Love Business with Alan Wick

Providing managed IT services and support to a variety of impact-driven SMEs, social impact businesses and charities, Fluid IT is dedicated to being affordable, transparent and accountable.

Started by David Schluter in 2005, from the beginning Fluid IT has been motivated to release the potential of their team and their clients.

They are proud to be a founding UK B Corp member; being a business that’s a force for good, and to have continued to grow and thrive throughout uncertain times. 

B Corp recognised Fluid IT on their 2022 Best for the World for workers list, having demonstrated that they craft a business environment where employees have opportunities to build skills, shape company decisions, and access support that benefits their well-being, all of which reinforces the value of workers as stakeholders.

Fluid IT loves seeing their staff and clients flourish, and are deeply committed to making that happen. They also aim to serve their community and protect their environment.

You can find out more about Fluid IT’s services, and how they do business here.

Overview:

In our inspiring conversation, David: 

• Explains what Fluid IT does, expanding on its purpose and business model.
• Champions the value of introducing an advisory board.
• Highlights his excitement in exploring employee ownership, and the potential for social mobility that it offers.
• Describes the company’s revenue streams.
• Talks about his history in business and the path he’s taken.
• Pinpoints significant moments of success in Fluid IT’s journey, including being a founder B Corp.
• Explores the benefits of the RASCI process (Responsible, Accountable, Supported, Consulted, Informed.)
• Weighs up the balance between a focus on values and culture alongside the commercial side of the business.
• Looks to the future and what he’d love to see the business achieve.
• Stresses how important it is for him to be sure that his employees are happy at Fluid IT.
• Focuses on being disciplined about work life balance, maintaining a healthy relationship with family whilst running a business.
• Reveals some of his key learnings, including preventing burnout.

In his most recent venture, he’s turned his many talents to his passion for music, founding Gearbox Records Ltd, the UK’s leading vinyl record label.

Gearbox is committed to the highest quality pressings and, under the mentorship of famed audio engineer Sean Davies, Darrel was inspired to build an all-analogue cutting and mastering studio, which gives the signature ‘Gearbox sound’.

As a side project, Darrel has also created a revolutionary turntable, now recognised as a design icon.

It was a joy to spend time with a fellow drumming enthusiast, going behind the scenes in the music production business and exploring the balance between head and heart.

Overview:

In our illuminating interview, Darrel:

• Gives an overview of the genres of music the label specialises in.

• Explains where the label’s recordings can be found.

• Stresses the importance of acquiring high quality equipment as recording quality is paramount.

• Details the processes involved in improving the audio quality of older recordings.

• Delves into the business side of the record industry and the similarities of a record label to a hedge fund.

• Talks about Gearbox Records’ beginnings.

• Shares his thoughts on the balance between making decisions with your head or your heart.

• Focuses on when he knew he was ‘onto something’ from a business perspective.

• Highlights some of the company’s key milestones and plans for the future.

• Discusses the importance of being able to be agile as a small business in the record industry.

• Expands on the early days of his business career.

• Debates the idea that a tough economic environment can be a good time to start a business.

• Summarises his learnings.

Pioneering a new way of thinking and how we drink beer, Small Beer Brew Co is a specialist lower alcohol beer brewery producing award winning, classic beer styles below 2.8% ABV. Their beer gives you all the enjoyment without the bleary-eyed consequences.

London's first B Corp certified Brewery, they are rooted in history, brewed for today, regenerating this once common drink of the people so beer lovers can balance great taste with a healthier lifestyle.James Grundy, his Co-Founder, Felix James, and their team pride themselves on innovation, quality and the responsible manner in which they produce beer.

Their beers are crafted with quality, packed with the finest ingredients and ‘long lagered’ for six weeks to maximise flavour. They are also naturally lower in carbs, calories and sugars.

James’s passion for their business was awe-inspiring. He should be bottling that as well as the beer! I loved learning about the brewing process and hearing about James’s journey and values.

You can find out more about Small Beer Brew Co’s refreshing take on doing business in beer  here.

Overview:

In our enlightening conversation, James: 

• Talks about the brewery's signature 'mid-strength' beers and gives a brief history of the term 'small beer' itself.

• Explains how their modern production methods differ from the past.

• Explores the current trend for lower ABV (alcohol by volume) beers and how Small Beer aims to maximise flavour.

• Summarises his history working in the drinks industry and how it’s informed his mindset with Small Beer.

• Gives an insight into the early days of the business, and challenges they faced.

• Talks about their first client being the Savoy Hotel bar, and how pivotal early deals with Majestic Wines and Waitrose were.

• Describes Small Beer’s B Corp journey, describing their pioneering water saving techniques and other energy saving measures.

• Discusses that becoming a ‘1% for the planet' partner means that 1% of the brewery's revenue goes to an environmental cause – in their case, Project Coral, a world leading coral restoration project based in South London.

• Details the range of beers produced by Small Beer.

• Focuses on the importance of having a passionate team, and the logistical details of the business.

• Looks to the brewery’s future plans and goals.

