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'James Reed: all about business' puts you at the heart of fun, dynamic, candid conversation with business leaders, philanthropists and charitable celebrities as they use their journeys to give clear, actionable advice. Hosted by James Reed CBE, the Chairman and CEO of Reed Group, you’ll hear the highs and lows of what it means to be a true business leader to empower you to implement smarter, more meaningful strategy in your business or career.
- 107 - 102. The blueprint to success by solving community friction | Sarah Stone
Stop treating social value as a box-ticking exercise, align community needs with your bottom line and turn operational friction into a superpower.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Sarah Stone, founder of the social value consultancy Samtaler. Together they explore how companies can integrate purpose and profitability without falling into the trap of superficial tokenism. Sarah shares the candid realities of scaling a micro-consultancy, the lessons learned from her background in Downing Street, and how helping renewable energy developers solve local community friction turned into an industry-standard blueprint for success.
The conversation dives deep into the mechanics of public sector procurement, the hidden costs of operational inflexibility, and why true social value must drive commercial performance rather than distract from it. Sarah also reflects on founding the Military Coworking Network out of personal necessity, the critical importance of cash flow management for founders, and why listening to your gut and focusing on real-world problems is the ultimate foundation for a resilient enterprise.
Whether you want to navigate regulated markets, build a purpose-led operating model, or scale an impactful business, this episode delivers essential leadership insights.
Timestamps
03:44 Name Meaning Samtaler
11:48 Sweet Spot Business Value
24:01 Mission to Improve Business
28:25 Scaling and Winning Support
31:31 Startup Help and Mentors
33:57 Advice for Impact Businesses
38:11 Future of Social Impact
Links
Follow Sarah Stone on LinkedIn
Find out more about Samtaler and their services here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 26 Oct 2026 - 42min - 106 - 101. How to make your business community your competitive advantage| Ros Morgan
For years, this Ros showed up to work as someone she wasn't, and it took her far longer than she'd like to admit to realise it was quietly costing her the thing she needed most.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Ros Morgan, chief executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance, the organisation representing over 500 businesses across London's West End.
Ros explains why, early in her career, she believed professionalism meant suppressing her personality entirely, dressing to fit in with an all-male board and refusing to discuss anything personal at work, and the moment she decided to deliberately drop that act. She breaks down why being more open with her team, rather than less, ended up making her more credible as a leader, not less.
The conversation also unpacks a second lesson from Ros' own career: her habit of saying yes to opportunities before she felt fully ready for them, including taking on her first CEO role in her early twenties with no real knowledge of the industry she was stepping into. She explains why she believes the businesses that succeed are the ones that get out and learn from their peers rather than trying to solve every problem alone.
Timestamps
01:41 What Is a BID
09:50 Scenes in the Square
17:53 London Safety Perception
29:53 How London Stays Ahead
36:21 Real Rates Reform Plan
45:46 Japan Resilience Lessons
57:29 Hiring For Culture Fit
Links
Find out more about Heart of London Business Alliance and their work here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 19 Oct 2026 - 1h 02min - 105 - 100. Building a brand people love and when to walk away | Cath Kidston
The moment a business starts making real money is exactly when it's most at risk of losing what made it work in the first place.
In this special 100th episode of All About Business, James sits down with entrepreneur Cath Kidston MBE, who built a single shop into a globally recognised brand, watched its values slip once investors and private equity got involved, and has spent her second business, C.Atherley, making sure it never happens again.
Cath breaks down why she believes founders need to define their brand values early and write them down, long before growth, investment, or pressure to cut costs ever arrives. She explains how her first business began compromising on quality once money and new voices entered the business, and why a gut-instinct decision she couldn't justify on a spreadsheet turned out to be the right call all along.
The conversation also unpacks why building slowly and deliberately is better than scaling too early. Cath explains why she spent four to five years getting the foundations right in both of her businesses before pushing for growth, and why she believes it's nearly impossible to fix a business's culture or values once they've already slipped.
Timestamps (Audio)
01:46 C.Atherley Origins
08:55 Four Signature Scents
14:59 Building Smarter This Time
26:06 Naming Your Business
32:17 Brand Values No Compromise
38:52 Hiring Ops To Scale
43:09 Modern Marketing And Property
Links
Find out more about C. Atherley and their products here
Find out more about Joy of print and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 12 Oct 2026 - 58min - 104 - 99. How to cash out without selling out | Guy Singh-Watson
Every founder eventually hits a decision that determines whether their company survives them or dies with them. Almost all of them get it wrong.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic Farmers, who turned three acres and a borrowed tractor into a £120 million business, and found a way to cash out on his terms without ever putting the company up for sale.
Guy breaks down why he sold shares to his own staff instead of chasing a trade sale or private equity deal, and the near-£2 million mistake Riverford made along the way. He also shares the moment he walked away from a major retail contract and why no single customer, however large, should ever be allowed to dictate your terms.
The conversation unpacks what changed once Guy made the shift to employee ownership. He also gets candid about leading as an intuitive, emotionally-driven founder, and how a genuine apology turned out to be one of the most underrated leadership tools he's used.
Timestamps
01:31 From Wheelbarrow to Veg Boxes
10:08 Leading Through Constant Change
17:56 Growth Drivers and Father’s Approval
20:15 Leadership Transformation and Coaching
25:27 Employee Ownership in Action
32:09 Why Employee Ownership
41:27 Greenwash and Trust
48:20 Supermarket Bullying Stories
Links
Follow Guy Singh-Watson on LinkedIn
Find out more about Riverford Organic Farmers and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 05 Oct 2026 - 1h 00min - 103 - 98. The financial mechanics of scaling a high-value business | Ross Crane
What if you could see what your Rolex was actually worth before a dealer made an offer?
In this episode, James is joined by Ross Crane to explain how that approach became a business, and what other founders can learn from it. Ross Crane co-founded Subdial to make buying and selling pre-owned luxury watches clearer and faster. Its market data helps customers understand watch prices in an industry where values can be difficult to pin down.
They discuss how to recognise when an idea has reached a dead end, how to respond when a market drops, and why selling quickly can matter more than holding out for a bigger margin.
Ross also shares a difficult decision from before Subdial: closing an earlier venture after six months and returning £220,000 of unused seed funding to investors.
Timestamps
01:40 From Consulting to Startups
07:23 Pivoting Into Watches
10:16 Data Driven Pricing Model
21:43 How Subdial Works
32:54 Watches as Investable Hobby
49:32 Consignment Pricing Tiers
Links
Find out more about Subdial and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
Mon, 28 Sep 2026 - 1h 09min - 102 - 97. How to Scale, Adapt, and Win in a Broken Market | Rio Caraeff
Building and scaling a venture at the intersection of culture and technology requires deep industry insight, structural thinking, and relentless adaptability.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Rio Caraeff, Co-President of Musixmatch and former CEO of Vevo. Together they unpack a 30-year career spent shaping how music is distributed, monetized, and consumed globally. Rio shares candid stories from his early life, including how Dolly Parton taught him to read and how his father captured the legendary photo of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire, before detailing his pioneering moves in digital downloads with Steve Jobs and launching Vevo.
The conversation delves into the core mechanics and future of the music economy. Rio explains why he views music as a "$10 business stuck in a $5 bag," breaks down the friction caused by fractured global copyrights, and demonstrates how Musixmatch uses AI tools like Sentinel and Music Lens to protect rights holders, while turning decades of lyric metadata into actionable market intelligence.
Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to move legacy industries forward, a creator navigating the rise of generative AI, or a leader seeking to master complex ecosystems, this episode provides a realistic, forward-looking guide to strategy and innovation.
Timestamps
04:36 Growing Up Around Rockstars
07:37 What Music Got Wrong
17:55 Musixmatch Explained
22:44 Administration and Getting Paid
25:24 AI as a Music Superpower
33:30 Creativity Versus AI
39:24 Lyrics as Durable Signal
48:09 Sync and Forecasting Uses
51:52 Optimism and Superpowers
Links
Follow Rio Caraeff on LinkedIn
Find out more about Musixmatch and their services here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 21 Sep 2026 - 1h 01min - 101 - 96. The property market has changed. Here’s where the opportunity is now | David Powell
Navigating a competitive industry requires adaptability, sharp execution, and a clear focus on long-term value.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with David Powell, CEO of Andrews Property Group, to trace his rise from a 19-year-old negotiator to leading a major property services firm. David shares candid lessons on managing older teams at age 21, rebuilding after his employer collapsed post-2008 crash, and overcoming the "year-off penalty" after taking a 12-month sabbatical.
The conversation also explores broader economic and business realities. David breaks down why single-revenue models are giving way to multi-stream operations, how tax burdens directly suppress hiring and growth, and how emerging tech and AI can automate routine tasks to enhance human connection.
Whether you are looking to advance your career, navigate market downturns, or lead a purpose-driven business, this episode provides practical insights into resilience and leadership.
Timestamps
01:53 Falling Into Property
10:05 Crash and Starting Over
21:22 COVID Pivot to New Homes
28:24 New Models and Income Streams
34:40 Stamp Duty as a Market Brake
40:10 Taxes and Hiring Costs
Links
Follow David Powell on LinkedIn
Find out more about Andrews Property Group and their services here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 14 Sep 2026 - 49min - 100 - 95. A business growth masterclass: Funding, branding and sales strategy | Emma Jones
Scaling a business demands a clear story, sales strategies, and a realistic approach to capital.
In the third episode of our Summer Shorts series, James sits down with Enterprise Nation founder and UK Small Business Commissioner Emma Jones one final time, to dissect what it truly takes to transition from a running startup to a high-growth company. Emma outlines how to build a distinct brand without a massive budget, leveraging free PR opportunities like #JournoRequest, and why standing out comes down to knowing your exact story.
The conversation dives into practical sales tactics such as turning your former employer into your very first client to using persistent, value-led updates to close major buyers. Finally, Emma demystifies the funding landscape. She breaks down the critical difference between debt and equity, explains why you should raise "opportunity funding" before you actually need it, and outlines exactly what investors expect in return.
Whether you are looking to secure angel investment or simply expand your reach, this episode provides an actionable roadmap for your next stage of growth.
This episode concludes our 3-part masterclass with Emma Jones. From spotting your initial business idea in episode one, to setting up your operational foundation in episode two, and scaling for growth in episode three, this series delivers a complete, practical toolkit for every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.
Timestamps
06:21 Standing Out and Social Mission
10:09 Getting First Customers
13:04 Sales Follow Up and CRM
19:12 When to Raise Funding
20:22 Funding Sources and Angels
24:47 Debt vs Equity Decisions
Links
Find out more about Enterprise Nation and the support they offer here
Find out more about the Small Business Commissioner here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 07 Sep 2026 - 33min - 99 - 94. How to write a business plan and manage cash flow in year one | Emma Jones
You can start a business for under £100, but building one that lasts requires navigating a minefield of practical, legal, and financial decisions.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Emma Jones to break down the mechanics of turning an idea into a fully operational company. Emma walks through the real-world choices every founder faces. From writing a lightweight five-page business plan to deciding whether to trade as a sole trader or a limited company.
Emma shares why cash flow, not profit, is the ultimate reality test for a startup, how to protect your brand name without spending thousands, and why bootstrapping for as long as possible gives you complete commercial clarity.
This short episode delivers a practical blueprint for managing your admin efficiently, choosing the right insurance, and ensuring your business stays cash-solvent from day one.
Timestamps (Audio)
05:13 Sole Trader vs Limited
07:50 Registering and Accountants
10:08 Outsource and Hire Smart
13:35 Protect Your IP
17:13 Bootstrapping on a Budget
19:02 Funding Options
20:45 Costs, Cash and Getting Paid
Links
Find out more about Enterprise Nation and the support they offer here
Find out more about the Small Business Commissioner here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 31 Aug 2026 - 28min - 98 - 93. How to start a business: The step by step guide | Emma Jones
How do you start a business?
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Emma Jones, serial entrepreneur, founder of Enterprise Nation, and the UK’s Small Business Commissioner. This is part one of a three-part masterclass on starting a business from scratch. Emma delivers practical, step-by-step advice on how to spot market gaps, validate ideas through smart market research, and build a focused niche.
Emma shares insight on why testing a business as a side hustle gives you the space to refine your model, how to navigate early-stage co-founder decisions, and why sharing your idea early brings crucial feedback rather than stolen IP.
This short episode gives a clear, realistic blueprint for knowing if your business idea is worth pursuing, leveraging free resources to test demand, and cultivating the daily resilience needed to keep going.
Timestamps
02:48 Why Start a Business
09:03 Test and Hustle
11:03 Common Early Mistakes
16:54 Skills and Resilience
19:16 Co-Founders and Mentors
Links
Find out more about Enterprise Nation and the support they offer here
Find out more about the Small Business Commissioner here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 24 Aug 2026 - 27min - 97 - 92. When should you hire, raise or expand? The lessons from Forest Bikes | Caroline Seton
When do you hire, when do you raise, and when is expansion actually the right move?
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Forest co-founder Caroline Seton to pull back the curtain on how a London startup scaled to over two million rides a month. From using smart pricing to make customers do the heavy lifting in logistics, to navigating 33 separate sets of local regulations, Caroline breaks down the raw operational tactics and tough strategic trade-offs required to build, survive, and scale an asset-heavy business.
Caroline gives a clear blueprint for turning operational headaches into profit drivers as they explore protecting margins through relentless asset care, knowing exactly when to double down, or kill an idea that isn't working.
Timestamps
01:38 Why Forest Started
10:32 Expanding Across London
15:09 Maintenance at Scale
21:38 Proof It Was Working
31:33 ULEZ and Space Reallocation
38:26 Making London Cycle Capital
44:50 Founder Advice and Tailwinds
Links
Follow Caroline Seton on LinkedIn
Find out more about Forest Bikes and their services HERE
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 17 Aug 2026 - 51min - 96 - 91. How to build your own talent pipeline | Lisa Bryer OBE & Charlie Kennard MBE
If your industry is facing a talent shortage or failing to prepare the next generation of workers, the solution isn't to wait for traditional institutions to adapt, it's to build the training infrastructure yourself.
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Oscar-nominated film producer Lisa Bryer OBE, and Day One Trust CEO Charlie Kennard MBE. Together, they break down a practical masterclass in rapid business execution, industry-led talent pipelines, and building teams that deliver under high-stakes pressure.
Lisa shares how turning a 24-hour corporate bankruptcy into the birth of Cowboy Films, proved that operational agility outweighs legacy credentials. Charlie details how partnering directly with major global enterprises created a sustainable, job-ready workforce model that prioritizes work-ethic discipline, and real-world execution over academic theory.
This episode gives a clear blueprint for building talent pipelines in your own sector, turning unexpected crises into business momentum, and instilling non-negotiable professional behaviors across your workforce.
Timestamps
02:46 Lisa Builds Cowboy Films
06:17 Charlie Starts The Schools
17:47 Who The School Is For
25:14 Behaviours For Career Success
36:07 Industry Led Curriculum
38:59 Alumni Success Stories
56:26 Advice For Creatives
Links
Follow Charlie Kennard MBE on LinkedIn
Find out more about London Screen Academy and their work
Find out more about Comby Films and their work
Find out more about Day One Trust and their work
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 10 Aug 2026 - 1h 08min - 95 - 90. The lowest-risk way to scale a start-up | Jake Wilmot-Sitwell
Are you exhausting resources trying to build every system from scratch? You could achieve faster, safer, scale by taking a proven playbook. And executing it better than anyone else.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Jake Wilmot-Sitwell, co-founder and COO of Sandbox VR UK. Jake shares how he transitioned from venture capital to entrepreneurship, taking on £10M in capital to scale full-body, immersive VR experiences across the UK and Ireland.
Jake breaks down the core mechanics of their expansion strategy, explaining how a master franchise model eliminated the initial tech-development risk. He details their shift from capital-intensive flagship locations to lean, plug-and-play concession hubs, while sharing actionable frameworks for optimizing yield per square foot, leveraging media partnerships like Netflix, and scaling a frontline workforce.
Timestamps
01:56 Why VR and Entrepreneurship
09:57 Who Comes and Why It Works
22:40 High-End Tech Meets Hospitality
32:42 Hiring Young Teams
41:26 Fixes VAT Wages Rates
51:58 Future IP Partnerships
Links
Follow Jake Wilmot-Sitwell on LinkedIn
Find out more about Sandbox VR and their experiences here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 03 Aug 2026 - 1h 04min - 94 - 89. The business decision you'll thank yourself for in 5 years | James Perry
When your business hits an existential wall, are you willing to rethink your entire financial structure to protect your vision, or will you compromise the mission just to survive?
