Darren Jamieson: Welcome to another episode of the Engaging Marketeer podcast. On today’s episode, I’m speaking to someone who can only be described as an astonishingly powerful woman. Teana Lynne is the owner of The Naughty Badger bistro in Chester, but she also has an incredibly powerful story. Frankly, I don’t feel qualified to delve into it properly—but I’m going to anyway, in my own blundering nonsense kind of way, and hope I get the best out of what she has to tell us.
She has suffered both physical and mental abuse, won a beauty contest for the British Isles, and bought her business on a whim—only to turn it into a success. I don’t even know where to start with this, so let’s just jump in and hear Teana’s story.
[02:00]
Darren Jamieson: So, Teana, you run a bistro in Chester with quite a unique name. Tell me, what’s the meaning behind The Naughty Badger?
Teana Lynne: We actually inherited the name when we took the place over—on a whim. Someone sent me a screenshot of the business for sale, and my fiancé, who’s a chef, and I decided to go have a look. That was a Friday. By Saturday morning, we’d shaken hands, put down a deposit, signed the lease on Monday, and opened officially on the following Friday. It was already called The Naughty Badger, but we’ve really leaned into it—black and white decor, badger-themed stickers, ornaments, pictures—badgers everywhere!
Darren Jamieson: So, were you actually looking for a business at the time?
Teana Lynne: No, not at all! Most people buy DVDs or a loaf of bread on impulse, but I bought a bistro!
Darren Jamieson: That’s quite a big leap! Were you worried about taking on a business, especially in the hospitality industry, which had just gone through the most challenging period in its history?
Teana Lynne: I figured, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Worst case scenario, we could sell it on and I’d go back to corporate. We didn’t take on debt to buy it—I used the remainder of my redundancy payout. It was a calculated risk, but one I felt was worth taking.
[06:30]
Darren Jamieson: Had you ever run a business before this?
Teana Lynne: Not really. I spent 15 years in banking, working in fraud, financial crime, and even selling cars. My fiancé had hospitality experience, but more on the bar side. He later trained himself as a chef.
Darren Jamieson: So how did you start marketing The Naughty Badger and making it a success?
Teana Lynne: I took over the Facebook page, which had about 1,600 followers, and built it up to over 3,000. I’d done network marketing before—selling makeup, lashes, beauty products—so I used everything I’d learned about branding and social media consistency to grow our presence. I also attend a lot of networking events.
[11:00]
Darren Jamieson: You started modeling at 47, and even won a competition at 49. What made you want to get into it?
Teana Lynne: It was a teenage dream. I started young but had to stop due to a toxic relationship. A friend later asked me to model for her boutique, and that rekindled my passion.
[13:30]
Darren Jamieson: You’ve been through some incredibly difficult experiences. It hasn’t always been good for you, has it?
Teana Lynne: No, it definitely hasn’t. I was groomed and trafficked as a teenager. I escaped at 30, with my life in bin bags, £600 in the bank, and £10,000 of debt. I had to start over completely.
Darren Jamieson: At the time, did you realize you were being groomed?
Teana Lynne: Not fully. It wasn’t until I saw a storyline on Coronation Street years later that I had a breakdown and realized, That’s what happened to me.
Darren Jamieson: How did you finally get out?
Teana Lynne: A client convinced me that I deserved better. Unfortunately, I later realized he had his own manipulative intentions. I escaped one abusive relationship and ended up in another. But I eventually found the strength to leave again—this time with £36,000 of debt in my name.
[26:30]
Darren Jamieson: You now do motivational talks. What made you want to share your story?
Teana Lynne: If I can reach just one person and give them hope, it’s worth it. I’ve had people come up to me saying, “Thank you for telling my story.” That makes everything worth it.
Darren Jamieson: Have you considered doing a TEDx talk?
Teana Lynne: I would love to! That’s on my vision board.
Darren Jamieson: Well, Chester has a TEDx event—I’ll put you in touch with them.
[30:00]
Darren Jamieson: Where do you see The Naughty Badger going in the future?
Teana Lynne: I’d love to franchise it. We’re also looking for a street-level location in Chester so we can open later hours.
Darren Jamieson: The rent in Chester is notorious. How bad is it?
Teana Lynne: Some places we looked at were £30,000–£45,000 in rent, with £28,000 in business rates and £90,000 per year for energy. It’s ridiculous!
[41:00]
Darren Jamieson: For anyone who wants to visit The Naughty Badger, where can they find you?
Teana Lynne: We’re on Bridge Street Row East, Chester. Look for a mannequin with a badger mask and follow the paw prints up the stairs! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. We take bookings Monday to Friday, but weekends are first-come, first-served.
Darren Jamieson: I’ll link all those in the podcast description. Teana, thank you for sharing your story—it’s been an absolute pleasure.
Teana Lynne: Thank you for having me!