• Delves into why ‘contract’ brewing isn’t an option for international growth, due to the specialist equipment required.
  Shares his learnings, including the importance of always having a back-up plan.

Bates Wells is a truly purpose and impact-driven law firm; the first in the UK to be certified B Corp. The firm sees it as its purpose to create a positive impact on people, communities and the planet.

The law firm that helped to launch the Better Business Act, fighting for workers’ rights, Bates Wells works with clients who are like-minded change-makers and leaders, and some of the world’s leading charities and social enterprises.

Martin Bunch, the Managing Partner at Bates Wells, is passionate about walking the talk, successfully combining running a profitable business with a real social purpose - positive people making a positive impact.

Bates Wells goes above and beyond the role of a traditional law firm, proactively and optimistically challenging conventional wisdom and seeking out opportunities to seize the initiative and champion better outcomes, believing that actions speak louder than words.

It was a breath of fresh air talking with Martin and getting an insight into how Bates Wells’ values are pivotal; how the firm shapes its decisions and the way their team lives and works.

You can find out more about Bates Wells’ forward-thinking way of doing business in the legal world here.

In our inspirational conversation, Martin: 

• Summarises Bates Wells and its history, detailing its B Corp journey which led to it becoming the first law firm to be certified B Corp in the UK.

  
  

• Explains its climate programme and solicitor apprentice scheme.

  
  

• Highlights the significant pro bono work the firm did for Uber drivers, a case which was eventually heard in the Supreme Court.

  
  

• Talks about how the firm has adapted to hybrid/remote working.

  
  

• Expands on some of Bates Wells’ work, including how it successfully changed disability discrimination laws.

  
  

• Observes how having a clear direction attracts potential employees and clients, and why trying to be 'all things to all people' isn’t a successful approach. 

  
  

• Shares his thoughts on adding purpose to the concept of the 'triple bottom line', the concept of 'purpose-washing' and the nature of purpose for Bates Wells.

  
  

• Delves into the Better Business Act, which was drafted by Bates Wells, and the progress it’s making.

  
  

• Describes how bringing specific people in to run parts of the business has been very effective, despite the costs involved.  

  
  

• Outlines the firm’s pricing model and stresses the importance of transparency with clients when it comes to costs.

  
  

• Focuses on how helping people is part of the company’s culture.

  
  

• Examines lessons learned along the way, including what happens when you try to change things too quickly – evolution, not revolution, is key.

  
  

• Looks to the exciting times ahead and expresses the progress he’d like to see with the B Corp movement across other businesses.

You can find out more about Woolcool®’s trailblazing work here.

In our enlightening conversation, Angela:

• Describes how wool is an effective insulating material, holding food and pharmaceutical items for up to five days with no further outside cooling required, and goes into detail about the manufacturing process.

• Talks about the scale of the business – c70 staff and a turnover of several million, with more companies’ consideration of sustainability driving a move towards wool packaging.

• Explains why, overall, Woolcool®’s packaging is competitively priced compared to polystyrene, and actually significantly cheaper for the pharmaceutical industry to use.

• Comments on the changing attitudes of the pharmaceutical industry towards packaging, and how her extensive experience in the packaging industry sparked her experimentation with wool.

• Identifies the key milestones at the start of Woolcool®’s success, as Abel & Cole then others started moving across to greener packaging.

• Expands on her experiences in the company’s first few years and how, after working on her own, she took on a business partner with complementary skills, (whom she later married!).

• Mentions the Innovation UK award, and how important the resulting funding was.

• Details Woolcool®’s business development through the early-mid 2010, which included two of her daughters joining the business.

• Shares anecdotes from the now King Charles’s visit, a keen wool enthusiast, after Woolcool® received The Queen’s Award in 2018.

• Observes that, because their brand is so strong, and their knowledge so significant, it makes it more difficult for potential competitors. 

• Talks about the B Corp process and the tangible benefits of being B Corp certified.

• Focuses on her future aspirations for the business and her desire to give back to their local area, Stone and Stoke-on-Trent.

• Highlights some key learnings, including how believing in yourself can help in difficult moments, and the importance of having investors that are on the same page as you.

You can find out more about Karma Kitchen’s great work here.

Overview:

In our illuminating conversation, Eccie:

• Describes the concept of ‘dark kitchens’, converting unused light industrial real estate into kitchen spaces used by food delivery and other food industry businesses.

• Talks through Karma Kitchen’s current locations, different sizes of kitchen space available, and their plans for expansion.

• Explains Karma Kitchen’s business model and how it all began.

• Shares the different stages of funding that allowed the business to grow from one site to multiple sites.

• Highlights the perils of diluting equity and espouses the virtues of Seed Legals, whose founder has single-handedly changed the face of legal work for early stage start-ups.

• Compares the very different experiences of running their first and second businesses.

• Discusses their future aspirations for both Karma Cans and for Karma Kitchens.

• Reflects on how her working relationship with her sister, who is also her business partner, has evolved and strengthened.

• Focuses on the lessons she’s learned in business so far.