Most founders believe scaling requires bowing to traditional venture capital and prioritizing short-term margins. COOK proved there is another way by surviving near-bankruptcy, funding its own expansion through an unexpected subsidiary, and scaling past £100 million while keeping absolute control over its mission.
In this episode of All About Business, James Perry, co-founder of COOK and co-founder of B Corp UK joins as guest, and he pulls back the curtain on the messy, high-stakes reality of building a national consumer brand from scratch without burning out or selling out.
They unpack the reality of operational risk, the hard lessons of founder resilience, and how building an inclusive hiring model through the RAW initiative turned a perceived workplace risk into one of their strongest operational assets.
James shares the gritty mechanics behind COOK’s early years: how a loss-making enterprise was kept afloat by a cash-generating bakery, why he turned away standard venture capital, and how leveraging national media attention led to finding the patient, long-term private capital that saved the business. He breaks down how the 2008 financial crash tested their model and why a relentless focus on product integrity built a moat that traditional competitors couldn't cross.
Timestamps
02:08 Cadbury Lessons
10:00 Family Bakery Origins
12:56 Founding Cook
28:48 B Corp Beginnings
37:10 Certifying and Building UK
41:05 RAW Talent Hiring Program
49:19 Systemic Capitalism Glitch
Links
Follow James Perry on LinkedIn
Find out more COOK and their products here
Find out more about B Lab UK and their work here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 27 Jul 2026 - 59min - 93 - 88. How to build a disruptive product without outspending industry giants | Mark Rushmore
Most consumer goods brands ask you to buy more - SURI does the opposite. They designed a sustainable, electric toothbrush made from plant-based materials that is fully recyclable. As a result they scaled to over £50 million worth of sales in just four years.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Mark Rushmore, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Sustainable Rituals, SURI. The fast-growing personal care brand that’s disrupting a defended, multi-billion-pound market by proving that daily wellness routines don't have to come at the cost of the planet.
Mark shares his journey from the corporate training ground of Procter & Gamble to navigating extreme burnout after his first agency exit. He explains the business mechanics behind SURI’s rapid scale, and why focusing on a "minimum lovable product" unlocked a viral wave of word-of-mouth growth.
James and Mark explore the strategies behind scaling a highly productive 50-person team, using AI as an operational accelerant rather than a replacement, and the practical frameworks for making tough business decisions. They examine how to establish a values-led culture, why investing in founder relationships with business psychologists is critical to preventing scale-up failure, and what the next generation of consumer brands must do to win.
This leaves us with a compelling question: when building a product for the long term, are you treating your business decisions like a temporary hat, a reversible haircut, or a permanent tattoo?
Timestamps
04:19 Burnout and Life Reset
16:36 Origin Story of SURI
25:08 Pricing Strategy and Lovable Product
31:42 Competing with Giants and Expert Team
37:51 Hiring Values Framework
46:13 Brand Expansion Vision
51:55 Decision Making Lessons
Links
Follow Mark Rushmore on LinkedIn
Find out more SURI and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 20 Jul 2026 - 1h 07min - 92 - 87. How to start and scale a charity: Supporting 7000 kids a week through football | Charlie Hyman
Most charities are told to secure funding before they spend. Bloomsbury Football did the opposite — investing in fundraising before the money existed, and growing from four children to 7,000 a week as a result.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Charlie Hyman, founder and CEO of Bloomsbury Football. His fast-growing social enterprise harnesses the universal power of grassroots football to tackle major societal challenges for young people, providing thousands of disadvantaged youth with vital role models, mental health support, and a true sense of belonging.
Charlie shares the 7 steps in starting, building and scaling a charity. He explains the business mechanics behind this scale: how diversifying income with brands like Mastercard and Adobe, and treating a charity like a high-growth private company unlocks true scale.
James and Charlie explore the strategy behind taking Bloomsbury national and how Charlie built a proprietary AI tool to scrape Charity Commission data for fundraising intelligence. They examine how to close high-value deals, attract top-tier corporate talent with pure purpose, and what commercial businesses can learn from high-ambition social enterprise models.
This leaves us with a compelling question: when building a company designed for impact, do your growth strategies reflect the actual size of the problem you are trying to solve?
Timestamps
03:05 Origin story volunteering
11:47 Income streams and bids
15:53 Charities vs businesses
21:23 Scaling leadership and coaches
32:12 Opportunistic Expansion Plans
38:12 AI Boosting Charity Impact
44:59 Fundraising Skills for Youth
Links
Follow Charlie Hyman on LinkedIn
Find out more Bloomsbury Football here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 13 Jul 2026 - 52min - 91 - 86. Lab-grown diamonds were underestimated. Here's how they're disrupting luxury | Nathalie Morrison
Most people underestimated lab-grown diamonds. Conventional wisdom says that luxury is about heritage, exclusivity and the power of a brand. So why are consumers embracing them so quickly?
And what does that tell us about the future of luxury businesses and the shift in consumer values?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Nathalie Morrison, founder and CEO of Astrea London. Her high-end jewellery brand focuses on ethical luxury, using the top 1% tier of lab-grown diamonds and 100% recycled gold to offer flawless purity that gives consumers more carats and less weight on their conscience.
Within just one year of launching, Astrea hit $1 million in sales, prompting Nathalie to leverage her banking network to raise £4 million at a £14 million valuation. The company has since attracted celebrity backing from Sarah Jessica Parker, who became both an investor and creative director after meeting Nathalie in New York.
Together, James and Nathalie explore the rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and the strategy required to position a disruptive brand at the highest end of a competitive market. They discuss the unique marketing channel she created by opening luxury boutiques inside world-renowned hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental, and the realities of challenging a century-old industry monopoly.
They also examine the changing values of the next generation of consumers, why diamonds are built for emotional enjoyment rather than financial investment, and the power of cold outreach—even when it leads to one of the world's most influential style icons becoming a business partner.
Timestamps
02:07 Nathalie Finance Background
06:45 How Lab Diamonds Are Made
14:43 Diamond Pricing Myths
22:27 Celebrity Investor Partner
29:10 Supply Chain And Quality
36:25 Scaling Challenges And Hiring
Links:
Follow Nathalie Morrison on LinkedIn
Find out more Astrea London and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 06 Jul 2026 - 43min - 90 - 85. "We were £1.5M in debt": The turnaround strategy that could save your business | Zoe Paskin
Financial crises can hit any business- especially in today's economy. Selling might feel like the only option. But is it?
What should founders do when things look bleak? How do you rebuild momentum, and give your business the best possible chance of surviving and thriving? When one pair of siblings were running The End nightclub, they found themselves £1.5 million in debt and facing enormous pressure to sell.
Instead, they chose a different path, and turned the business around.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Zoë Paskin, co-founder and managing director of Studio Paskin. They are the independent powerhouse behind legendary London destinations like The Palomar, The Barbary, and the Michelin-starred Evelyn's Table, celebrated for maintaining flawless standards in a brutal industry.
Zoë shares the remarkable story of turning around a legendary 90s nightclub facing massive debt, stepping into leadership when no one expected her to, and the reality of selling a business at its peak.
James and Zoë explore how to scale when the broader market is struggling, how to strip down operational expenses to rescue a business, and why the best career advice may be to simply : go wherever the biggest problems are.
Links:
Find out more Studio Paskin and their work here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 29 Jun 2026 - 51min - 89 - 84. How to grow your business without losing control | David Palmer
Scaling a business seems like the obvious goal. But what if growth without the right strategy leads to losing control?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with David Palmer, founder of Life of Fish, the modern London fishmonger that started as a lockdown pop-up outside a Peckham cafe, and has now grown into a multi-site retail and wholesale business built on sustainability, craft, and genuine customer service.
Together James and David explore the harder lessons of growth: why expanding too fast almost broke the business, how to know when to consolidate rather than chase new opportunities, and what it means to build something that runs on profit rather than debt.
David shares what he learned starting work at Billingsgate Market at the age of 14 with no qualifications and no plan. Climbing into bins at 2am and learning to fillet fish under pressure, allowed David to slowly piecing together a skillset he didn't realise he was building. The lesson he took from those years is simple: nothing you learn is wasted, and starting from the bottom teaches you things no shortcut ever could.
They also discuss what it really takes to build a product business in a traditional industry that nobody had modernised.
Timestamps
2:11 Leaving school at 11
12:56 The entrepreneurial pivot question
15:14 The breakthrough moment
17:26 The gap in the market
19:33 COVID lockdown launch
21:15 70 people queue
38:55 Lesson on over expansion
39:57 Turning down free rent
43:39 Hiring philosophy
Links
Follow David Palmer on LinkedIn
Find out more Life of Fish and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 22 Jun 2026 - 59min - 88 - 83. Are you selling too early? The succession model most founders have never heard of | Victoria Stapleton
Thirty years of building a business without a board, without investors, and without ever wanting to sell, and it just keeps growing, there’s something to learn from that.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Victoria Stapleton, founder of Brora, the British luxury cashmere and clothing brand. Victoria has built Brora over 30 years from a single supplier and a home phone number into a business with shops across the UK, a store on Madison Avenue, and a fiercely loyal customer base.
Victoria shares what she learned from building slowly and deliberately, and why organic growth gave her control, quality, and a life outside work. She also gives insight about why every founder considering outside investment should think carefully about what they are actually giving if they take it.
Together they explore what it really takes to run a product business built on craft and quality: how to manage suppliers, why the shop experience matters more than ever, and what you actually learn about your business by walking the warehouse floor every morning.
Victoria's tells is about who she transitioned Brora into an Employee Ownership Trust, one of the most underused business succession models in the UK, and how it works.
Timestamps
11:25 First Shop and Doing It All
18:49 Hiring and Building a Loyal Team
20:52 Organic Growth and Staying Independent
30:21 In Store Styling Magic
38:21 Bonuses Profit And Legacy
47:05 Store Locations And New York
54:19 Glasgow Store Failure Lessons
56:14 Final Questions And Farewell
Links
Find out more Brora and their products here
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 - 58min - 87 - 82. Start now. The sign your business idea is ready to build | Sahar Hashemi OBE
Most people think successful entrepreneurs spot brilliant ideas.
Sahar Hashemi believes the opposite.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Sahar Hashemi, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Buy Women Built. They talk about Sahar’s journey over three decades building businesses, backing herself, and why entrepreneurship is far simpler than most people make it.
Sahar shares the hard lessons from scaling Coffee Republic to 110 stores and what happened when they handed the business to the professionals. What she learned about founders staying close to their customers, why bureaucracy is the silent killer of entrepreneurial culture, and why the moment you lose sight of who you are serving, is the moment a business starts to decline.
Together they explore what a startup mindset actually looks like in practice, how to know when a growing business is quietly losing its edge, and why the single most important thing any leader can do is keep their people connected to the customer. Sahar also makes the case that something done badly is better than if it’s not done at all, and that the best thing any aspiring entrepreneur can do is start somewhere, however small.
Timestamps
3:13 Discovering New York-style coffee
9:30 The decision to leave law
12:19 First Coffee Republic
16:54 Going public
26:39 The tweet that sparked Buy Women Built
35:05 The Rose Review of Entrepreneurship
40:43 The startup mindset
51:17 No plan, just purpose
Links
Follow Sahar Hashemi on LinkedIn
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 08 Jun 2026 - 56min - 86 - 81. How Gousto is taking on the ultra-processed food industry | Timo Boldt
60% of the UK diet is ultra-processed. And the food industry is manufacturing your addiction. So why is this public health crisis continuing in plain sight, and what it would actually take to change it?
Two things are clear. Britain's food system is more broken than most people realise. And Gousto is far more interesting a business than its recipe boxes suggest.
In today’s episode, James speaks with Timo Boldt, founder and CEO of Gousto, about building one of the UK's most ambitious food businesses from scratch and why, 14 years and 80 million meals later, he's only just getting started.
Timo shares how he left a career in investment banking to start again. With no money, no network, no customers, he shares what that journey has taught him about fundraising without connections, growing with your customers and building a business around a problem genuinely worth solving.
They also discuss how Gousto has used AI intelligently from the beginning, not as a replacement for people, but as a tool that makes the whole operation sharper; from cutting food waste and optimising factory logistics to building fully personalised menus that 80% of customers now rely on.
Timestamps:
01:37 What Gousto Does
06:23 From Banking to Entrepreneurship
13:24 Scrappy Startup and First Orders
25:35 Affordability Taxes and Transparency
31:16 Healthy Without Preaching
34:33 Factories And Delivery Network
42:12 China Trip AI And Robotics
Links
Find out more about Gousto and their products
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 01 Jun 2026 - 53min - 85 - 80. How a £5,000 workshop became a global luxury brand | Tom Faulkner
What does it take to build a luxury brand by accident and keep it thriving for 30 years without ever taking outside investment?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Tom Faulkner, award-winning British furniture designer and founder of Tom Faulkner Limited. They talk about the unlikely journey from redundancy at a record label to running one of the UK's most distinctive handcrafted furniture brands, with showrooms in London and New York, and a workshop in Swindon that has been making things by hand since 1996.
Tom shares the story of how a side hustle in hand-painted tabletops became a serious business the moment he discovered what you could do with metal. He talks about buying a Swindon fabrication workshop for £5,000, inheriting two employees, slowly building a loyal team and a global client base. All through organic growth, word of mouth, and relationships with interior designers.
They explore what it really means to build a premium, handcrafted brand in the modern world: the growing appetite among wealthy clients to understand how things are made, why British manufacturing remains a genuine selling point in the American market, and how Tom navigated the early months of US tariffs with a decision that cost him margin but protected his customer relationships.
Together they also discuss the challenge of succession and legacy for founder-led businesses, why Tom has never chased scale for its own sake, and what he hopes to do next.
Timestamps
4:56 From Chrysalis Records to Hand-Painted Furniture
8:40 Buying the Swindon Workshop (The £5,000 Decision)
12:56 The Pimlico Road Showroom & London's Design Cluster
15:53 Expanding to New York
20:24 Staying Artisan: Organic Growth & British Manufacturing
25:20 Signature Pieces: Capricorn & the Collections
36:13 Navigating Business Challenges & US Tariffs
43:01 Future Plans: Collaborations, Sculpture & What's Next
57:04 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
Follow Tom Faulkner on LinkedIn
Find out more about Tom Faulkner LTD and their products HERE
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 25 May 2026 - 1h 08min - 84 - 79. What businesses should learn from museums about innovation | Elizabeth McKay
How can a major museum be run with the same entrepreneurial mindset as a high-growth business?
In today's episode, James Reed speaks with Elizabeth McKay, Director and CEO of the London Transport Museum. While many perceive museums as static archives, Elizabeth explains how she applies commercial strategy to ensure one of London’s most iconic cultural landmarks remains financially sustainable and relevant in a modern economy.
Elizabeth shares insights from her unconventional career journey and explains why the museum identifies as the best in the world for urban transport. They explore the evolution of work through the lens of London’s history, from the original "chairmen" who carried sedan chairs to the "navvies" who hand-dug the first underground network.
Together they discuss the balance between preserving heritage and driving innovation, including the story of Harry Beck’s revolutionary Tube map and how it was initially rejected for being too radical. Elizabeth also outlines the realities of leading a cultural institution that functions as both a charity and a successful commercial entity.
Timestamps
01:48 Transport history highlights
09:50 Young entrepreneurs message
20:04 Design DNA of TFL
24:26 Running the museum business
33:27 Leading through uncertainty
40:21 Funding model explained
45:10 Youth skills pipeline
Follow Elizabeth McCay on LinkedIn:
Find out more about TFL Museum and their exhibitions here:
Submit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 18 May 2026 - 58min - 83 - 78. The crisis facing UK retail and food businesses | Sarah Bradbury
Why are millions of jobs going unfilled in one of the UK’s biggest industries, while so many young people are struggling to find work?
In this episode of all about business, James Reed speaks with Sarah Bradbury, CEO of the Institute of Grocery Distribution, about the future of the UK food industry, the growing challenge of attracting young talent, and why the sector may offer far more opportunities than people realise.
Sarah shares insights from her 25-year career across major retailers, before stepping into one of the most influential leadership roles in the UK food sector. She explains how IGD works across the entire food system and how they help competitors collaborate on the biggest long-term challenges facing the industry.
They explore the pressures reshaping food and retail, including changing consumer habits, climate change, AI, automation, workforce shortages, and the potential impact of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, on the future of food consumption.
Together they also discuss leadership, collaboration between rival businesses, and why the UK food industry remains one of the country’s most important, and underestimated, economic forces.
