Cameroonian who moved to the UK 2001. Her love of food has shaped much of her journey, taking her from food blogging and cookbooks to entrepreneurship and sustainability.In 2013, Hortense launched her first food blog, documenting a journey through Lent. In 2014, she published her first cookbook, The Bank Cook, a collection of recipes created with food bank users in mind. Visit www.theBankCook.com.The book led to numerous print media features, radio appearances and podcast interviews, as well as a serialised recipe feature in a print magazine. It also led to Hortense hosting a year-long radio programme dedicated to cooking well on a budget, alongside her food platform, www.madebyhortense.com.Hortense later became a finalist in a cookbook competition organised by Red Magazine and HarperCollins. Her passion for making plant-based food exciting led to Plant-Based Ideas For Carnivores, a vegan cookbook created for people who believe there is no life without meat. One of its recipes was published in The Independent on Sunday. Hortense continued her plant-based food journey with another edition of the cookbook, published in 2022.Hortense has always loved nuts. After years of turning them into her signature homemade gifts, she transformed that passion into a business, launching Miss Nang Treats in 2016.Today, www.missynang.com is home to an artisan range of gourmet nuts, seeds and plant-based snacks, including sweet and savoury treats, crackers and accompaniments. Miss Nang champions attainable sustainability, thoughtful sourcing, small-batch production, zero-waste thinking and eco-conscious packaging.The brand has received recognition including Great Taste and Women in Food industry awards, and was most recently a finalist in a national sustainability award for Sustainable Businesses: Good Waste & Circular Economy.Behind the business is a story of resilience. Hortense has twice faced a rare form of hybrid cancer, resulting in the loss of a rib and part of her shoulder blade and leaving her with visible and invisible disabilities.Her Christian faith has remained an important source of strength. Away from business, Hortense is also a committed volunteer in her community and church community.Discover more about Hortense at www.hortensejulienne.com.Excel against the Odds:Chronic Empowerment Hub: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.excelagainsttheodds.co.uk/eato-chronic-empowerment-hub⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Workbook for running a successful business with a chronic illness: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.excelagainsttheodds.co.uk/eato-workbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠One to One Power Hour: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://start.excelagainsttheodds.co.uk/strategypowerhour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To join the Entrepreneurs against the Odds Facebook group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/groups/entrepreneursagainsttheodds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linked In: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/excel-against-the-odds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