England is now the most exciting sparkling wine region in the world. Causing some of that stir is The Uncommon, the revolutionary British winemaker. Their innovative choice to can, rather than bottle, their wines has a lighter environmental footprint, is brilliantly convenient and keeps their spritzy, aromatic wines fresher for longer.

The Uncommon came to be in 2017, when Henry Connell and his partner, Alex Thraves, decided to make and market ‘unbelievably good bubbly’ in the South East of England.

They are proud to be the first winemakers in the UK to be Certified B Corp, joining a global community that uses business as a force for good.

And their quirky, distinctively designed packaging says a lot about their brand’s personality!

In this interesting and motivational interview, Henry:

• Shares the story of how packaging their wine in cans came about, going on to talk about some of the benefits of canned wine, including sustainability and convenience for the customer.

• Talks about why a new business he’s developing is based in New Zealand, and his plans for starting similar businesses in Australia and North America in the future.

• Delves into how the stigma of new world wine and English wine has affected the perception of The Uncommon, and why England is excellent for sparkling wine production.

• Describes the wine varieties that they produce, the grapes that they use, and some of the locations in which they produce the wine. He also touches on the effects of global warming on grape growing.

• Gives an overview of what a B Corp is, including what The Uncommon had to do to be awarded the certification, and explores the mentality of balancing making money from a business versus sustainability in a business.

• Reminisces about how The Uncommon got off the ground as a business, and the early opportunities they embraced, before going on to outline his goals for the business over the next few years.

• Talks about having a pioneering spirit in business, and about educating the market by selling something that people don't yet realise that they want or need.

• Discusses his work life balance, especially considering potential extra travel to New Zealand in the near future, and the strain that the first few years of a start up can put on finding time to focus on things outside of work.

• Highlights some of the learnings from his time running The Uncommon, stressing the importance of partnership, hard work and passion, and not being too precious about equity or debt.

Mike Aitken established Magus Wealth over 25 years ago. An independent, boutique Financial Planning and Investment Management business, they are proud to be a chartered firm - a status that only the UK’s best financial planning firms qualify for.

I love the story behind their logo. It’s the ‘Dara knot’, meaning ‘everything back to family’. It’s a sentiment close to their heart, and it runs through their business like a stick of rock.

For the Magus team, helping their clients to grow, protect and pass on their wealth is about more than money, it’s about building personal, lifelong relationships. Connecting, listening and understanding is at the heart of their business.

In this refreshing and warm interview, Mike

• Reflects on how Magus Wealth has changed in the four years since I last interviewed him, and why they transformed the business's philosophy.

• Describes the changes they made in the company’s board and leadership team, and sheds light on some of the impacts that these changes had, especially on the company’s culture.

• Gives an in-depth explanation into the purpose of Magus Wealth’s ‘Academy’.

• Talks about some learnings from this period of change, including the advantages of being brave, being open minded, and having conviction in yourself and your company.

• Shares an insight into how his business partnership with Dante Peters functions, and how their different skills and approaches complement each other.

• Contemplates the structure and position of Magus Wealth now, relating it to the metaphor of a family.

• Discusses the importance of company culture in shaping the future growth and longevity of a company.

• Manifests his hopes and his visions for the next one, three, and 10 years of the business.

• Passes on some key learnings for entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting up a business.

Meet Rebalance Earth, helping companies to meet their Net Zero and nature-positive targets more efficiently and transparently.

Capitalism can be a force for good in its sustainable form. That’s Rob Gardner’s passionate belief. He’s determined to make a real difference in the face of climate change challenges and biodiversity loss, using his experience from a successful career in banking and investment to develop a platform for natural assets that creates a biodiversity net gain, captures carbon and creates new job opportunities.

Rob has a pioneering spirit, and embodies the power of having clear non-financial goals.

In this enlightening and energising interview, Rob

• Talks about two of his companies: Redington, a pension fund management company with a strong corporate social responsibility ethos; and Mallowstreet, an online community that helps companies achieve financial security. Both are Certified B Corporations.
• Describes how his undergraduate dissertation on a glacier in the alps, and engagement in subjects around loss of biodiversity at COP26, led him to co-found his new start up, Rebalance Earth. It’s a Community Interest Company ‘CIC’ and their intent as they grow is to become a B-Corp.
• Explains how Rebalance Earth takes a market mechanism approach to tackling climate crisis issues through ‘nature credits’ and functions as a data source for natural capital.
• Discusses the lack of financial education in British culture and how living in Argentina as a child informed his attitude to money and his career in finance.
• Recalls the difficulties and successes of his first business, explaining the process of learning from mistakes and how you can enhance decision making.
• Expresses his hopes for Rebalance Earth, expanding on the positive impacts he wants to make for the planet and for people through his business.
• Shares his mantra ‘being with the end in mind’ and the process he takes in achieving success through long-term thinking.

How do you manage your mental health? Are you in touch with your moods day to day and aware of your feelings? Gareth Dauncey found a brilliant, visual way to manage his own wellbeing, which he went on to develop in an app to improve many people’s lives. Mood helps people to better manage their mental wellbeing with one tap a day, and share how they feel without the need for words.