Timestamps
02:00 What IGD does
08:43 Retail tech and AI trends
12:27 UK food system challenges
18:36 Land use and solar farms
23:47 Hidden food careers
31:29 Youth unemployment urgency
43:27 Closing reflections and CEO Forum
Follow Sarah Bradbury on LinkedIn
Find out more about IGD and their impact HERE
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 11 May 2026 - 48min - 82 - 77. What it’s really like running a funeral directors business | Damian Melville
Running a business is hard, but what is it like when your work sits at the centre of people’s most emotional moments?
In this episode of all about business, James Reed sits down with Damian Melville, Managing Director of Melville & Daughter Funeral Directors. Together they explore leadership in one of the most emotionally demanding industries there is.
Damian shares his journey into the family business, reflecting on the responsibilities that come when helping people in their most vulnerable time, and how that shapes both leadership-style and company-culture. He shares what balancing tradition with modernisation means, the realities of running a business where empathy is as important as efficiency, and the discipline required to maintain high standards in sensitive circumstances.
The conversation explores what it means to lead with care while still making clear commercial decisions, how to build trust within communities, and why consistency and professionalism matter more than ever, in a service built on reputation. Damian also discusses the challenges of succession in a family-run business and the importance of supporting both clients and staff through emotionally complex work.
A thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, responsibility, and building a business where purpose and performance have to coexist every step of the way.
Timestamps
01:04 Finding a niche market
06:36 Going solo challenges
12:50 Winning trust locally
23:18 COVID shock to the system
36:27 Hiring costs and NI
43:25 A Funeral director day
01:00:26 Memorial innovations and burials
Follow Damian Melville on LinkedIn
Find out more about Melville & Daughters Funeral Directors here
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 04 May 2026 - 1h 09min - 81 - 76. How to get a pay rise: Salary negotiation that works | Connor Scully
Is an awkward conversation the only thing standing between you and the salary you deserve?
In this episode of all about business, Connor Scully, Senior Executive Consultant at Reed Specialist Recruitment, sits down with James to discuss how professionals can effectively secure a pay rise in their current role.
Connor shares practical advice on how to move beyond the discomfort of pay discussions by focusing on preparation, timing, and proving your worth. The conversation explores how to assess whether you are truly due a salary increase, emphasizing the need to align your output with business goals and quantify your impact through measurable KPIs. Connor explains why being proactive, taking on extra responsibilities during company hardships, or "saying yes" to complex projects, is key to becoming an indispensable asset.
Whether you feel underpaid or are looking to take the next step in your career, this episode offers a step-by-step guide to navigating pay conversations with confidence and a growth mindset
Timestamps
02:00 Are You Due More
04:42 Prep And Timing Mistakes
09:38 When To Job Hunt
12:19 Ask In Person
15:36 Say Yes More Often
20:22 Employer Perspective on Pay Requests
Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:
Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:
Find out more Number Eight restaurant here:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 27 Apr 2026 - 27min - 80 - 75. How to calculate what you're worth in the job market | Leanne Appleton
How do you know if you’re being offered what you’re worth?
In this episode of all about business, Leanne Appleton, recruitment expert at Reed, speaks with James about how professionals can increase their earning potential and achieve a higher salary.
Leanne shares practical insights into what really drives salary growth, from understanding your market value to building in-demand skills and positioning yourself effectively in the job market. She explains why working harder isn’t always enough, and how being more strategic about your career decisions can significantly impact your long-term earnings.
The conversation explores how to approach salary negotiations with confidence, including when to ask for a pay rise, how to benchmark your worth, and why timing plays a critical role. Leanne also highlights the importance of demonstrating impact through measurable results, rather than relying on tenure or job titles alone.
Timestamps
02:10 Know Your Worth
04:15 Recruiter Advantage
05:41 Benchmark Beyond Salary
08:36 Reading Job Ad Salaries
11:14 Negotiation Prep
14:20 Avoid Over Underselling
17:37 Benefits That Matter
19:36 Perks Employers Can Add
21:52 Probation Pay Reviews
24:39 Counteroffers Warning
Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:
Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:
Find out more Number Eight restaurant here:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 20 Apr 2026 - 28min - 79 - 74. How to grow a business fast and exit successfully | Andrew Hulbert
How do you grow an idea into a multi-million pound business before the age of 40?
In this episode of all about business, James Reed sits down with Andrew Hulbert, entrepreneur and founder of Pareto Facilities Management, a company he built from his bedroom into a £50 million business before successfully exiting in his thirties.
Andrew shares the journey from a difficult start in Oxford and an unconventional path into business, to scaling rapidly in a competitive industry and navigating the realities of high-growth entrepreneurship. He reflects on the mindset required to build something from nothing, the importance of winning (and keeping) customers, and why consistency and execution matter more than ideas.
The conversation explores what it really takes to scale a business, from landing pivotal contracts that accelerate growth, to building a leadership team strong enough to step back from. Andrew also speaks candidly about the personal cost of success with long hours, burnout, and the moment he realised the business he built was no longer sustainable for the life he wanted.
Now focused on family, investing, and sustainability, Andrew offers a different perspective on success that goes beyond financial outcomes.
This is a grounded and honest conversation about entrepreneurship, growth, and what success really looks like once you’ve achieved it.
Timestamps
02:17 Council estate roots
09:20 Knife lesson turning point
22:06 Bedroom startup launch
34:14 Why sell the business
42:57 Health reset and purpose
46:50 Sales tricks that work
54:47 Advice for entrepreneurs
Follow Andrew Hulbert on LinkedIn
Find out more about Pareto Facilities
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 13 Apr 2026 - 59min - 78 - 73. No cows here: Could your pint become your next leather wallet? | TJ Mitchell
Could the answer to a more sustainable handbag or wallet lie at the bottom of your pint glass?
In this episode of all about business, James Reed sits down with Dr. Edward "TJ" Mitchell, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Arda Biomaterials, a London-based startup redefining the future of leather. Using cutting-edge technology, Arda transforms waste grain from brewers and distillers into sustainable, animal-, and plastic-free leather alternatives that are poised to disrupt the fashion and materials industries.
TJ shares his remarkable journey from a PhD in radioactive waste storage to the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship. He opens up about the pivotal moments that led to founding Arda Biomaterials, meeting his co-founder, and the bold decision to pivot from food-based protein products to sustainable materials. TJ also talks about the challenges of scaling a deep tech startup, from overcoming scientific and engineering hurdles, to building a team, and navigating the complexities of fundraising.
TJ reflects on the importance of networking and immersing yourself in the right communities, the art of storytelling as an entrepreneur, and why asking for advice often leads to unexpected opportunities.
Timestamps
02:39 From PhD research to entrepreneurship
06:22 Discovering the value of waste grain
12:15 Pivoting from food-based protein to leather alternatives
14:19 Using chemistry to mimic collagen for sustainable leather
20:33 The science behind transforming waste into leather-like materials
21:20 Why communication and storytelling are key for entrepreneurs
24:47 Advice for scientists: finding co-founders and startup programs
35:00 The future of plastic-free, animal-free materials in fashion
39:49 Arda Biomaterials’ vision as a waste transformation company
42:13 Scaling globally and creating local production facilities
Follow TJ Mitchell on LinkedIn
Find out more about Arda Biomaterials here
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 06 Apr 2026 - 46min - 77 - 72. How to build a successful brand in a competitive market | Steve Perez
How do you turn a single idea into a global brand and keep winning in an industry where most products fade away?
In this episode of all about business, James sits down with Steve Perez, founder of Global Brands, to unpack the reality behind building one of the UK’s most successful drinks businesses from scratch.
Steve shares how he identified a gap in the market early on, and backed his instincts to create products that would resonate with a new generation of consumers, most notably the breakout success of VK. But Steve’s story isn’t just about spotting an opportunity, it’s about the discipline required to execute, the risks that come with backing your own judgement, and the resilience needed to navigate inevitable setbacks along the way.
The conversation goes deeper into what actually drives success in a highly competitive, fast-moving industry. Steve explains why understanding your customer better than anyone else is a non-negotiable, how to stay relevant as trends shift, and how many businesses fail not because of bad ideas, but because of poor execution.
He also reflects on leadership as a business scale. From making tough commercial decisions under pressure, to building a team you can trust, and knowing when to adapt, versus when to stay the course.
This is a grounded, experience-led conversation about entrepreneurship without the fluff that covers risk, resilience, execution, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.
Timestamps
02:56 From pub manager to van hustle
08:43 Business bust and rock bottom
14:33 Inventing VK
25:16 Keep your equity keep control
38:27 Building a hotel empire
43:36 High Court tax challenge
57:34 Multi-generational mindset
Follow Steve Perez on LinkedIn
Find out more Global Brands and VK
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 - 59min - 76 - 71. The interview method that actually works in 2026 | Will Moore
Why do some candidates succeed in interviews while others fail, even with the same experience?
In this episode of all about business, James speaks with Will Moore, Senior Area Manager at Reed Specialist Recruitment, about how to effectively prepare for a job interview.
With more than a decade of experience in recruitment, Will shares practical advice on how candidates can approach interviews with confidence and structure. He explains the four key steps to interview preparation, from researching the company and reviewing the job description, to understanding the people you’ll be meeting, and preparing examples from your own experience.
The conversation also explores how candidates can structure answers clearly and communicate their achievements with confidence. Will highlights why using facts and measurable results is far more effective than exaggeration, and how practising answers out loud can dramatically improve performance on the day.
They also discuss some of the most common mistakes candidates make; asking vague questions that reveal a lack of research, failing to prepare real examples of past work, and overlooking the importance of preparation for virtual interviews, where technology, environment, and presentation still matter.
Whether you're preparing for your first interview, or your next career move, this episode offers practical insights to help you present yourself clearly, confidently, and authentically.
Timestamps
01:12 Four step interview prep
06:26 Nailing tell me about you
08:59 STAR method
14:41 Handling weaknesses questions
19:16 Practice and common mistakes
Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:
Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:
Explore our online course ‘Life's Work: How to get ahead in a career you love’ here:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 23 Mar 2026 - 25min - 75 - 70. The 7 Second CV: What recruiters wish everyone knew | Libby White
What is the biggest mistake people make when writing a CV? And how can yours land you an interview in 7 seconds?
In this episode of All About Business, James is joined by Libby White, Senior Consultant at Reed specialising in marketing, communications, PR and design recruitment.
While some people claim the CV is becoming outdated, Libby explains why it remains a critical tool for getting interviews and how small changes can dramatically improve your chances of standing out.
Drawing on her experience screening CVs every day, Libby shares practical advice on how candidates can present their experience more effectively, highlight measurable achievements, and tailor their CV for different roles.
From structuring your professional summary to avoiding common mistakes (including over-reliance on AI-generated CVs), this episode is packed with actionable tips for job seekers at every stage of their career.
Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:
Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:
Explore our online course ‘Life's Work: How to get ahead in a career you love’ here:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 16 Mar 2026 - 27min - 74 - 69. The career mistake smart people keep making (and what actually matters) | Sophie Clarke
What’s the difference between chasing the next job and building a long-term career?
In this episode of All About Business Shorts, James Reed speaks with Sophie Clarke, recruitment expert at Reed, about how professionals can think more strategically about their careers.
Sophie explains why focusing only on job titles or salary increases can sometimes distract from long-term career growth. Instead, she argues that understanding your strengths, motivations, and the skills you want to develop is key to making smarter career decisions.
The conversation explores how building a strong personal reputation — through reliability, communication, and trust — can open doors throughout your career. Sophie also shares why asking better questions when considering new opportunities, and thinking beyond the immediate job move, can help professionals make decisions that compound over time.
This is a practical discussion about career strategy, personal brand, and making job moves that support long-term professional growth.
Timestamps
01:37 Progression not job hopping
04:44 CV turnoffs and AI
08:35 Numbers beat responsibilities
13:15 Formatting and what to remove
17:29 Hobbies out systems in
21:44 Junior CVs and early experience
Find out how Reed can help you advance your career here:
Find out more about Reed Specialist Recruitment here:
Explore our online course ‘Life's Work: How to get ahead in a career you love’ here:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 09 Mar 2026 - 25min - 73 - 68. Ex Gordon Ramsay Group CEO reveals his turnaround playbook | Stuart Gillies
How do you build world-class standards in hospitality and then lead at the highest level of business?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Stuart Gillies, chef, restaurateur, and former CEO of the Gordon Ramsay Group, about building excellence in hospitality and leading through growth, crisis, and reinvention.
Stuart shares his journey from starting out in kitchens through international experience in Sweden, Italy, and New York, to becoming a senior leader at the Gordon Ramsay Group. He reflects on the discipline, attention to detail, and resilience he developed early in his career, and how those lessons shaped his transition from chef to CEO during one of the toughest periods in hospitality.
The conversation explores leadership under pressure, making hard commercial decisions, closing and opening businesses, and why devolving responsibility builds stronger teams. Stuart also shares what it’s really like to run a family hospitality business with his wife Cecilia, navigating COVID as founders, and why consistency, standards, and purpose matter more than ever in building a business that lasts.
A grounded conversation about leadership, craftsmanship, and building high-performance teams in one of the toughest industries in business.
Timestamps
00:00 Start: Stuart Gillies Former CEO Gordon Ramsay Group & Restaurateur
04:30 Early Career Journey: YTS Scheme to International Kitchen Experience Sweden Italy
15:43 New York Daniel Restaurant: Career Catalyst Working With Top French Chefs
22:17 CEO Transition: Leading Gordon Ramsay Group Business Strategy & Restaurant Decisions
36:43 COVID Challenge: Launching Bank House Chislehurst & Number Eight Sevenoaks
38:30 Family Business Success: Working With Wife Cecilia & Teaching Kids Work Ethic
50:00 Couple Business Partnership Advice: Building Strong Marriage Before Business Venture
59:00 Leadership Lessons: Comfort Zone Growth Mindset & Future Hospitality Vision
Follow Stuart Gillies on LinkedIn:
Find out more Number Eight restaurant here:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 02 Mar 2026 - 1h 03min - 72 - 67. How to evolve your offering to grow a service-based business | Gregory Nice + Jack Stanton
How do you build a creative agency that cuts through in a crowded, fast-changing media landscape?
In this episode of All About Business, James talks with Gregory Nice and Jack Stanton, co-founders of NICE Productions. Together they discuss growing a modern creative agency in the age of social-first content, multi-channel marketing, and AI disruption.
Gregory and Jack share how they built NICE Productions from weekend side projects into a London-based creative agency producing campaigns across TV, social, radio, cinema, and out-of-home. They reflect on starting young, balancing creativity with commercial reality, and how long-term client relationships helped them survive industry shocks, from COVID, to strikes, and shifting media budgets.
The conversation explores how creative agencies can stand out in a saturated market, why multi-channel campaigns now matter more than single-format ads, and how low-budget, high-impact content can outperform expensive campaigns when it connects culturally. They also discuss the real impact of AI on creative work, why human creativity still matters, and how young people can break into the industry with fewer barriers than ever.
This is a candid conversation about building a creative business, staying relevant in a disrupted industry, and creating work that cuts through in a noisy world.
Timestamps
02:42 Launching Nice Productions
08:12 Rebrand to ‘Nice’
18:44 Standing out in a crowded market
22:05 AI disruption in content
37:53 Why big ideas cost big money
46:43 Turning virality into new business
57:34 Landing big clients
01:02:38 How they generate ideas
Follow Gregory Nice on LinkedIn
Follow Jack Stanton on LinkedIn
Find out more NICE Productions here
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE
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Mon, 23 Feb 2026 - 1h 06min - 71 - 66. From miniskirts to stem cell therapy: How a fashion leader is changing heart failure treatment | Jenifer Rosenberg OBE
How do you turn a bold idea into a national institution that changes lives?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Jenifer Rosenberg OBE, entrepreneur in fashion and social impact leader, about building purpose-driven organisations that create lasting change.
Jenifer shares her journey from spotting a gap in support for families facing serious illness, to co-founding Heart Cells Foundation and growing it from a kitchen-table startup into a nationally recognised charity. She reflects on navigating funding challenges, building credibility with clinicians and policymakers, and leading through the emotional realities of mission-led work.
The conversation explores scaling a purpose-driven organisation sustainably, balancing commercial discipline with social impact, and the importance of governance, partnerships, and long-term strategy. Jenifer also shares lessons from stepping back from founder leadership, earning an OBE, and staying resilient while driving systemic change.
A thoughtful conversation about entrepreneurship with purpose, leading with conviction, and building something that truly lasts.
Timestamps
02:18 From post room to senior role
08:07 Quality and innovation with Marks & Spencer
16:28 Branching out into fashion
26:40 The power of innovation
30:23 A personal journey with heart failure
35:24 Founding the Heart Cells Foundation
48:37 Maintaining energy and health
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Mon, 16 Feb 2026 - 54min - 70 - 65. From Dragon’s Den to Startup Success | Jinesh Vohra
What if becoming mortgage-free wasn’t about earning more money, but about using what you already spend more intelligently?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Jinesh Vora, Founder and CEO of Sprive, the UK fintech app helping homeowners pay off their mortgages faster without changing their lifestyle.
Jinesh shares his journey from a 14-year career at Goldman Sachs to fintech founder, shaped by a three-generation family legacy of entrepreneurship. He reflects on leaving a high-paying corporate role, bootstrapping a startup through the pandemic, and building trust with banks and lenders in a highly regulated industry.
The conversation explores scaling a fintech responsibly, from angel and venture funding to securing a major TV-for-equity deal with Channel 4. Jinesh also shares candid lessons from pitching on Dragons’ Den, alongside insights on leadership, resilience, AI, and avoiding growth at all costs.
This is a practical conversation about financial freedom, fintech innovation, and building a purpose-led business that helps people take control of their money.
Timestamps
01:49 The birth of Sprive: A mortgage app revolution
11:10 Jinesh's entrepreneurial journey and family legacy
14:39 The Goldman Sachs experience
24:01 Navigating the pandemic and launching Sprive
32:09 Networking and angel investors
34:11 Dragon's Den experience
41:15 Hiring strategies and team building
48:49 Future vision and personal goals
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Mon, 09 Feb 2026 - 57min - 69 - 64. How to convert visibility into sales and long-term growth | Penelope Chilvers
How do you build a creative business from scratch and ensure it steadily grows without compromising on quality, craft, or values?
In this episode ofAll About Business, James sits down with Penelope Chilvers, English footwear designer and founder of the eponymous luxury brand, and they talk about building a resilient business rooted in craftsmanship, customer closeness, and long-term thinking.
Penelope shares her unconventional journey from training as a painter to launching a footwear business in London as a single parent. She reflects on learning her trade from the ground up, building a brand without formal business training, and why necessity — not strategy — drove her early entrepreneurial decisions.
Penelope talks about the importance of craftsmanship, materials, long-term supplier relationships, and how staying close to customers has shaped everything from design to retail strategy.
James and Penelope discuss growth, from opening stores and expanding internationally, to raising investment and introducing clothing alongside footwear. Penelope shares why steady, organic growth has served her better than chasing trends, how slow fashion has become a competitive advantage, and why durability, purpose, and trust now matter more than ever.
This is a thoughtful conversation about learning your craft, respecting the people who help you build, and creating a business designed to last.
Timestamps:
02:59 From painter to designer
07:59 The first big orders
15:00 Sustaining quality and craftsmanship
22:52 Family and business dynamics
29:50 Expanding into the American market
35:52 Men's range and iconic products
47:58 Slow fashion and ethical production
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Mon, 02 Feb 2026 - 56min - 68 - 63. The future of PR and business in an AI world | Francesca Gamble
How do you create a modern PR strategy that builds brand relevance and marketing-led businesses able to thrive through cultural and technological change?
In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Francesca Gamble, founder of GTN Consultancy, to explore the future of PR, marketing, and business in an AI-driven world.
With a career spanning global agencies, luxury fashion brands, and major cultural moments — including Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney, and the London 2012 Olympics — Francesca shares her journey from agency leadership to launching her own independent consultancy. She explains what it really takes to build a modern PR and marketing business without hype, awards, or ego, and why so many agencies fail by prioritising image over impact.
The conversation dives deep into brand partnerships, celebrity collaborations, and equity-based deals as powerful growth strategies for challenger brands. Francesca breaks down why great products still fail without strong marketing, how cultural relevance directly drives sales, and why results matter far more than industry accolades.
Looking ahead, Francesca offers a bold and timely perspective on the future of PR and advertising in the age of AI. As automation accelerates across marketing, media, and communications, she argues that being human, authentic, and culturally aware will become the ultimate competitive advantage. A no-nonsense conversation about entrepreneurship, independence, brand relevance, and building a business that lasts in a rapidly changing world.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
04:38 Starting a PR business
10:08 The role of PR in modern marketing
17:54 Celebrity partnerships and brand collaborations
32:28 The importance of flexibility and client relationships
42:24 The reality of entrepreneurship
51:03 Successful celebrity brand partnerships
58:00 The future of PR and female founders
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Mon, 26 Jan 2026 - 1h 06min - 67 - 62. How to stack revenue: The 3 levers that optimise growth of any local food business | Pete Russell
What if the future of food isn’t bigger, faster, and more centralised, but local, decentralised, and community-powered?
In this episode of the All About Business podcast, James is joined by Pete Russell, Founder of Ooooby and Co-Founder of DECENT, to explore how technology, ethical entrepreneurship, and optimism can transform the global food system from the ground up.
Pete shares his journey from running a highly profitable industrial food business to building one of the UK’s leading local food platforms, connecting independent farmers and producers directly with their communities. The conversation dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship, scaling purpose-led businesses, and the challenges of building alternatives to industrial food supply chains.
A key theme of the episode is steward ownership, a business model that separates profit from control. Pete explains how steward ownership protects mission, prevents mission drift, and ensures long-term impact over short-term returns, offering a compelling alternative to traditional shareholder capitalism.
James and Pete also explore the future of commerce and AI, with Pete presenting a bold vision of a shift from the attention economy to the intention economy. As artificial intelligence reshapes how we discover and buy products, Pete argues that traditional marketing and advertising may become obsolete, replaced by systems that prioritise values, trust, and genuine human needs.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
02:03 Meet Pete Russell: The Visionary Behind Oooby’s Food Revolution
03:06 What Is Oooby? Decentralizing the Global Food Supply Chain
06:25 Farm-to-Table Logistics: How Oooby Empowers Local Farmers
10:12 The 1.9% Disruptor: Why Low-Margin Tech is Saving Small Farms
14:45 Debunking the Myth: Why Local Food Costs Less Than Supermarkets
19:30 The Awareness Gap: Why Traditional Food Systems Still Dominate
27:05 17 Years of Resilience: Pivoting Through Near-Death Business Challenges
33:40 The Software Pivot: Solving the Logistics Nightmare of Local Food
40:00 Future of Food: AI, Agentic Commerce, and Decentralized Platforms
56:15 What wakes you up on a Monday?
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Mon, 19 Jan 2026 - 56min - 66 - 61. The email that saved HomeServe and sparked a £4bn business | Sir Richard Harpin
Building a billion-pound business is one thing, but what does it take to scale globally, exit successfully, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Sir Richard Harpin, founder of HomeServe, the home emergency repairs and improvements launched in 1993. Sir Richard talks about his journey from early failures to growing a FTSE 100 multinational across the UK, France, Spain, the US, Canada, and Japan that sold for £4.1 billion in 2022.
Sir Richard shares how a plumbing insurance model sparked the subscription-based affinity partnerships, the challenges of international expansion, and why copying successful ideas while focusing on execution was key to cracking markets and achieving organic growth.
Together they discuss Sir Richard’s post-exit ventures including Growth Partner, Business Leader magazine, and his bestselling book "How to Make a Billion in Nine Steps". The conversation also explores Sir Richard's passion for inspiring breakthroughs, the role of optimism in navigating setbacks, and why doubling the UK's large companies through community-driven support, matters more than ever in a challenging economic landscape.
Timestamps
01:00 The early struggles and pivots
06:42 The breakthrough: Plumbing insurance model
17:40 The power of copying and mentorship
28:53 Challenges and opportunities for mid-size businesses
37:55 Introducing growth partner: investment in retail
48:10 The not-to-do list for entrepreneurs
01:02:29 Recruitment: Hiring your replacement
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Mon, 12 Jan 2026 - 1h 10min - 65 - 60. Gold medal to boardroom: The one olympic method I applied that turned my workforce elite | Adrian Moorhouse MBE
Winning Olympic gold is one of the highest achievements in sport, but what are the skills that you can apply to build an elite team in your business?
In this episode of All About Business, James meets Adrian Moorhouse MBE, three-time Olympian and gold medalist. Adrian talks about his journey from the pool to the boardroom, exploring big hairy audacious goals (BHAGs), the power of curiosity, and heart-driven leadership in challenging times, and why mindset, meaning, and community matter more than ever for sustained success in sport and business.
Adrian discusses his entrepreneurial transition, launching Lane Four in 1995, growing it through high-performance culture and client impact, and navigating its sale to EY in 2021, while confronting common entrepreneur pitfalls. He also shares how escaping school bullying through swimming ignited his drive and why choices over sacrifices defined his path.
Timestamps
01:20 Transition to business
04:44 Challenges and learnings
07:58 Creating a winning team
12:41 Resilience and focus techniques
17:16 From athlete to entrepreneur
32:30 Navigating the 2008 financial crisis
36:46 Mentoring and leadership insights
48:53 The intersection of sports and business
57:09 The importance of curiosity in leadership
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Mon, 05 Jan 2026 - 1h 00min - 64 - 59. From rejection to £100m deals: The Netflix pitch that changed British TV | Andy Harries OBE
Building a career in television is one thing, but what does it really take to produce global hits like The Crown and Outlander while building and scaling a production empire?
In this episode of 'All About Business,' James speaks with Andy Harries, co-founder and CEO of Left Bank Pictures. Together they discuss Andy's 50-year journey from a promotion scriptwriter at Granada Television, to launching his own company, selling it to Sony, and navigating the streaming revolution.
Andy explains how being rejected at 26 became the fuel for his ambition, how his early documentary work took him around the world, and what he learned directing cultural icons including the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McLaren, and Truman Capote. The conversation dives into the business of creativity, including the high stakes Netflix pitch that led to a 100 million pound deal for The Crown, what global streamers look for when backing premium drama, and how British television has scaled to a global audience.
Andy also reflects on his transition into an executive chairman role, mentoring the next generation of talent, and why protecting British creativity and a strong BBC matters more than ever.
Timestamps
02:26 Journey through Granada
06:02 Transition to comedy and drama
09:34 The Queen and Prime Suspect
12:47 Founding Left Bank Pictures
39:35 Reaching out to Ken Braner
50:17 The Crown and Netflix partnership
01:04:35 Transitioning roles and future projects
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Mon, 29 Dec 2025 - 1h 14min - 63 - 58. Behind the doors of Downton Abbey: Managing the 1,300-year-old Highclere Castle | Lady Carnarvon
Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey, is one of the most famous houses in the world. But what does it really take to run it as a modern business?
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with Fiona, Lady Carnarvon, custodian of Highclere Castle, about managing a 1,300-year-old heritage estate with roots dating back to 749 AD. She shares how Downton Abbey transformed Highclere’s global profile, what it is like to live and work alongside a major film production, and how the castle evolved into a year-round destination.
Lady Carnarvon discusses her entrepreneurial approach, from Christmas events and behind-the-scenes tours to virtual experiences, bestselling books, and Highclere Castle Gin, while confronting the hard economic realities of British farming and long-term stewardship.
The conversation also explores Highclere’s ghost stories, its sense of community, and why heritage, kindness, and authenticity matter more than ever in a changing world.
Timecodes
04:29 Christmas at Highclere
09:56 Tutankhamun and Downton Abbey
18:41 Challenges of modern farming
27:11 Ghost stories and blessings
36:45 The mysterious death of Lord Carnarvon
43:38 The success of Highclere Castle Gin
48:03 Building a brand and community
56:43 Final thoughts and future plans
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Mon, 22 Dec 2025 - 57min - 62 - 57. How to spot the next billion dollar opportunity before everyone else | James McHugh
Some of the biggest global businesses started the same way: someone spotted an opportunity early- and then chose the right partner.
In this episode of All About Business, James speaks with serial venture builder James McHugh, founder and chairman of Tquila. James reveals the “build-operate-transfer” playbook behind multiple eight-figure exits and how he’s now riding the AI wave with agentic systems and post-keyboard CRMs.
He also shares how he spotted the Salesforce gap in Europe in 2010, repeatedly building (and exiting) high-growth tech-services including joint ventures with Salesforce, ServiceNow and now AI leaders like Anthropic and you.com.
A candid conversation on scaling fast, choosing truth-seeking AI, why governments are dangerously unprepared for mass unemployment, and what abundance on the other side might actually look like.
Timecodes
02:31 The Salesforce Opportunity: Building a Business in Europe
05:21 The tquila Story: Naming and Early Success
08:29 The Role of Partnerships in Business Success
11:13 AI and the Future: Opportunities and Challenges
23:22 The Impact of AI on Employment and Society
33:55 The Future of AI and Human Values
38:45 Driverless Cars and the Future of Transportation
47:04 The Impact of AI on Jobs and Society
49:15 The Future of Human Longevity with AI
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Mon, 15 Dec 2025 - 1h 04min - 61 - 56. Banishing bureaucracy: How Octopus Group built a culture of entrepreneurship leading to a $9 billion valuation | Chris Hulatt
How do you build a culture where risk-taking is celebrated, bureaucracy is banished and everyone thinks like an entrepreneur?
In this episode, James is joined by Chris Hulatt, Co-founder of Octopus Group, a multi-billion-pound investment and energy business that started in a living room and grew into a global force spanning fund management, renewable energy and technology.
Chris shares how Octopus went from backing UK startups to creating Octopus Energy, now valued at $9 billion, and why initiatives like Springboard are helping employees become founders themselves. We talk about how to make fast decisions without perfect data, why bureaucracy kills creativity and what it really takes to scale up without losing your entrepreneurial spark.
Timecodes:
02:43 - Octopus Energy: The Startup Story
09:16 - The Importance of Financial Literacy
12:21 - Octopus Group Funds & Investment Approach
17:21 - Culture of Entrepreneurship at Octopus
21:40 - The Springboard Scheme for New Ventures
25:08 - Success Stories & Learning from Failure
28:44 - Barriers to Entrepreneurship in the UK
31:13 - Octopus Group’s Shared Purpose
34:05 - Decision Making & Avoiding Bureaucracy
41:05 - Customer-First Philosophy
44:05 - The Future of Octopus Group
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Mon, 08 Dec 2025 - 58min - 60 - 55. Fame, failure & a 12-stone weight loss: The journey to 2 Michelin stars | Tom Kerridge
Building a career in food is one thing - but what does it really take to become one of the UKs most famous chefs?
In this episode of 'All About Business,' James Reed speaks with renowned British chef Tom Carriage, exploring Tom’s journey from washing dishes in small kitchens to becoming a Michelin-starred chef and a successful business owner with a portfolio of restaurants.
Tom discusses his approach to leadership, the ethos behind mentoring young professionals, and his thoughts on balancing passion with business acumen. They also delve into Tom’s personal transformation, including his significant weight loss and sobriety, and discuss the broader challenges facing the hospitality industry, including taxation and workforce management.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
02:40- Early career and challenges
08:52 Building a culinary empire
13:10 Philosophy and success
17:11 Mentorship and team building
27:18 Journey to sobriety
31:29 Embracing neurodiversity in the kitchen
40:52 Challenges in the hospitality industry
47:16 Future plans and reflections
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Mon, 01 Dec 2025 - 50min - 59 - 54. The secret behavioural prompts brands use to influence your choices | Raphy March
How can businesses gain a true understanding of what drives customer decisions? And how can science be applied to create marketing that not only feels deeply human but also delivers measurable results?
Today on All About Business, James is Raphy March, Managing Director at Cowry Consulting, a pioneer in combining behavioral science with AI to help global brands like Coca-Cola, EasyJet, and Sky, influence behavior at scale.
They explore practical insights on building human-centered AI strategies, the ethics of shaping customer experiences, and how entrepreneurs can use data and psychology to stand out, scale, and grow with purpose.
Timecodes:
02:16 Introduction to Raphy March and Cowrie Consulting
08:27 The Nudge Unit and Government Applications
09:08 Behavioral Science in the Private Sector
17:53 Case Study: Keep Britain Tidy
26:51 Ethics in Behavioral Science
29:31 Practical Applications of Behavioral Science
33:37 Using Physical Evidence to Justify a Pay Rise
36:09 Improving Customer Retention at Sky
43:50 Behavioral Science in Brand Perception
49:16 The Role of AI in Behavioral Science
01:07:02 Future of Behavioral Science and AI
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Mon, 24 Nov 2025 - 1h 07min - 58 - 53. Titan of the hotel industry reveals the 3 things you need to know to open a luxury hospitality business | Sir Rocco Forte
Being successful in hospitality is incredibly tough. But how do you keep a focus on quality and authenticity whilst expanding into multiple new locations?