In this personal and revealing interview, Gareth

• Explains what Mood does and how he came to develop the app after difficult experiences with his mental health.
• Talks about his positive experiences at Frazzled Café, a space set up by Ruby Wax for strangers to talk about their feelings, which led him to transform his mood tracker idea into an app.
• Gives an insight into the process of developing the Mood app, including how one particular partnership encouraged him and supported him in areas he was previously unfamiliar with.
• Highlights the positives of not overcomplicating things.
• Describes some activities he finds helpful for positive mental health.
• Shares some of the realisations he has come to in his struggle with his mental health.
• Expresses the hopes he has for his app in helping others, and his ideas for how the app can de-stigmatise conversations around mental health.

Jonathan Smales is the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Human Nature, a new generation sustainable developments business.

Jonathan believes passionately that it’s time to create a new generation of places, homes and shared spaces that regenerate where we can live well in ways that respond to the crises of climate and nature. Human Nature’s unapologetically ambitious vision is to create remarkable living spaces, growing strong communities with architecture and landscapes that surprise and delight.

In this fascinating and visionary interview, Jonathan:

• Gives insight into his background and how the shift in attitude towards the environment in the 1980s influenced his goals.
• Describes some of the built environment projects he and other members of the Human Nature team have been involved in, both with and before Human Nature.
• Relates the process of co-production and collaboration in Human Nature to Alan’s description of Steve Jobs' approach to innovation.
• Talks through how the Phoenix project in Lewes, East Sussex, UK started; its scale, the development and planning process, how they plan to make the project carbon negative, and the solutions and the resources that will be available on the estate to create a sustainable neighbourhood and a ‘living landscape’.
• Outlines the financial side of the project, revealing some of the challenges they have faced and how they have overcome them through different streams of funding and investment.
• Discusses aligned values and how, in the case of the Phoenix, this also includes residents, business owners, and investors.
• Shares his opinion on what factors currently prevent equitable projects that create a vibrant community.
• Reveals his background of business training as a civil servant and working for Greenpeace, recalling mistakes he made along his career and the lessons he learnt working with a friend.
• Expounds on some of his learnings from both Greenpeace and Human Nature, including mentality, values, and the power of doing good and surrounding yourself with good people.

In this energising and inspirational interview, Andy Middleton

• Outlines the activities and services that the business provides, and how he manages a wide variety of revenue streams.
• Describes some of the fundamental issues he’s seen repeatedly in businesses over his long career.
• Talks through the early days of the business and when he first knew he was ‘on to something’, including some of its early successes in terms of impact on individuals.
• Discusses the process and funding behind turning a hotel into an organic adventure lodge in his 20s.
• Stresses the importance of the public and private sectors working together towards common goals.
• Recalls how introducing the ‘ambition design framework’ steered the trajectory of the business, and how this focus allowed the business to drill down into its wider impact, instead of being motivated by money.
• Reiterates the importance of finding and developing leaders, and of focusing on creating positive impact by involving people from all backgrounds.
• Explains what a company needs to do to become a certified B Corp, and some of the positive experiences that he has had in meeting with other B Corp businesses.
• Shares key learnings from his time in business including harnessing potential, asking yourself what the world needs you to do, and that ideas are worth little if your team isn't infused with your vision.

Did you find your vocation later in life? Shaun Russell certainly did. His belief that a more Scandinavian approach to life is better for all - a proven model of societal and environmental better practice that the world can truly benefit from - led to him founding Skandinavisk in 2012 to spread the word. We discussed his motivation in starting the business ‘later in life’ and the many valuable learnings he’s picked up along the way, whilst building and adapting the business over the past 10 years.

In this educational and insightful interview, Shaun

• Explains the origins of the brand, focusing on the history and importance of candles in Scandinavian culture, and why Skandinavisk moved away from producing a range of regular candles to concentrate on home fragrance and body care to reach a wider audience.
• Describes the many issues he faced when he launched his brand, such as trying to sell products that spanned a range of categories including textiles, ceramics and fragrances.
• Expands on two key mistakes he made: 1) assuming that the brand would sell poorly in Scandinavia and 2) planning to focus on selling direct to consumers rather than via wholesale.
• Discusses the importance of 'pivoting' or changing course in a business when current methods aren't successful.
• recalls how close the business came to failing because of issues presented by Covid-19, and the streams of revenue that kept the business going.
• Talks through the ethical reasons which led Skandinavisk to replace its entire product line.
• Gives a detailed overview of the experience and process of becoming B Corp certified, what it means, and what the ongoing responsibilities are.
• Outlines the scale and purpose of the B Corp Beauty Coalition, of which he Chairs the Supervisory Board.
• Recounts his earlier career history and why he was happy to walk away from corporate life aged 40, as well as explaining the skills he had to learn in his new business life and the importance of mental health and clarity helping you to ‘stay sane’ as you run a business.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about pain? Nothing too positive, I’m guessing. Richmond Stace is a pioneer in his attitude to pain management. We talked about how he applies his extensive experience in nursing, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, coaching and neuroscience to help individuals manage and improve chronic pain, embracing people’s strengths and the potential to improve their lives. He runs his business from the heart, prioritising his clients’ wellbeing over his balance sheet.