In this episode of All About Business, James is joined by Sir Rocco Forte, titan of the luxury hospitality and hotel industry. They explore his incredible journey as an entrepreneur within a family whose history in hospitality spans over a century.
They also delve into how he has prioritised community impact in his work as well as maintaining a family-oriented approach to make something special that lasts.
Timecodes:
02:23 Building Iconic Hotels
09:43 The Forte Family Legacy
11:47 Challenges and Triumphs in Business
21:46 Expanding the Hotel Empire
38:54 Family Involvement in the Business
43:53 Leadership and Decision Making
01:00:25 Economic Views and Government Policies
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Mon, 17 Nov 2025 - 1h 12min - 57 - 52. Karma Capitalism: Why being a good business IS good business | James Reed CBE
Socialism doesn’t work. Hyper-capitalism doesn’t work. Is this the answer?
What happens when the DNA of a corporation changes?
In this episode of 'All About Business', Alex interviews the usual host, James Reed, about his new book, 'Karma Capitalism.' The discussion revolves around the concept of Karma Capitalism, which James defines as a people-centric variant of capitalism where companies, known as Philanthropy Companies or 'Philcos,' allocate at least 10% of their shares to a charitable foundation.
James shares personal experiences, including a life-changing accident, that catalyzed his belief in businesses having a purpose beyond profit. He outlines the benefits of this business model, such as improved longevity, increased profitability, and enhanced corporate citizenship.
The conversation also touches on the challenges in current capitalism, the limitations of ESG, and the practical steps for companies to become Philanthropy Companies. James emphasises the potential for this philosophy to create a significant positive impact on business and society.
I
Timecodes:
03:45 The wake-up fall story
12:01 The Big Give and philanthropy
17:14 The benefits of being a Philco
22:16 Legacy and longevity of Philcos
28:55 Examples of successful karma capitalism
31:15 How to transition to a Philco
34:59 The impact of Philco on business
47:15 Challenges and opportunities for family businesses
51:09 Final thoughts and reflections
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Mon, 10 Nov 2025 - 54min - 56 - 51. Celebrity Traitors finale week: The REAL big dog! Producer and Founder of Studio Lambert | Stephen Lambert OBE
The question is...are you a faithful, or are you a traitor?
Television is something we all enjoy. But few of us get to see how the shows we love actually come to life and why some of them grip the nation in what can only be described as a phenomenon.
Today on All About Business, James is joined by Stephen Lambert OBE. Stephen is a producer and founder of Studio Lambert, the production company behind some of the UK’s most successful shows like The Traitors, Gogglebox, Squid Game: The Challenge and Race Across the World.
In this episode, they explore how Stephen built the UK’s most successful independent production company, what goes into producing formats that connect with audiences around the world, and why encouraging risk-taking and innovation is so important in TV.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:09 How Stephen Lambert Started His Career
03:27 The Evolution of the TV Business
20:00 Studio Lambert – Sued by Michael Jackson
20:50 Undercover Boss
25:51 Gogglebox
29:02 Celebrity Traitors
35:08 Celebrity Race Across the World
38:34 Squid Game: The Challenge
42:48 Confidentiality – Avoiding Leaks & Spoilers
47:09 How to Find Work in Television
55:28 Developing a Show
1:01:05 The Future of Unscripted Television
1:08:43 Interview round
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Mon, 03 Nov 2025 - 1h 12min - 55 - 50. How to spot a charity that's a red flag (and how to give smarter) | John Spiers
Is it possible to be a highly successful entrepreneur without compromising your commitment to customers, staff, and society?
In this episode of All About Business, we’re joined by John Spiers, entrepreneur, philanthropist, veteran of the wealth management industry, and Chairman of EQ Investors, one of the UK’s leading B Corporations. John shares why he returned to the sector to found EQ Investors, how he deliberately built its culture around putting the client first, and why the bottom line will look after itself if you do things correctly.
He reveals the unique structure of EQ Investors, with a foundation owning a quarter of the shares, giving clients and staff confidence in the company’s long-term stability and purpose. This purpose-led structure earned the company the highest B Corp score in the UK. John also shares his critique of shareholder-focused capitalism and the short-term pressures of private equity, arguing why a long-term, stakeholder-first model creates greater business resilience.
John shares his immense knowledge on how to be an effective philanthropist, explains the creation of his platform, Giving Is Great, and offers vital advice on what to look for, and what not to look for, when assessing a charity’s effectiveness.
This episode is packed with valuable insight if you’re an entrepreneur interested in purpose-driven business, investment strategy, and how to build a company that prioritises all its stakeholders for long-term success.
Timecodes:
03:52 The concept of philanthropy companies
05:14 Challenges and benefits of philanthropy companies
12:34 The importance of early years and environmental causes
21:24 The creation and impact of giving is great
33:12 The power of matching donations
39:59 Challenges in charity data and impact reporting
47:58 Evaluating charity leadership
54:17 The rewards of philanthropy
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Mon, 27 Oct 2025 - 56min - 54 - 49: Is your passion a business worth starting?: The simple method to find out | Johnnie Boden CBE
What is the secret to building an iconic brand that resonates with millions of customers on a global scale?
In this episode of All About Business, we're joined by Johnnie Boden, founder and creative director of the iconic British clothing brand, Boden. Johnnie shares his unconventional journey from an unfulfilling career in the city, to founding a fashion brand that now generates over £350 million in annual revenue.
He talks about how to discover your true passion, and the importance of self-awareness and being honest about what you are good at. He also explains the three-part "magical Venn diagram" from Jim Collins' book, Good to Great, and the impact it had on him.
Johnnie also shares the story of the difficult but necessary decision to pivot the business from menswear to the more profitable women's wear, and the importance of listening to your customers.
This is a great episode for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to find their true calling, build a brand with clear values, and learn how to make the tough decisions that drive long-term success.
Timecodes:
02:33 Johnny's early career struggles
04:20 The birth of Boden
07:56 The importance of passion and self-awareness
15:17 The evolution of Boden's Brand
25:23 Managing and growing a business
30:34 The tough decisions in business
36:31 The importance of having a coach
41:38 Expanding business in America
57:59 The role of AI in fashion
59:43 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 20 Oct 2025 - 1h 00min - 53 - 48: Is this platform a new era beyond OnlyFans?: Innovation VS ethical responsibility | Felix Henderson
How do you balance innovation with ethical responsibility?
This week on All About Business, we’re joined by Felix Henderson, Co-founder and COO of Ohchat, a generative AI business that builds "digital twins" of real-world content creators. In this episode, Felix shares his journey of building a business from the ground up, and provides insight into the AI future of adult entertainment and how an early venture in student housing, and a strategic pivot during the pandemic, led to a service-based business which became a launchpad for his current AI-powered tech venture. Is this the new OnlyFans?
Felix explains how they are building a generative AI business in the sensitive "spicy content" industry. He addresses the critical and controversial challenges of building a company in this space, discussing how they approach user safety and ethical considerations, and why transparency and accountability as founders are key to their mission.
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 13 Oct 2025 - 58min - 52 - 47: The power of PR: Controlling your brand reputation and the steps to handling a media crisis | Sarah Woodhouse
How do you build a resilient brand and lasting reputation and control chaos when a PR crisis hits?
This week on All About Business, we’re joined by Sarah Woodhouse, co-owner and director at Ambitious PR. With over 25 years of experience in strategic communications, Sarah helps high-growth businesses manage their public image and tell their story with transparency.
In this episode, Sarah offers practical lessons on how to communicate with purpose, prepare for unexpected crises, and tailor your message to connect with the audiences that matter most. She discusses the critical differences between marketing and strategic communications, the importance of a founder's personal brand, and how to avoid the "bear traps" of controversy.
Sarah also provides insight into crisis management, drawing on real-world examples to demonstrate how to take back control of the narrative. She also explores the impact of AI on how businesses are found and evaluated online, and what entrepreneurs can do to adapt.
Links:
Check out Ambitious PR’s website
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Mon, 06 Oct 2025 - 58min - 51 - 46. “We lost 11 million in one month!”: What Hays Travel did to go from crisis to smashing £3 Billion | Dame Irene Hays
Dame Irene Hays built Hays Travel with her husband John, growing it from a small counter at the back of a babywear shop into the UK’s largest independent travel agency with 512 branches nationwide. Along the way, she navigated major industry shifts, acquired the legendary Thomas Cook brand, founded the Hays Travel Foundation, and built a leading apprenticeship programme that now employs hundreds of apprentices. But this isn't come without massive hurdles, heartbreak and sheer determination to turn crisis into a success.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Irene shares the leadership principles and bold decisions behind her success. She reveals how she scaled without outside investors, why she risked everything to save thousands of jobs at Thomas Cook, and how she rebuilt stronger than ever after COVID-19 brought global travel to a standstill.
Irene also explores the “soft infrastructure” behind Hays Travel’s five star customer experience and why apprenticeships and investing in young talent are central to her long term vision.
Check out Hays Travel’s website
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 29 Sep 2025 - 1h 05min - 50 - 45. Should you hire ex offenders? Reed's report is here and the verdict is in! | Alex Head
Reed's Report:Employer Attitudes to Hiring People with Criminal Convictions
Resettling into society after prison is a huge challenge — especially when employers are reluctant to hire people with a criminal record. Too often, talented individuals are overlooked, leaving skills and potential untapped, and making them far more likely to reoffend.
In this episode, we dive into the findings of the latest REED report; "Employer attitudes to employing people with criminal convictions.”,and its findings.The report reveals a concerning trend where one in five employers would not consider a candidate with a conviction at all, and the willingness to hire individuals with criminal records has dropped sharply across various offenses.
We’re joined by Alex Head, the owner and founder of Social Pantry, a leading independent catering company known for its work with prison leavers.
Alex shares her journey from starting a sandwich delivery service as a teenager, to building Social Pantry into a leading employer of prison leavers in the hospitality industry. She provides practical insight into the successes and challenges of this great work, demonstrating how giving people a second chance can lead to a compelling and persuasive workforce.
This is an essential listen for any business leader looking to build a resilient and socially conscious company and challenge the stigma of employing ex-offenders.
Timecodes:
04:18 Social Pantry's business model and success
06:14 Challenges and support for hiring prison leavers
13:09 The role of charities and probation services
23:39 Employment boards and training opportunities
29:58 Empathy and communication in the workplace
34:45 Challenges and benefits of hiring prison leavers
38:31 Addressing employer hesitations
44:06 Success Stories and Future Plans
If you are interested in supporting prison leavers back into employment and joining Social Pantry's working group, please email alex.head@socialpantry.co.uk
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Check out Social Pantry’s website
Check out Key4Life’s website
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 22 Sep 2025 - 51min - 49 - 44. Can we save the post-covid schooling crisis with THIS AI tool? | Phillippa De’Ath
Education is changing fast, and the old ways of running learning institutes are no longer working. Philippa De’Ath set out to solve this when she co-founded Arbor Education, a platform designed to shift the focus of teachers away from admin work and back to what matters most: the students.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Philippa shares how she and her co-founder built a mission-driven company that is both profitable and has a significant social impact. She reveals the secrets to scaling in a complex, highly regulated industry, from automating routine tasks with AI, to empowering educators with real-time data and insights.
Philippa breaks down what it takes to turn a passion for impact into a sustainable enterprise. She unpacks the challenges of scaling, the importance of listening to end users, and how to keep your purpose at the core while building a business that delivers both explosive growth and positive change.
Whether you're starting a company or looking for a mission-driven strategy that actually works, Philippa's journey is packed with practical insights you can borrow and scale.
01:03 The Mission and Impact of Arbor Education
02:14 Understanding Arbor's Management Information System
03:03 The Growth and Success of Arbor Education
06:07 The Role of AI and Cloud in Modern Education
13:23 Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Schools
20:40 Philippa's Journey: From IBM to Founding Schools
25:06 Reflecting on the Journey
25:32 Building a School from Scratch
26:15 Opening the Schools
26:43 Challenges and Growth
27:59 Founding Arbor Education
31:44 Expanding Arbor's Reach
34:38 Improving School Efficiency
39:55 Future Ambitions and Reflections
Check out Arbor Education’s website:
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 15 Sep 2025 - 47min - 48 - 5 top summer takeaways you should hear to grow your business - Part 2
Fresh from the holidays? Here are 5 top summer takeaways to get you inspired and ready for September.
In this special bonus episode of All about Business, we’ve handpicked some of the most valuable insights from our incredible podcast guests. Since launching last October, we’ve had the privilege of hearing the powerful journeys, lessons, and strategies from some of the most successful entrepreneurs out there.
We talk about:
- Redefining self and creativity with an ADHD diagnosisStaying true to your business venture with no turnover in the first yearsThe future of customer serviceTesting ideas to build a brand carefullyThe link between marketing and cashflow
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - Takeaway 6 Alex Partridge
05:23 - Takeaway 7 Byron Dixon
09:16 - Takeaway 8 Todd Unger
12:10 - Takeaway 9 Kiki McDonough
15:37 - Takeaway 10 David Mitchell
Links:
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: Reed.com
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Mon, 08 Sep 2025 - 18min - 47 - 43. 5 top summer takeaways you should hear to grow your business - Part 1
Fresh from the holidays? Here are 5 top summer takeaways to get you inspired and ready for September.
In this special bonus episode of All about Business, we’ve handpicked some of the most valuable insights from our incredible podcast guests. Since launching last October, we’ve had the privilege of hearing the powerful journeys, lessons, and strategies from some of the most successful entrepreneurs out there.
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - Takeaway 1 Rob Moore
03:20 - Takeaway 2 Neil Clifford
08:05 - Takeaway 3 Michelle Kennedy
11:18 - Takeaway 4 Nicola Reed
14:02 - Takeaway 5 Reggie Heyworth
Links:
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: Reed.com
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Mon, 01 Sep 2025 - 17min - 46 - 42. Silent Disco Founder: "I didn’t want to build a company; I wanted to build a feeling" | Toby Burns
Great business ideas don’t have to be original, they just have to work. Some of the most successful startups are built by borrowing proven concepts, improving them, and executing better. That’s exactly how Toby Burns, founder and CEO of The Silent Disco Company, built a scalable business from a simple idea.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Toby shares how he turned a simple idea into a nationwide brand, built on clever systems, high-volume logistics, and relentless execution that started with a few headphones to now powering thousands of events across the UK.
Toby breaks down what it takes to spot scalable business ideas, dominate a niche market, and build a company that runs without you, and also unpacks how to hire smart, stay lean, and keep innovation at the core of sustainable growth.
Whether it’s starting a company, or looking for startup strategies that actually work, Toby’s journey is packed with practical insights you can borrow and scale.
Links:
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 25 Aug 2025 - 1h 05min - 45 - 41. The new poverty line: How working professionals are being pushed into hardship and what to do about it | Mark Game
Just last week, a Data Analyst was forced to turn to charity to feed his family. Once secure in a stable profession, he is now among the growing number of educated, working professionals whose livelihoods have been eroded by soaring inflation, pushing them into hardship. And the crisis shows no signs of easing.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Mark Game, Co-Founder of The Bread and Butter Thing. They’ve built a business where commercial success and social impact go hand in hand, offering help by rescuing surplus food from major retailers and getting it into the hands of those who need it.
Mark’s model of supermarket surplus into consistent, dignified support for thousands of working families proves that you can build a sustainable, logistics-driven business while maintaining dignity and delivering real impact. And your business can partner with them to drive meaningful change.
James and Mark explore how poverty has changed, why stigma keeps people silent, and how The Bread and Butter Thing is using smart logistics and scalable systems to meet real human needs, with empathy, efficiency, and long-term impact that goes beyond just food on the table.
02:27 The Bread and Butter Thing: Impact and operations
07:28 Challenges and solutions in food redistribution
09:06 The role of community and volunteers
25:38 Mark Game's personal journey
32:03 Building management teams
35:16 Opening new hubs
42:53 Community and confidence
53:08 Sustainability and growth
59:28 Future goals and reflections
Check out The Bread and Butter Thing’s website:
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 18 Aug 2025 - 59min - 44 - 40. Microsoft’s 6 principles for developing the best AI strategy | Jed Griffiths
AI isn’t the future, it’s already reshaping the way we work, build, and compete. If you’re starting or looking to scale a business right now, understanding how to actually use AI, not just talk about it, could be your biggest edge.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Microsoft UK’s Chief Digital Officer Jed Griffiths shares what he’s seeing at the front lines of AI adoption. From how enterprises are deploying tools like Copilot to what’s coming next in automation and strategy, Jed offers a rare inside look at how the most powerful companies are thinking about the future of work.