In this refreshing interview, Richmond

• Describes how he helps people with persistent pain issues, and subsequently looks at ways in which they can move forward.
• Explains why he has a holistic approach, applying his skills with elements of science, psychology and philosophy.
• Illustrates how broad ranging in background and lifestyle his client base is, as pain is indiscriminate.
• Highlights how he communicates his service to his clients who sometimes come with pre-existing perceptions.
• Stresses the importance of his clients understanding the relationship between their bodies and their external environment.
• Talks about his education and career path, how he got started in business, how he values his work-life balance highly, and is motivated by the reward of helping his clients.
• Reveals his lightbulb moment in his understanding of the pain field.
• Expounds on his future plans, including publishing his upcoming book, and his hope of doing more talks and tours, with the aim of helping as much of society as possible to understand pain, and change their attitudes towards pain, as well as issues with funding and social/gender biases.
• Shares his learnings from his experience in business, stressing the importance of putting yourself ‘out there’ to create the space for new opportunities, of continuous self-improvement and learning from your mistakes.

When your passion serves millions of people and the environment, through a successful and sustainable business, it’s a pretty powerful combination. Interviewing Nick Russill for the 2nd time, we focused on Snow-Forecast.com, a business he co-founded over 25 years ago. Now one of the internet’s most widely-used specialist weather websites, along with its sister websites it supports a global audience of over 50 million users each year. Nick is passionate about using his voice to help people become more aware of ways to reduce their environmental impact and to acknowledge climate change.

In this insightful interview, Nick

• Summarises the purpose of his website, snow-forecast.com, with an insight of its scale of users and the site’s business model.
• Explains the website’s different revenue streams, and his preference for subscriptions and direct deals over advertising an income revenue.
• Details the turnover of the business and the vast increase in subscribers following the Covid-19 pandemic, recognising the impact of snow-forecast's 'sister websites' on the increase in users.
• Recounts how his education and personal life led him and his partners to create forecasts for specialist activities, and the decisions that led them to launch a public website.
• Enthuses about the community served by the website, and that community's impact on decisions they make in operating the website.
• Pinpoints the moment when he realised the business was sustainable and successful, as the website started to create revenue.
• Highlights the new challenges involved operating the five sister websites and shares his hopes for the growth of the websites, and some new innovations for future proofing.
• Stresses the importance of a strong company culture and how their own company culture allows them to turn issues into advantages.
• Reveals lessons he’s learned from the business, including not pursuing side streams that aren’t lucrative, and the importance of consulting other sources for innovation and technical input.

Financial freedom is an ‘end of the rainbow’ concept for many people. Alexlouise Thomas has made a successful career out of helping people find theirs. She began investing in property and in personal development courses, before retiring from catering at the ripe old age of 32. We discussed how she helps others to live their dreams of financial freedom and fulfilment, and how she loves seeing the transformation in people’s lives. We also discuss the joint ventures that make possible things that an individual couldn’t achieve alone.

In this fascinating interview, Alexlouise

• Explains the purpose of her company, how she aids other businesses financially, and how she helps clients to recognise their goals.
• Expands on what the term 'joint venture' means with regards to the property market, and how it works to pool resources and get people on the property ladder.
• Shares a success story of one of her clients and the five-year process behind it.
• Recalls the factors and experiences that led her to start her company and then shift its business model.
• Talks about learning from mistakes and dealing with bumps in the road.
• Describes her goals of building a community, and to start farming within the next five year, as well as the positive and negative effects of giving yourself a timeline for goals.
• Delves into her learnings along the way, including the importance of patience, the huge value of having a business coach, and asking questions without the fear of looking stupid.
• Gives advice for people starting up a business, emphasising that it is very important to give success time to grow.

They did it! It was fantastic to interview new World Record holder, Guy Rigby, again, now he’s back on dry land! Guy and his fellow rower, David Murray, completed the challenging feat of rowing 3,000 miles from the Canaries to Antigua over 53 days, making them the oldest pair ever to row any ocean to date.

In this ‘behind the challenge’ interview, Guy:

• Describes his training regime in preparation for the race, how he and his crewmate structured their rowing schedule, food and water logistics, the emergency procedures they had to be aware of and the tech issues they faced.
• Explains the challenges of adapting to various weather systems and conditions they encountered, and the impact they had on their progress.
• Reveals how he and his crewmate overcame disagreements, and the difficulties involved in managing a challenging sleep schedule.
• Gives an impression of the scale of the challenge, some of the reasons why other crews took part in the race, and how Guy and his crewmate gained sponsorship.
• Talks about the charity, UnLtd, which they are raising money for. It’s not too late to donate!
• Shares the low point of the race, and the absolute best moment of the experience.
• Discusses some of the physical problems he’s faced since being back on land, and his ambitions for the future.