We break down what AI is really doing under the hood, and why it's more than just a productivity booster. Think smarter decisions, faster execution, new revenue models, and a whole new way to lead teams and run businesses.
If you’re building something and want to stay ahead of the curve, or just want to stop feeling behind, this episode gives you a clear, honest view of where AI is going and how to get there first.
01:37 Introduction
03:20 Developing A Company AI Strategy
07:54 What is Microsoft Co-Pilot?
09:08 Productivity - Businesses Don't Use The Term Right
12:09 2025 The Year of More AI Start Ups
14:17 The Valley of Death
18:26 Mentoring Startups
20:59 Before Microsoft - High Tech Weapons
27:37 The Four C's
38:24 Will AI Humanize Work?
41:07 Will AI Change Recruitment? What Happens to Reed?
49:41 Microsoft's Six AI Principles
01:03:39 What Gets Jed Up On Monday Mornings?
01:04:45 Where Jed Will Be In Five Years
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 11 Aug 2025 - 1h 05min - 43 - 39. Smarter, fairer, faster: How AI is redefining graduate hiring | James Uffindell
Most graduates leave university with a degree but little direction, but how do you figure out what to do with your life, and how do you actually get your foot in the door?
In this week’s episode of All About Business, the founder of Bright Network James Uffindell shares the full journey. From his first venture helping students access top universities, to scaling Bright Network into one of the UK's leading platforms for connecting talent with opportunity.
From a working-class upbringing in Warwickshire to founding Bright Network, a tech-driven platform used by over a million students, James has spent his career solving the problems he once faced himself.
James talks about the crisis that led to their biggest innovation, how they scaled an internship program to 150,000 students, AI, data, understanding Gen Z behavior, and what employers really want when they say they’re looking for passion and resilience.
If you’re building a startup, thinking about purpose, or wondering how to turn experience into impact, this episode is for you. James’s story is proof that you don’t have to come from the right family or know the right people, but you do need to listen, adapt, and keep showing up.
02:51 James Uffindell's background and inspiration
04:10 Building Bright Network
08:04 The importance of internships
11:52 Personalisation and data utilization
24:05 Impact of AI on job market
36:55 The importance of office environments for young professionals
39:31 The Bright Network platform and its benefits
41:23 AI in recruitment and business growth
51:03 Diversity and inclusion in the job market
59:38 Future plans and expansion
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 04 Aug 2025 - 1h 02min - 42 - 38. The chemistry of growth: turning a mould problem into a thriving business | Byron Dixon OBE
Five years. Zero sales. No paycheck. Most people would’ve given up. Byron Dixon didn’t. Instead, he turned his chemistry knowledge and desire for change into Micro-Fresh. A breakthrough technology now used globally to fight mold, bacteria, and bad smells in everything from school shoes to hospital bedding.
In this episode of All About Business, we meet Byron Dixon, scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Micro-Fresh. He shares how he went from a council estate in Leicester to living in Denmark and learning from the Scandinavian way of life, to building a global brand that’s protecting lives, championing sustainability, and changing how retailers think about product longevity.
Byron reveals the untold truth about bootstrapping a science business, the resilience it takes to go years without revenue, and how one unexpected call changed everything. He also shares how Micro-Fresh is tackling mold in homes, and why “Home-Fresh” might be his most important innovation yet.
If you’ve ever doubted yourself, struggled to stay motivated, or wondered if your idea could really make a difference, this episode is for you.
03:16 Why Did Byron Start MicroFresh?
07:27 MicroFresh's Sustainability, Waste Reduction
10:40 Designing A Non-Hazardous Environmentally Friendly Product
18:46 Starting Without Advantages
20:09 Open University
25:18 Determination & No Fear of Failure
26:25 The First Breakthrough
28:40 Domino Effect - Competition Doesn't Want To Be Left Out
31:00 Big Growth & Market Validation
36:51 How Does A CEO Prioritize and Achieve Goals?
39:59 Moving to the USA?
47:03 Why Young People Feel They Can't Do This
49:24 Switching Off The Phone
51:00 Boredom as a source of creativity
52:42 Putting the Phone and Social Media Away
54:54 Top 3 Things We Should Import From Scandinavia
59:41 Interview Round
Check out Microfresh’s website
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 28 Jul 2025 - 1h 01min - 41 - 37. Hitting rock bottom to building a global brand from scratch | Matthew Jones
He pushed himself to the limit and lost everything. But that didn’t stop him from coming back stronger than ever and building a global brand from scratch.
On this episode of All About Business we meet Matthew Jones, founder of Bread Ahead, who teaches us why the road to success isn’t always smooth. For him it was full of late nights, hard lessons, and a brutal turning point that forced him to rebuild his business and his life from the ground up.
When Matthew started making doughnuts at Borough Market, he never expected they’d become a worldwide sensation. The founder of Bread Ahead gives us valuable business insight and shares how he uses Instagram and raw storytelling to grow a devoted following.
Bread Ahead is more than a bakery, it's a brand built on resilience, realness, and obsessive attention to flavour.
If you’ve ever felt like giving up, or dreamed of starting over. This episode is proof that rock bottom can be the start of something extraordinary.
01:59 The rise of Bread Ahead
04:21 Innovative flavours and business strategy
08:28 Matthew's Culinary Journey
19:34 Challenges and recovery
25:44 Rebuilding and expanding
35:44 The power of social media
39:19 Global expansion and future plans
43:00 Resilience and learning from failure
51:47 The Bread Ahead Academy
55:57 The impact of weight loss trends on business
57:41 Daily routine and work-life balance
Links
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 21 Jul 2025 - 1h 04min - 40 - 36. How to get users on your app from day one | Michelle Kennedy
Nearly 10,000 apps are uploaded to the app store every week, and most of them are ignored. So how do you launch one that becomes a movement?
In this episode of All About Business, we’re joined by Michelle Kennedy, founder and CEO of Peanut; the social networking app that has transformed how women connect and help each other through every stage of motherhood.
What does it take to walk away from a top executive role and start from scratch? From pitching with nothing but a deck, to raising over $23 million, to building one of the most trusted platforms for women online, listen to Michelle's story and find out.
We dive into her strategy for building a matchmaking app that attracts millions of users, how to validate your idea before you build it, and the biggest lessons she’s learned as a female founder.
Michelle also opens up about the hardest parts of fundraising, how she built traction without a product, and why not every business should take venture capital.
01:42 Introduction - Michelle Kennedy
01:54 Peanut - Social Media App
09:09 Raising Money
11:34 Advice on Deck, Pitch, Value Proposition
15:56 Not Every Business Needs the Venture Capital Path
20:04 I Wouldn't Have Done It If I Knew ...
24:25 Achieving Critical Mass - The Network Effect
27:40 Start Without Building The App
33:34 Peanut Start Her Fund for Women
36:48 Advice to Family Women on Starting a Business
46:59 Curiosity Spawns New Ideas
50:10 Why A Book In The Digital Age?
54:57 Reed Interview Round - What Gets You Up Monday Morning?
56:39 Where Michelle Sees Herself in Five Years
Links
Download Peanut app from Google Play:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 14 Jul 2025 - 57min - 39 - 35. Cargo without borders: How airships are about to connect the unreachable | Mark Dorey
Did you know that nearly half the planet still isn’t connected? In many places, getting essential supplies like medicine and food is not only costly, it’s nearly impossible. But what if we were standing on the edge of a breakthrough that could change all of that?
On this episode of All About Business, we're joined by Mark Dorey, co-founder and CEO of Straightline Aviation. A pioneering company building hybrid airships designed to deliver cargo to the most remote corners of the world.
No roads, no airports - no problems. It’s a bold mission with the power to reshape global logistics and unlock new possibilities for connection, commerce, and care.
Mark shares how he turned an ambitious idea into a real business, what to look for in the right business partner, and some of the great lessons he learned when working alongside Richard Branson.
01:42 Introduction
04:04 How Does an Airship Work?
06:55 Why the Early Popularity of Airships?
12:04 The Customer Benefits of Airships
19:06 Mark's Early Career
24:15 Changing Business Models
29:51 Future Scale
32:07 Learning from Richard Branson
34:35 Delegation and Accountability
44:49 Pros and Cons of Business Partners
47:17 Negotiating and Establishing Business Relationships
51:10 Business Opportunity Check List
52:43 Establishing Shared Vision and Trust
Links
Check out Straightline Aviation’s website:
Follow StraightlineAviation on LinkedIn:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 07 Jul 2025 - 57min - 38 - 34. The importance of being idle: A serious case for doing less | Tom Hodgkinson
We've long been taught that hard work is beneficial for both body and mind, but is that truly the case? Could there be inherent value in slowing down, embracing rest, and allowing ourselves the space to simply be idle?
Today on 'All About Business', we meet Tom Hodgkinson, founder and editor-in-chief of The Idler Magazine, a publication that teaches its readers the value of slowing down.
In this episode, we learn about the philosophy of idling, challenge traditional beliefs that hard work is inherently good, and explore the idea that true fulfilment, in both life and business, can be found in activities that restore the soul, body, and mind.
Tom Hodgkinson founded The Idler Magazine in 1993 together with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. Tom has worked over 20 years in editing and advertising, while also writing several books on the philosophy of idling and its benefits.
00:35 The Puritan work ethic
08:03 Tom Hodgkinson's journey
12:03 Starting the Idler magazine
14:41 The Idler Academy
25:10 Modern work ethic and AI predictions
33:30 The bookshop dilemma
38:26 Challenges of running a business
47:20 The digital pivot
50:43 Idler Retreats and experiences
52:47 The philosophy of idling
Links
Buy Business for Bohemians, by Tom Hodgkinson
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 30 Jun 2025 - 57min - 37 - 33. Surfers Against Sewage: Are we sitting on a public health time bomb? | Giles Bristow
The UK is ranked last in Europe for bathing water quality. With a small team and limited resources, how have a ‘bunch of surfers from Cornwall’ got parliament to listen and launch a commission on England’s chemical cocktail of stinking sewage?
Today’s guest on All About Business is Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, a water reform charity that’s been around for over three decades.
In this episode, we discuss the dangers of not taking sustainability seriously, how to get the government to sit up and listen, and why community lies at the heart of every charitable brand.
Giles Bristow is the CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, a marine conservation charity. Founded in 1990 by a group of surfers in Cornwall, SAS is a powerful environmental movement that addresses a range of ocean-related issues. Giles joined SAS in 2023 and has over 20 years of experience in environmental advocacy.
01:31 Introduction
02:22 What are the problems with the UK's oceans?
08:32 Recent environmental changes
10:41 Why can't water companies solve this?
13:38 Time for systemic change
16:45 Voters Against Floaters
31:31 Giles' advice for effective campaigning
36:42 Circular economies
38:53 Plastic - it's everywhere
40:40 How to lobby - transparency and connections
45:52 Just Stop Oil – Are they effective?
50:22 Helping businesses become more sustainable
53:55 Community and brand
59:19 Interview round
Links
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes. This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 23 Jun 2025 - 1h 01min - 36 - 32. What a venture capitalist is REALLY looking for when deciding to invest in your business | Sasha Kaletsky
What should you do if you have a brilliant business idea but don’t have the funds to bring it to life?
In today’s episode of All About Business, I'm joined by venture capitalist Sasha Kaletsky. Sasha is the co-founder of investment firm Creator Ventures which he started with his cousin Caspar Lee. They have injected millions of dollars into digital tech companies in six short years.
In this episode, we explore how to craft the perfect pitch, how social media is shaping our economy, and how you can use simple AI tools to scale your business quickly.
Sasha Kaletsky is the co-founder and Managing Partner at Creator Ventures, a firm that invests in technologies shaping the digital landscape.
Before founding Creator Ventures, Sasha gained extensive experience in private equity, technology, and consulting. He started at Bridgepoint in private equity, contributed to the launch and expansion of Uber, and worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.
Timestamps
01:58 Introduction
02:31 Creator Ventures
17:37 Setting up in the United States
18:48 CEOs becoming creators
20:35 Building companies with AI
25:51 The future social landscape
29:28 Uber
31:12 The network effect
34:04 The secret behind a 5-Star passenger rating
35:09 What makes a good pitch
39:18 How Sasha determines future markets
41:12 Presenting to VCs
42:39 Due diligence
43:20 How to pitch to Sasha
43:53 Working with family
47:06 When due diligence fails
49:15 How companies can make better use of AI
54:53 Interview round
Links
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk.
Mon, 16 Jun 2025 - 56min - 35 - 31. MIND GYM: The work-out that will enhance your brain for ultimate productivity | Octavius Black CBE
How can you use psychology to quickly go from struggling employee to productivity machine?
Today’s guest on All About Business is Octavius Black CBE, the co-founder of MindGym, a corporate learning company that merges behavioural science with leadership development to turn struggling teams into powerhouses of productivity.
In this episode, we discuss the psychology behind high performance, why most leadership programmes are a waste of time, and the psychometric test that can predict your team’s future.
Octavius Black CBE is the founder and executive chair of MindGym, a company that delivers corporate learning and development programmes through 90-minute training sessions known as workouts.
Octavius has also co-authored several books that provide actionable insights and techniques to improve mental fitness and overall wellbeing.
In recognition of his contributions to business, Octavius was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2023.
Timestamps
00:41 The origin story of MindGym
03:50 The 90-minute learning revolution
07:11 Coaching and performance improvement
13:24 The importance of belonging and inclusion
19:43 HR challenges and innovations
27:42 Addressing workplace stress and wellbeing
30:15 Five conditions for thriving at work
35:39 The role of feedback in the workplace
41:54 The importance of emotional self-regulation
49:06 The future of AI in talent development
Links
Follow Octavius Black on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at:
https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 09 Jun 2025 - 49min - 34 - 30. How the Princess of Wales’ favourite designer would build a jewellery brand in 2025 | Kiki McDonough
How would a Jeweller who has become a favourite amongst the royal family start from scratch in 2025?
In this episode of All About Business, James interviews Kiki McDonagh, a fifth-generation jeweler renowned for her work with high-profile clients including Princess Diana and the current Princess of Wales. They discuss how she transformed the perception of fine jewellery, making it more accessible and encouraging women to buy for themselves. She shares insights into her design inspiration, the evolution of her brand, and the importance of business strategies such as starting small, maintaining strict financial oversight, and building customer trust.
Celebrating 40 years in the industry, Kiki outlines her future plans, including expansion into the American market.
Timestamps
03:26 Designing with passion and innovation
05:21 Building a brand and customer relationships
14:32 Navigating the luxury market
20:26 The impact of social media and online sales
26:36 Advice for aspiring jewellers
31:53 Building trust and brand identity
38:37 Challenges and opportunities in the jewellery industry
49:18 Expanding into the American market
53:03 Looking forward: Future plans and reflections
Links:
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed Global
Visit Kiki McDonagh here
Visit Kiki McDonagh on Instagram
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Mon, 02 Jun 2025 - 51min - 33 - 29. From nail art in Dalston to global beauty-tech icon | Sharmadean Reid MBE
How do you build a brand that not only speaks to a whole generation of women, but also transforms an entire industry?
In this episode of All About Business, I sit down with Sharmadean Reid MBE, the trailblazing entrepreneur behind brands such as WAH Nails, Beautystack and The Stack World.
We discuss her experiences navigating the fashion and tech industries, how the pandemic changed her outlook on business, and the inspiration behind her new luxury beauty brand, 39 BC.
Sharmadean Reid MBE is an entrepreneur, creative consultant and advocate for women’s empowerment. Her work focuses on women’s power, equity and ownership.
Sharmadean launched WAH Nails in 2009 as a place for women to hang out, form friendships and build communities while getting creative nail designs. She also founded beauty booking system, Beautystack in 2017, as well as The Stack World in 2021.
In recognition of her contributions, Sharmadean received an MBE in 2015 from Queen Elizabeth II. She published her first book, New Methods for Women in 2024, and is currently working on her second book, along with a scripted TV show about female founders.
Timestamps
01:30 The birth of WAH Nails
05:54 From nail salon to global brand
10:09 The transition to tech and venture capital
12:08 Building Beautystack
20:10 Challenges and reflections during the pandemic
26:06 The pivot to The Stack World
30:38 Corporate anarchy and women's independence
36:31 Introducing 39 BC
49:25 Future projects and vision
Links
Subscribe to Shamadean Reid’s newsletter
Follow Sharmadean Reid on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at:
https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 26 May 2025 - 1h 05min - 32 - 28. Adapt or die: How can businesses improve efficiency? | Livio Manzini
In December 2020, the UK signed its first post-Brexit trade deal with Turkey, safeguarding a £18.6bn relationship. But how did Turkey become so important for UK business?
In this episode of All About Business, I’m joined by Livio Manzini, Chairman and CEO of Bell Holding, a packaging and services company based in Turkey. We explore Turkey’s secret to efficient manufacturing, why trade wars are bad for everyone, and why ditching the Gregorian calendar might be good for business.
Livio Manzini has been the Chairman and CEO of Bell Holding since 1993. Bell Holding owns packaging and services companies, which includes Reed Recruitment Turkey. Livio is also an Honorary Chair of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Turkey, where he fosters economic relations between countries by promoting bilateral trade, supporting SMEs, and promoting sustainability initiatives.
Timestamps
01:43 Who is Livio Manzini?
08:15 The Gregorian calendar
15:35 Bell Holding, Turkey
21:15 Where the trade war is heading
25:13 Why the US and Europe have failed to compete in manufacturing
27:13 The four-day vs five-day work week
29:26 Livio on tariffs
30:38 Advice for businesses in a fractured world
36:30 Where to find opportunities
38:04 Generational businesses and succession planning
42:41 Advice on starting a dream business
43:43 The relationship between service businesses and manufacturing businesses
46:45 Climate change
Links
Follow Livio Manzini on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes.
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 19 May 2025 - 53min - 31 - 27. Lewis Hamilton’s brand expert reveals the key to building a winning reputation | David Robertson Mitchell
Consistent branding has the power to increase your revenue by up to 20%. But with massive rebrands making headlines for all the wrong reasons, how can you refresh your image without alienating your audience?
In this episode of 'All About Business,' I sit down with David Robertson Mitchell, who spent almost a decade working as a brand consultant for Mercedes’ Formula One team.
We discuss how he helped build Lewis Hamilton’s influential brand with the Mercedes’ Formula One team, the secret to getting your finance director on board with your marketing plans and why Jaguar’s recent rebrand might not be as terrible as you think.
David Robertson Mitchell aka The Brand Rover, is the Founder and Managing Director of dna-rB, a brand consultancy that works with individuals, businesses and sport teams to define brands, support the implementation of brand strategy and help manage reputations. dna-rB specialises in personal and corporate branding, ensuring alignment between a company’s brand and the personal brand of its CEO.
Timestamps
02:43 Branding Mercedes’ Formula One team
07:14 Lewis Hamilton's personal brand evolution
14:12 Branding success stories in sports
17:11 Rebranding challenges and strategies
30:31 The importance of messaging
34:25 Consistency in branding and marketing
39:40 Personal branding strategies
42:42 The CEO brand
52:14 Reputation management
Links
Check out David Mitchell's website
Follow David Mitchell on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk.
Mon, 12 May 2025 - 54min - 30 - 26. "Net Zero is a Fantasy!" 5 ways to save the economy according to former Gails Chairman | Luke Johnson
With new economic policies forcing UK businesses to tighten their purse strings, how can we keep the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit alive, while also getting the economy back on track?
In this episode of All About Business, I’m joined by Luke Johnson, the serial entrepreneur who spotted some of the UK’s most popular food brands, including Pizza Express, The Ivy and Gail’s Bakery.
We discuss how to spot a winning investment, what the UK should be doing to promote entrepreneurship, and Luke’s five tips for reviving the economy.
Luke Johnson is an entrepreneur known for expanding the Pizza Express brand. He also founded Signature Restaurants, which owned notable restaurants including, The Ivy, and Le Caprice. Luke is currently Chairman of Risk Capital Partners, a private equity firm. From 2015-2021 he wrote a regular column for The Sunday Times where he shared his business expertise.
Timestamps
02:11 Who is Luke Johnson?
06:36 The traits entrepreneurs need to have
07:23 Pizza Express beginnings
11:36 Being a projector
13:40 The British business climate
23:19 Risk Capital Partners
26:03 Gail's Bakery
27:33 Luke's business formula
31:56 How we can encourage entrepreneurship in the UK
36:09 Luke's book and weekly column For entrepreneurs
40:56 Television and the arts
46:04 Future projects with Risk Capital Partners
49:05 Reed Interview Round
Links
Check out Risk Capital Partners
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 05 May 2025 - 48min - 29 - 25. Human-like AI is rewiring our kids' brains! Educating the future generation | Philip Colligan
With 77% of 13-18 year olds using artificial intelligence in some way, how can we make sure young people are using AI effectively while also protecting them from its potential dangers?
In this episode of All About Business, I sit down with Philip Colligan, the CEO of Raspberry Pi Foundation, which provides free AI education to children across the globe. We discuss why AI is becoming more and more human-like, how to build a global network and why asking AI to help with homework might not be such a bad thing.
Philip Colligan is the CEO of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity that promotes computing education for young people. The Foundation aims to help young people realise their full potential through the power of digital education.
Timestamps
02:05 Raspberry Pi going from charity to billion-pound business
07:07 The IPO journey and listing Raspberry Pi
15:39 AI literacy and preparing the next generation
27:44 The role of AI in education
31:07 Inspiring young minds
36:45 Global expansion and partnerships
39:06 Challenges and strategies for global outreach
Links
Visit Raspberry Pi foundation’s website
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 28 Apr 2025 - 47min - 28 - 24. Responding to a crisis: The force behind getting life-saving vaccines to the public | Dame Kate Bingham
The UK’s life science sector is booming, generating over £100 billion in turnover in 2022. And with more and more companies entering the space, how do you marry business and science to create a drug that not only makes money but saves lives.
In this episode of All About Business, I sit down with Dame Kate Bingham, Managing Partner at SV Health Investors, specialising in biotechnology investments. Kate has over 30 years of experience in healthcare investment and led the UK's vaccine task force during COVID-19.
She shares the ins and outs of health care investment, the challenges that came with leading the UK’s vaccine taskforce, and what she did when the press questioned her credentials.
Dame Kate Bingham is a venture capitalist and biotech investor. She is best known for her role as the chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she led efforts to procure and distribute vaccines.
Katie is currently a managing partner at SV Health Investors, specialising in biotechnology investments.
Kate was awarded a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2021.
Timestamps
02:22 Kate Bingham's career journey
05:42 Precision medicine and disease modification
12:01 The future of healthcare and AI
14:18 Dementia discovery funds and new drugs
20:32 The challenges and rewards of venture capital
24:29 The Importance of constructive relationships in venture capital
30:37 Challenges and successes of the vaccine task force
40:32 Navigating political and public scrutiny
49:59 Women in science and leadership
Links
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 21 Apr 2025 - 54min - 27 - 23. From shop floor to CEO of Kurt Geiger: How to climb to the top in fashion | Neil Clifford
How do you go from cleaning toilets to running a multi-million pound company?
In this episode of All about business, I sit down with Neil Clifford, the CEO of luxury footwear brand Kurt Geiger. Neil left school with just one O-Level, and rose to become a top player in the retail industry.
We discuss the lessons Neil learned from his early retail jobs, why CEOs shouldn’t work from home, and how he helped turn Kurt Geiger into a multimillion pound international business.
Neil Clifford started his career at Kurt Geiger as a store manager and worked his way up to becoming CEO over the course of 20 years. He has been instrumental in expanding the business internationally and launching its online presence. The brand has grown to operate in 28 countries with 57 standalone retail locations.
Neil is also dedicated to giving back to the community, having set up The Kurt Geiger Kindness Foundation which aims to raise £1 million every year to support young creatives. The Foundation has also created Business By Design, an academy for 18-20 year olds to upskill and prepare them for careers in fashion.
Timestamps
03:12 First jobs and rising through the retail ranks
13:17 Career breakthroughs
22:12 Private equity and global expansion
37:36 Strategies for business growth
40:05 Personal reflections
50:24 Philanthropy and social responsibility
Links
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Mon, 14 Apr 2025 - 1h 11min - 26 - 22. 82% of management are 'accidental managers'. Here's how to fix it | Ann Francke OBE
A recent YouGov survey found that 82% of managers are ‘accidental'. So, what is an accidental manager? Why are there so many of them, and just how much is it affecting results within your business?
In this episode of All About Business, I sit down with Ann Francke OBE, the CEO of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) which provides training, qualifications and resources for managers.
She reveals her tips for dealing with toxic bosses, how line managers impact employee wellbeing, and the key skills every manager needs to be successful.
About Ann
Ann is CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, an organisation that creates confident leaders through leadership development training, qualifications, and research. She started her career at Procter & Gamble and has held senior executive positions at Mars, Boots, Yell and BSI.
She is an expert on gender dynamics in the workplace and has written a book about how to create a gender-balanced workplace.
Ann also wrote the Financial Times Guide to Management and was named as one of the Top 100 Women to Watch in the 2015 Female FTSE Cranfield report. In 2020, she was awarded an OBE for her services to workplace equality.
Timestamps
02:38 The importance of professional management training
06:56 Key skills for new managers
16:49 The impact of conscious leadership
21:37 Dealing with bad management
31:28 Addressing conflict and toxic behaviour
37:28 The role of line management in organisational success
39:19 Sponsorship vs mentorship
44:56 Examples of effective leadership
48:24 Gender balance and inclusivity in the workplace
51:39 The say-do gap in inclusivity
54:13 The importance of professionalising management
Links
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 07 Apr 2025 - 56min - 25 - 21. Fix your ops issues and save thousands every year by looking at THIS data | Anita Dougall
How can you use data to increase revenue, improve customer relationships, and make better business decisions?
In today’s episode of All About Business, I speak with Anita Dougall, the co-founder and CEO of data consultancy firm, Sagacity.
Anita started the business in 2005, and since then has helped companies like AA, British Gas, and Moonpig spin their data into business gold.
She reveals how to use data to optimise customer engagement, drive revenue, and resolve the billing issues that could be costing you millions.
About Anita
Anita is the CEO and founding partner of Sagacity, a leading consultancy that specialises in providing data-driven insights to help businesses maximise their returns.
Before co-founding Sagacity in 2005, Anita worked in investment banking. Her experience in financial and commercial roles that relied heavily on technology, led to her becoming an independent consultant, eventually co-founding Sagacity.
In 2025, Anita was recognised on the E2E Female 100 track list, which celebrates the UK’s fastest growing female-led or founded businesses.
Timestamps
00:31 Understanding data
04:55 Improving customer engagement
06:28 Billing and debt collection
20:03 Anita's career journey
30:13 Business growth
37:30 Choosing the right investor
42:46 Recruitment and company culture
45:58 Data usage and permissions
Links
Read about Anita’s recognition on the E2E Female 100 track list
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 31 Mar 2025 - 48min - 24 - 20. LADbible Founder: The contract I signed that put me in hospital | Alex Partridge
How do you turn an idea you had at uni into a multimillion-pound enterprise?
UNILAD and LADbible founder, Alex Partridge, started both companies while he was studying at university, and was a millionaire by the time he was 25.
In this episode of All About Business, we discuss the power of social media, the podcast that led to his ADHD diagnosis, and the harrowing court case that almost cost him everything.
About Alex
Alex Partridge is the founder of UNILAD and LADbible, two of the UK's most popular news and entertainment platforms. He has been open about his struggles with ADHD, and has written a book that explores how the diagnosis has impacted his life and career.
Alex also hosts the podcast, ADHD Chatter, where he discusses ADHD with leading experts, celebrities and psychiatrists.
Timestamps
00:43 Alex's early entrepreneurial ventures
03:58 Late-night pizza deliveries
06:19 The birth of UNILAD
09:12 Going viral and building a team
18:08 Challenges and legal battles
22:37 Facing the courtroom: A flashback to childhood anxiety
30:33 Alex’s ADHD diagnosis
40:08 Starting a new career
42:29 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Links:
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 24 Mar 2025 - 45min - 23 - 19. GOOD SQUISH: Harnessing the power of an instagram personality to generate thousands of sales | Billie-Jo Cronin
In a world where consumers are obsessed with Temu and SHEIN, how can you attract customers to your high-end brand while staving off competition from cheaper alternatives?
In this episode of All About Business, I speak with Billie-Jo Cronin, the founder of luxury accessories brand, Good Squish.
Billie-Jo and her brother, Phoenix, bootstrapped the company, selling 1,900 units in under a year, while also gaining celebrity endorsements.
We discuss how they grew the company organically through Instagram, why community is central to their brand, and why local production and quality control go hand in hand.
About Good Squish
Good Squish is an independent brand that specialises in hand-stitched accessories made from dead stock fabrics, which helps to reduce waste by repurposing materials that would otherwise go unused. Their products, which include scrunchies, hair pins, keychains and tote bags, feature whimsical and creative designs.
Timestamps
01:26: The Concept of Dead Stock
02:22: The Organic Growth Journey
08:31: Maintaining Quality and Customer Satisfaction
14:56: Expanding Internationally
19:35: Working with Family
23:31 Decision-Making and Idea Curation
24:36: Challenges and Benefits of Collaborations
32:40: Celebrity Endorsements and Organic Growth
36:49 Future Plans
Links
Check out the Good Squish website
Follow Good Squish on Instagram
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 17 Mar 2025 - 40min - 22 - 18. What The UK needs to learn from Silicon Valley about AI | The Hollingsworth Brothers
Concern around AI is higher than ever. But could 2025 be ‘make or break’ for businesses who have yet to embrace it?
In this episode of 'All About Business' I talk with sibling duo, Richard and Archie Hollingsworth, founders of Fixer AI.
They discuss their journey from bootstrapping a $5 million agency to spearheading an innovative AI personal assistant tool which they say can give you an hour back every day. They share insights from their transformative stint in Silicon Valley, reflect on the impactful role of AI in modern businesses, and highlight why 2025 is a pivotal year for AI adoption.
Timestamps
04:24 Building Fixer AI
07:00 Success and Growth of Fixer AI
21:05 The Accelerator Experience
30:04 Moving to San Francisco: A Family Decision
31:02 Cultural Diversity in the Accelerator Program
32:13 Lessons from the American Business Culture
33:14 The Power of Being Direct
36:27 Adapting to the American Market
38:05 Building a Strong Team
41:34 Brothers in Business: Trust and Dynamics
44:46 Hiring and Scaling Up
54:09 Future Goals and Reflections
Links
Follow Archie on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/archie-hollingsworth-a07168152/
Follow Archie on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-hollingsworth-444b8589/
Visit Fyxer.AI:https://www.fyxer.com
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chairmanjames/
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media.
Mon, 10 Mar 2025 - 1h 03min - 21 - 17. The world's #1 mental health clinic for the rich and famous: Spotting the signs before it's too late | Jan Gerber
Entrepreneurs often possess traits that drive their success in business. But what if these same traits were also the root cause of deteriorating mental health, and, if left unaddressed, could ultimately lead to the collapse of their entire business?
In this episode of All About Business, I sit down with Jan Gerber, CEO of Paracelsus Recovery, the world’s no.1 exclusive mental health clinic for the rich and famous.
He reveals the traits both entrepreneurs and criminals share, how to foster well-being in the workplace and why mandatory mental health checks might just save your business.
Paracelsus Recovery takes a unique, tailored approach to treating its patients and has extensive experience at treating CEOs, UHNW individuals and those with a public profile.
Timestamps:
03:25 Recognizing Burnout and Mental Health Issues
08:17 The Role of Addiction and Self-Medication
12:46 Entrepreneurial Traits and Their Dark Side
19:48 The Concept of Reparenting
23:27 Balancing Physical Health and Business
28:02 The Importance of Confidentiality in Mental Health
34:09 Understanding the Impact of Information Diet
39:58 Building Trust in Mental Health Services
48:12 The Role of Psychedelics in Mental Health Treatment
53:34 Mental Health Strategies for Business Leaders
01:01:36 Promoting Mental Fitness and Resilience
Links:
Follow Jan Gerber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerberjan/
Visit Jan Gerber’s website: https://jangerber.com/
Learn more about Paracelsus Recovery: https://www.paracelsus-recovery.com/en
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chairmanjames/
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visitFlamingo Media
Mon, 03 Mar 2025 - 1h 04min - 20 - 16. A British business legend at 91 | Sir Alec Reed
Businessman, philanthropist, a maverick at turning strange ideas into success.
In this very special episode, and in celebration of his 91st birthday, I sit down with my father, Sir Alec Reed.
Sir Alec founded Reed in 1960 from a carpet shop in Hounslow with just £75 in his pocket. Since then, he’s founded several charities, launched a business school and in 2011, was knighted for his services to business and charity.
Born in Hounslow in 1934, Sir Alec Reed left school at 16 and ten years later founded Reed Recruitment, which has grown into the UK’s largest family-owned recruitment company. Today, he shares his insights from over seven decades in business, the lessons he’s learnt along the way and why ideas are the real currency of business.