Igniting children’s passion for reading is giving them a powerful gift for life, and that’s what Lulu Skantze does every day, through the  business she founded, Storytime magazine. Since its impactful launch in 2014, it continues to be the UK’s leading and most dynamic children’s magazine. Lulu has extensive expertise in children’s literacy, along with a passion for collaboration and language. She shared her ambitions of growing the digital side of the magazine and of becoming a leader in inclusivity, as well as being a strong presence in education.

In this insightful interview, Lulu:

• Outlines how the magazine was born, its content sources, various formats and subscription models.
• Gives an insight into the differences between the revenue streams, one of these differences being the marketing approaches.
• Highlights the division between print and digital content, talking about scenarios in which children are more likely to choose one over the other.
• Explains the structure of the company and why they have a large team of freelance and contracted contributors.
• Recalls what it felt like when she realised the company was a success.
• Describes the struggles with being a self-funded company, and how she managed cash flow.
• Stresses the importance of being agile; for example being flexible with goals and plans, and how letting go of ego is essential in order to make sensible business decisions.
• Shares her hopes for the future – growing the digital side of the magazine and its licensing partnerships, as well as her wishes to be a leader in inclusivity and a strong presence in education.
• Reveals some of her learnings; focusing on her values of curiosity and engaging with the world.

Can you read people with your eyes? Observing and interpreting every tiny gesture to understand and interact with them better?  Alan Stevens, Creator & Host of the #WeTogether initiative and The Campfire Project is a real pro at it. His expertise is in showing us how we can read people to build successful relationships, negotiations, improve teams and staff loyalty, and close deals faster. Amongst other things, in our conversation he expanded on micro-expressions and how we can benefit from learning to pick up on them and read them accurately.

In this eye-opening interview, Alan:

• Explains how, by reading and responding to people’s personalities and micro-expressions, we can all build better relationships.
• Reveals why he finds working with families most rewarding.
• Shares examples of companies he’s worked with, helping them to improve relationships with clients and their own teams.
• Expands on micro-expressions, describing what they are, how we can detect them, and the benefits we can gain from reading them, as well as listing some online resources where listeners can learn how to pick up on micro-expressions.
• Describes how open questions trigger body expressions that indicate that someone may be lying, adding a few tips on how to be a good poker player!
• Recalls experiences in his past that led him to be interested in body language.
• Shares his hopes and ambitions for the future, for his company and for helping others.

In this digital age, how wonderful and refreshing to champion the beautiful art of real handwriting and to see how impactful this form of connection can be. Greg Smith’s Australia-based business, Send Handwritten, provides a unique lead generation service globally, driven by the need for a human connection in the sea of electronic communication. Providing bespoke and creative cards, wax sealed and written by real people, they help businesses stand out in the sea of sameness. In his past life, Greg founded and ran a successful adventure-based outdoor learning business.

In this insightful interview, Greg explains:

• How businesses can stand out in the sea of sameness, especially in this saturated digital age.
• His assertion that loyalty is based on one thing: being true to your word, and that loyalty loyalty begets loyalty.
• How caring can be profitable.
• Why he feels passionate about going ‘counter-culture’; bucking against the digital trend and championing the personal connection.
• His belief that you should never, ever give up — be adaptable, reiterate, change direction, but never give up.
• And, finally, how the way he handled the Covid-19 pandemic strengthened his client relationships.

Do you know when to reach out for support? Its impact on the success on your business can be incredibly powerful. Spencer Gallagher and his team have worked with over 1,000 creative, tech and innovation agencies over the past 10 years. We discussed how they help agencies overcome growth challenges to create successful outcomes for their businesses. As Co-Founder of Agencynomics, the community that supports agencies of today and the future, he helps steer them in making the right business decisions.

In this inspiring interview you will hear:

• How Spencer helps agencies unlock their growth mindset and how to shift away from the wrong decisions to the right ones.
• The power of yin and yan in business - how pairing with the right partner has been the key to his success.
• How by removing hierarchy and embracing 'holacracy' in a business can increase efficiency and improve teams.
• The importance of constant learning. He also shares some amazing book recommendations!
• The value of outside advice to help avoid self-sabotage and overwhelm.
• And finally, how the incredible power of having a single vision, focus and a strong belief system is the key to success.

For some people, it’s not enough to reach for the stars. They’ve got their eye on the moon, too! Guy Rigby is one of these inspiring individuals. Not only is Guy a respected Chair for Entrepreneurial Services for Smith and Williamson, but he’s rowing the Atlantic for The Entrepreneur Ship, in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in December 2021 and attempting to break the record for the oldest pair (combined age) ever to row any ocean. It was really interesting hearing all about his and his rowing partner’s thorough preparations for their epic voyage.

In this interview you will hear

• How Guy started his career in the early 1970's as a chartered accountant, working in the music business for Chrysalis Records who managed singers such as Jethro Tull and how his career led him to work with entrepreneurs.
• Guy sharing his motto: "Who cares, wins", - explaining the importance of having a good service ethic, as the key to building a business from scratch.
• How hitting the 50-year mark of his professional life inspired him to 'do something real and give something back', which led on how he's going to row the Atlantic with one other team mate on a 25-foot ocean marine boat from the 10th December. They will be rowing alternately, two hours on - two hours off - 24 hours a day, for approximately 60 days for UnLtd, the foundation for social entrepreneurs, whose aim is to develop a generation of social leaders with enduring impact.