Awarded the Beacon Prize in 2010 and knighted in 2011, Sir Alec’s flagship charity initiative, Big Give, has raised over £346 million for a variety of causes, including Womankind and Ethopiaid, both of which he also started.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
02:03 Sir Alec Reed
03:27 Starting Out in Life - Accountant
04:13 Joining Gillette - An Idea Company
04:44 Early Business Ideas - Toy Soldiers
05:43 The Reed Brothers - Printing Business
06:26 Taking The Wrong Course
07:44 A Tremendous Urge to be Self Employed
10:31 Starting An Employment Agency
13:31 Working On Your Own - Undiluted Ideas
16:48 Learning to Raise Alternative Funding
18:45 A Family Business - One Route to Consider - Risks and Benefits
23:43 The End Game - Exits - Inheritance and Selling
25:16 Philanthropy - Foundations and Charities
27:35 Cancer - Selling a Business and Financing a Charity
32:14 A New Approach to Charity - A Social Innovation
34:48 The Big Give
38:36 Looking at Failure as a Road Sign to Change Direction
41:39 Ideas! An Idea a Day as an Exercise
47:51 Wrap Up and Thank You
Links:
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chairmanjames/
Find out more about Big Give:https://donate.biggive.org/
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Mon, 24 Feb 2025 - 43min - 19 - 15. Making big decisions whilst sticking to your values | Steph Rix
How can you turn everyday employees into strong leaders who are proud to work for your business?
In this episode of All About Business, I sit down with executive coach and 'Life’s Work' founder, Steph Rix. She explains how you can beat imposter syndrome for good, the difference between leadership and management and how you can use your personal values to become a better leader.
Steph is the Founder and Managing Director of Life’s Work where she provides team, career and Leadership coaching for businesses and individuals.
She has a Masters in Career Development and has been an executive coach for almost ten years.
00:58 Defining Leadership: Self-Awareness and Values
08:08 The Role of Values in Leadership
12:27 Dealing with Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome
17:37 Overcoming Overthinking and Taking Action
23:31 The Importance of Transparency in Organizational Change
28:39 Navigating Difficult Conversations
35:03 Supporting Employee Development on a Budget
40:46 Identifying and Nurturing Potential in Employees
45:20 Final Thoughts and Reflections
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 17 Feb 2025 - 45min - 18 - 14. Is your workforce frazzled? The science of mindfulness and increasing productivity | Ruby Wax OBE
With over a quarter of UK workers experiencing negative wellbeing because of work, how can you improve your own mental wellbeing, and stop being frazzled for good?
In this episode of 'All About Business,' I sit down with comedian, writer and mental health advocate Ruby Wax OBE.
We discuss how mindfulness can transform your mental health, how businesses can support struggling colleagues and the time Trump left her stranded in Arkansas.
Ruby Wax OBE is an actress, comedian, writer, television personality, and mental health campaigner. In 2017, Ruby founded the Frazzled Cafe, a community based on the power of emotional openness that provides space where anyone can come and be listened to without judgment. Ruby has also released a range of best-selling books, including I’m Not As Well as I Thought I Was in May 2023. Ruby also offers leadership and management training, using workshops and practical exercises to enable business leaders to create trust and rapport and more skilled communication with clients and colleagues.
02:59 The Ruby Wax Brand
06:14 Mindfulness and Personal Growth
15:31 Frazzled Culture and Authenticity
28:24 Connecting with People in Business
31:19 Rickman's Wisdom: Let People Come to You
33:53 Managing Stress and Mental Fitness in the Workplace
35:40 The Importance of Authenticity and Self-Management
39:05 The Power of Community and Connection
43:41 A Hilarious Encounter with Trump
Follow James Reed onLinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to get your brand heard, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 10 Feb 2025 - 57min - 17 - 13. Taking on a family zoo business and making a success of it | Reggie Heyworth
How do you keep wildlife business running in the face of social, political and cultural change?
In this episode of All About Business, I speak to Reggie Heyworth, the owner of one of the UK’s biggest wildlife parks. Cotswold Wildlife Park, which was started by his father all the way back in 1969. We discuss how he took over the business from his father, how they kept the animals alive during the pandemic as well as his thoughts on the ‘anti-zoo brigade.’
Reggie grew up in the Cotswold Wildlife Park, a business his father started in 1969, and which has grown into one of the UK’s largest wildlife parks. For several years, he worked as a conservationist on the African continent. In 2012, he returned to the UK to take over the running of the park. He created the park’s famous gardens, and also runs a number of initiatives, including Keeper for the Day, where you can learn about the animals and how they are looked after.
01:13 The Origins of the Wildlife Park
04:03 Early Challenges and Successes
10:29 Modern Zoo Practices and Conservation
21:07 Reggie's Return and Leadership
22:16 Impact of COVID-19 on the Wildlife Park
27:17 Navigating the Reopening Challenges
28:29 Reassessing Business Strategies
32:15 Difficult Decisions During the Pandemic
35:51 Leadership and Team Building Insights
37:44 The Importance of Loving Animals
41:19 Future of Wildlife Conservation
43:23 Creating a Beautiful Environment
47:01 Looking Ahead: Five Years from Now
48:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Visit Cotswold Wildlife Park
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 03 Feb 2025 - 54min - 16 - 12. How to deliver social impact to drive more profit | Isabel Kelly
With new sustainability laws coming into play, how can you make sure your organisation is ESG-ready, without sacrificing your bottom line?
In this episode of All About Business, I’m joined by Profit with Purpose founder Isabel Kelly, where we discuss all things ESG. We explore how you can meet your social and environmental goals while still remaining profitable, and how you can develop an authentic strategy that goes hand in hand with your brand
Isabel is the Founder of Profit with Purpose, a consultancy firm that works with companies to create and embed social impact strategies into businesses and brands. Isabel is a non-executive director at TPXimpact, an AIM-listed tech company where she Chairs the ESG Committee. She is also a member of the board at The Big Give and is a social impact careers advisor for MBA students at the Said Business School, Oxford University.
Timestamps
00:57 Introducing Isabel Kelly and Profit With Purpose
02:12 The Origin Story of Profit With Purpose
03:03 Integrating Social Impact in Business
06:42 Defining Authentic Purpose
09:02 Challenges and Resistance in Purpose-Driven Business
13:45 Navigating ESG Legislation and Reporting
24:57 The Role of B Corps in Purpose-Driven Business
31:56 Airlines and Vaccine Financing
32:53 Promoting ESG in the Workplace
33:33 Salesforce's Environmental Journey
35:26 Challenges and Controversies in ESG
37:36 Purpose-Driven Business Strategies
39:50 Becoming a B Corp
42:12 Consulting for ESG and Purpose
48:30 Diversity and Inclusion in Boards
52:07 Metrics and Reporting for ESG
55:58 Final Thoughts and Future Goals
Links
Follow Isabel Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelkelly-pwp-esgx/
Check out Profit with Purpose: https://profitwithpurpose.co.uk/
Explore the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals:https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chairmanjames/
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 27 Jan 2025 - 56min - 15 - Bonus Ep: The Darker Side of Journalism: One Woman's Journey to Fleet Street | Shorts with Sue Douglas part 3
In this episode of 'All About Business', James is joined by Sue Douglas, who transitioned from a medical journalism background to becoming a top Fleet Street editor. She discusses her move to apartheid-era South Africa as a reporter for the Rand Daily Mail and witnessed significant historical events firsthand.
Returning to the UK, she navigated her way through the competitive media landscape, encountering both setbacks and successes, ultimately finding her place in the vibrant and chaotic world of Fleet Street journalism.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:28 Guest's Career Beginnings
00:38 Journey to South Africa
01:22 Reporting in South Africa
03:05 Return to Fleet Street
03:50 Joining News of the World
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at:www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Fri, 24 Jan 2025 - 05min - 14 - Bonus Ep: Balancing Business Leadership and Family Life | Shorts with Sue Douglas part 2
In this bonus episode of 'All About Business,' Journalist, Tech CEO and Entrepreneur, Sue Douglas, explores the complexities of balancing business management and leadership with personal life responsibilities.
Sue delves into the gender dynamics within professional settings, the historical and biological roles of men and women, and the struggle for achieving a balanced work-life equilibrium. The conversation also touches upon personal anecdotes about parenting, societal expectations, and the implications of more women entering the workforce.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:27 Gender Differences and Career Choices
01:12 Balancing Career and Family
02:21 Reflections on Parenting
03:29 Community and Work-Life Balance
05:14 Gender Pay Gap and Workplace Inequality
07:02 Concluding Thoughts on Gender Roles
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Wed, 22 Jan 2025 - 08min - 13 - Bonus Ep: Breaking the Blood Scandal | Shorts with Sue Douglas part 1
In this bonus episode of 'All About Business,' James is joined by Journalist, Entrepreneur and Tech CEO Sue Douglas. She delves into a chilling investigation from the 1980s when, as a young medical correspondent she uncovered a story about potentially AIDS-contaminated blood used for transfusions, risking public health.
She describes the challenges, including government hesitation, media backlash, and the impact of her ground-breaking report that led to a public inquiry 40 years later.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:28 A Chance Encounter Leads to a Big Story
01:58 Investigating the Blood Contamination
04:09 Breaking the Story
06:28 The Aftermath and Reflection
Follow Sue Douglas on LinkedIn
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 20 Jan 2025 - 10min - 12 - 11. Property is not a rich man’s game! How to turn debt into millions | Rob Moore
Imagine losing everything. Then imagine turning it all around and becoming a multi-millionaire within 5 years.
In this episode of 'All About Business', entrepreneur, property investor, and author Rob Moore shares his journey from being £50,000 in debt to becoming a multi-millionaire in less than five years.
Rob discusses his philosophy on money as a store of time, value, and energy, the importance of finding opportunity, raising money, and building a business from scratch. We explore his views on the significance of hard work, the role of education in preparing future entrepreneurs and the critical aspects of building a personal brand in today's digital age.
Timestamps
01:44 Podcast Introduction and Guest Welcome
03:34 Rob Moore's Early Life and Influences
05:05 The Turning Point: Meeting a Business Partner
09:23 The Rise of a Training Business
14:47 University vs. Entrepreneurship
27:11 The Essence of Money
33:38 Recruitment and Team Building
36:56 The Importance of Management Skills
39:02 Integrity and Honesty in Recruitment
41:42 The Role of LinkedIn in Personal Branding
48:24 The Value of Hard Work and Entrepreneurship
52:51 Rob Moore Foundation: Supporting Young Entrepreneurs
59:20 Finding the Right Business Partner
01:08:04 The Significance of Personal Brand
Links
Follow Rob Moore onLinkedIn
Follow Rob Moore on Instagram
Visit Rob’s website
Follow James Reed onLinkedin
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 13 Jan 2025 - 1h 06min - 11 - 10. How to bootstrap your hobby into a successful business | Nicola Reed
Are you ever too old to turn your favourite hobby into a brand-new business venture?
In this very special episode of All About Business, James Reed is joined by his wife Nicola, founder of the successful drinks company, Beeble.
Nicola shares how she turned her husband’s birthday gift into a thriving business, the ups and downs of bootstrapping a company with her daughter’s friend, as well as some rather disturbing facts about her bee colony.
Nicola is an artist, teacher, beekeeper and entrepreneur. She owns Beeble, a B-Corp that makes a wide variety of spirits with honey from her very own hives. Nicola has a Master's degree in Fine Art from St Martin's School of Art, a PGDip from Chelsea College of Arts and a teaching degree from University College London.
01:37 Introduction
02:27 Nicola Reed's Beekeeping Journey
04:43 Turning Honey into Spirits
07:45 The Beeble Brand and Business Growth
13:22 Balancing Business and Passion for Bees
23:54 Insights and Lessons from Beekeeping
27:07 Beekeeping Courses and Techniques
28:31 Personal Experiences with Bee Stings
30:39 The Undertaker Bee and Bee Communication
32:49 Challenges in the Spirit Business
36:11 Marketing Strategies and Customer Feedback
41:36 Beekeeping in Prisons
43:17 The Joys and Challenges of Beekeeping
46:03 Future Plans for Beeble
48:25 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Try Beeble’s delicious honey whisky
Take a beekeeping course
FollowNicola Reed on LinkedIn
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 06 Jan 2025 - 42min - 10 - 9. Entry level to managing director: How to make it happen | Donna Murrell
Climbing to the top of the ladder can be tough. With competition from peers, how do you stand out so you can get that promotion and even become Managing Director?
In this episode of All About Business, James is joined by Donna Murrell, Managing Director of Reed in Partnership. Donna began her career at Reed as an entry-level employment advisor and worked her way up to the very top. In this conversation, she shares little known strategies for boosting your career, explains why diversity in leadership is so important and gives actionable advice for building your confidence no matter where you are in your career.
Donna is the Managing Director of Reed in Partnership, a branch of Reed which delivers public services such as employment support, wellbeing advice and DVSA testing. Donna has been at Reed for over 20 years, starting as an Employment Advisor.
00:58 Introducing Donna Murrell
07:47 Expanding Reed in Partnership
09:54 Leadership and team building
13:08 Donna's management philosophy
20:44 Going from Operations Director to Managing Director
25:16 Advice for aspiring leaders
29:51 Spotting and nurturing talent
31:25 Creating Opportunities for Employee Engagement
37:01 Embracing curiosity and learning
39:30 Women in leadership: challenges and progress
49:34 Preparing for career progression
52:05 Building confidence and overcoming anxiety
54:49 Reed interview round
FollowDonnaon LinkedIn
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Learn more aboutReed in Partnership
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 30 Dec 2024 - 57min - 9 - 8. The 10 second customer journey: stop friction and increase growth | Todd Unger
With seventy percent of online buyers abandoning their shopping before checkout, how can you create a frictionless customer journey that only takes ten seconds?
In this episode of All About Business, James Reed speaks to customer experience expert Todd Unger.
Todd reveals why most customer journeys don’t work, how low-cost AI can help you understand your customers better, and the hit Ariana Grande song that could transform your approach to customer experience.
Todd Unger is the Chief Experience Officer at the American Medical Association, overseeing membership, marketing and customer experience initiatives. His book, the ten-second customer journey explains how you can rapidly convert customers online, drawing on Todd’s 30 year career in marketing and customer experience.
02:00 Meet Todd Unger: Chief Experience Officer
03:27 The evolution of Customer Experience
08:04 The four points of CXO
10:50 The importance of frictionless experience
18:07 Building effective digital services
24:10 Building a culture of testing and experimentation
26:17 The role of AI in modern testing
26:44 AI's impact on the 10 second customer journey
28:03 Leveraging technology partners for AI
34:29 Practical applications and future of AI
45:17 Customer experience advice for entrepreneurs
48:27 Reed interview round
Follow Todd Unger on LinkedIn
Visit Todd Unger’s website:https://www.toddunger.com/
Buy Todd Unger’s book
Follow James Reedon LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 23 Dec 2024 - 49min - 8 - 7. Drive big business by understanding your customers on a local level | Andy Cook
Being a socially conscious business is becoming more and more important, but can it really help you grow your brand long-term?
In this episode of All About Business, James Reed sits down with Centre for Social Justice CEO and proud Leeds native, Andy Cook. They explore the unseen world of philanthropy, why small charities are often more powerful, the best interview questions to ask future employees, and the steps you can take to become a brand locals love.
Andy is CEO of The Centre for Social Justice, an award-winning organisation that aims to solve Britain’s most pressing social issues through political change. Hailing from Leeds, Andy founded another award winning charity that helped disadvantaged youth across the Midlands. Since then, he’s become an advisor to several leading philanthropists and CSJ has been awarded social policy Think Tank of the Year for the last 2 years.
1:56 - Introducing Andy Cook - CEO for the Centre for Social Justice
2:48 - The Centre for Social Justice
8:43 - The five areas of help that affect Society
9:58 - The Big Give
13:38 - The importance of giving people opportunities
16:56 - The power of smaller charities
19:04 - Where do donations go and how to make the process better
21:07 - Should businesses engage more with philanthropy?
25:35:00 - The Kickstart Program
27:40:00 - Finding a balance between education and employer's needs
31:36:00 - The Centre for Social Justice Foundation
34:36:00 - Why businesses should be more involved in the education system
38:18:00 - How you can help
40:10:00 - Reed interview segment
41:50:00 - Wrap up and final thoughts
Find out more about the CSJ
Follow Andy on LinkedIn
Register for the Green Match Fund
Donate to a cause you care about
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to get your brand heard, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Mon, 16 Dec 2024 - 40min
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