What an amazing challenge. You can hear how Guy got on in my follow-up interview with him. And, if you would like to, you can donate here.

An 18 year old starting up what has become an award-winning, multi-million pound company? That’s quite an achievement, and quite a story! I was excited to quiz Rachael Flanagan on what’s driven her on this successful journey. Mrs Buckét is a commercial cleaning company delivering services and facilities to a range of businesses, helping them maintain a high standard of hygiene in their workplaces. During the interview we discussed how Rachael started her business at such a young age, and how it has developed and grown into the successful company it is today.

In this fascinating interview you will hear:

• How Rachael has grown her business from distributing a box of flyers to a 300+ workforce with a 96% staff and client retention.
• Why developing a niche in the market is vital and how it has made Mrs Buckét stand out.
• The value of using quirky and innovative techniques to win new business.
• Why it is so important to look after people and how Mrs Buckét develop their staff, wanting to be known as ‘Employer of Choice.’
• How Mrs Buckét consistently strives to be innovative and the ‘go to’ industry expert.

Honesty. Agility. Harmony. Saying no. Sounds refreshing, doesn’t it! Nick Russill is a co-founder of TerraDat, a company using state-of-the-art geophysical mapping techniques to map the subsurface in a non-invasive way that can rapidly map large areas and reduce the chance of missing buried targets. He is also a Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence and a photographer. We covered how TerraDat Geophysics started, and its 28 years of steady growth.

In this fascinating interview you will hear:

• How to continue to grow your business by innovating and staying agile.
• Why it’s important to sometimes say ‘No’ to new business.
• The value of honesty, when it comes to ensuring repeat business.
• How to work in harmony with your partner, by knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
• The benefits of sticking to what you're good at in business.

Have you ever considered how the worlds of burlesque and business can complement each other? Paulina Tenner has! She is a serial entrepreneur, investor, keynote speaker, writer, and burlesque performer. We discussed Paulina’s novel Holacracy based organisation, GrantTree, which has arranged over £200m in equity-free R&D funding from the government, to help SMEs. We also talked about the highs and lows of investing in small tech businesses.

In this fascinating interview you will hear:

• Insights into how a ‘no bosses’ culture can help a business thrive.
• How allowing staff to curate their own career unlocks true potential.
• The benefits of having a completely transparent, open culture, where staff set their own salaries.
• The highs and lows of investing in small tech businesses.
• How a burlesque persona and a business persona can complement each other.

When did you last feel inspired and energised; have your perspective challenged? Hearing others’ stories can be incredibly inspirational. For me, David Hieatt is right up there on my list and I’m pretty confident you’ll find him inspirational too. In this second time of interviewing David, he shared his story, starting on the far edge of West Wales on an old farm in 2007. This is where the idea for The DO Lectures began, as a space for the world’s ‘DOers’ to feed their dreams. He talked about the belief, the struggles, and the resilience involved in developing one of the most unique and exclusive events around, the power of purpose-driven brands, and lots more besides.

In this fascinating interview, David explains:

• How The Do Lectures changed attendees’ lives.
• How you can be influential and small.
• The benefits of community.
• Playing the long game (ideas need patience).
• How, sometimes, passion and belief are more important than data.
• The value of cultivation and purpose in a business.

Most of us really enjoy a good restaurant experience, but we probably don’t think too much about what goes on behind the scenes that makes it great. The frantically paddling feet beneath the gliding swan! Peter Backman is a leading expert on the structure and dynamics of the hospitality sector, and its supply chain in the UK and across Europe. During this interview, Peter talked about his remarkable life, what it takes to go from zero to hero in business, his advice to young entrepreneurs, his philosophy behind his book ‘Restaurants Also Serve Food’, and his thoughts on the future of the hospitality industry.

Listen to our conversation to hear more about:

• What it means to be an entrepreneur.
• The benefits of working in the hospitality industry.
• Why it is so important to have clear goals.
• What it takes to go from zero to hero in business.
• The advantages and disadvantages of a partner in the business.
• The future of restaurants and the philosophy behind Peter’s book ‘Restaurants Also Serve Food’.
• Peter’s advice to young entrepreneurs.
  

What a massive adrenaline rush to build a big, recognisable brand with huge exposure. Juliet Barratt knows how that feels firsthand! She  is a brilliant and inspiring leader who has made Grenade the world's fastest-growing nutrition brand. We talked about how it’s crucial to create a strong brand identity and be mindful of your business’s culture. We also covered the key role of distribution channels, the positive and negative effects of investors, and why you need to surround yourself with people who you work well with.

In this fascinating interview, we discussed:

• Juliet’s recipe for success.
• The importance of branding.
• The key role of distribution channels.
• The positive and negative effects of investors on your business.
• The key to surrounding yourself with the right people.
• Understanding the language of different markets and how to make them work for you.
• How to nurture the culture of your business and keeping it the way that you want.
• What business mentors could do for you and your business.
  

Let’s shout about sound! I guarantee you’ll think of it in a whole new light after listening to this interview. Julian founded The Sound Agency . He’s also an author and an international speaker who has been invited to do five TED talks on aspects of sound and communication. We discussed ‘the business of sound’, his TED talks and the over 100 million views they have garnered. We also talked about how it felt to be marketing a product/service that was such a new concept, and the thinking behind having confidence in your business’s future success.

In addition, we discussed subjects including:

• What is ‘the business of sound’ and how it can benefit businesses.
• The importance of having a very clear purpose.
• The challenges of offering a product or service that people don’t know they need.
• How to build a successful business with a virtual team.
• The difference between having faith in one’s business & knowing it’ll succeed.
• Julian’s most important learnings from his long experience as an entrepreneur.
  

In this show, I interviewed John Wyer, Co-founder and CEO of Bowles & Wyer.  John has more than 35 years’ professional experience and is a widely published and respected designer, lecturing on his work both in the UK and abroad.

We discussed the growth and the success of his company, including topics such as:

• Why trust is important for your business and brand
  
• The benefits of understanding the difference between B2B and B2C
  
• The importance of customer satisfaction for business valuation
  
• The value of having a business partner
  
• Effects of internal and external factors on business performance
  
• John’s advice to people who want to start their own business
  

In this podcast Alan interviews Chad Patel, CEO of thoughtbot.  During the discussion, Chad discusses the lessons learned from starting  the business, the company's methodologies as well as looking towards  the challenges and opportunities of the future. Listen to learn more about:

• Finding your vision and the impact on business
  
• The importance of being dedicated and fulfilled in your company
  
• Standing by your principles and learning to say "No"
  
• How making mistakes contributes to success
  
• The importance of real sustainability in your business
  
• Why purpose is essential to a company
  

They say necessity breeds invention and that’s what certainly drove Emma Killilea to build her brand, Delicious Alchemy. After being diagnosed as a coeliac and realising the limitation of gluten-free products on the market, Emma decided to dedicate her life to making gluten-free options commonplace, to help more people live a happy and healthy life.

During the interview, we explored her extraordinary story and discussed topics such as:

• Why it is so important to understand the needs, wants, and demands of your customers.
• The positive and negative effects of the COVID 19 lockdown.
• The importance of innovation in business.
• Benefits of having the right product at the right time.
• How personal ambition drives business success.
• Why you must get your customer value proposition right.
  

Juggling several businesses, I’m not surprised that Carrie Bedingfield has a lot of good advice to share on time management. Carrie is the founder of Onefish Marketing, a company with the knack for articulating complex services and energising the market you need to sell them to, and 50th Generation, which provides training, funding, mentoring and a powerful community for companies who want to create meaningful, joyful and purpose-led businesses. She is also a TEDx speaker, and the founder of FewerFasterBolder.

In this interview, Carrie shared her thoughts on:

• Increasing productivity through effective time management.
• How to manage multiple businesses.
• Childhood traits that lead to entrepreneurship.
• The importance of strong business relationships.
• When you know it’s time to let your business go.
  

Every day’s a learning day, and it’s refreshing to hear about a new take on training. Bob Bannister has built iManage Performance as a training company with a difference, focusing on blended learning (combining face-to-face and online learning). Their sole purpose is to change people for good, through a process of challenging learners to think in new ways and to put new practices into daily action. Their learning is always totally engaging, without a powerpoint presentation in sight!

We discussed various topics, including:

• How to successfully manage remote teams.
• The creation of high functioning teams and how to get people working well together.
• The importance of trust within remote teams.
• How to encourage professional intimacy.
• The impact of flexibility at work on lifestyle.
• The silver linings that can come out of difficult times.
  

Sometimes true stories are more captivating than a best-selling novel. Alfie Best’s story firmly fits in this category. From scratch, after being born in a caravan to a poor Romany Gypsy family, Alfie has built up Wyldecrest Parks, which now has 75 residential mobile home parks, seven holiday mobile home parks and a golf course in Hertfordshire, along with a 50% share in 15 sites in the US. This success has led to him being featured in the Sunday Times UK rich list.

Alfie shared the extraordinary story of how he started, as well as talking about:

• The importance of reinvesting in the business.
• Effective leadership as a key to organisational success.
• Why organisations should encourage employees to recognise mistakes and learn from them.
• His ‘’always say yes’’ policy and why the customer is always king.
• Alfie’s secrets of his success.
  

A new company making jeans in Wales? We explored the extraordinary story behind how David Hiett got his town, Cardigan in Wales, making jeans again, with the launch of his successful business, Hiut Denim. It sounds like it should be made into a film!

It was fascinating discussing David’s extensive experience as we delved into his thoughts around:

• How storytelling can make such a difference to a business and brand.
• The power of purpose driven brands.
• How having a clear purpose makes you strong.
• What to look out for when you take investors on board.
• The most important sales tool.
• How to deal with a crisis and avoid defeat.
• Understanding the culture of a business and its impact.