We Have A Meeting

Join our masterclass and get the free tools here - https://www.salesistherapy.com/ Jack and Zac walk you through everything you need to know to pick up the phone and book meetings like a pro. Openers, objections, gatekeepers, voicemails, and how to stop sounding like every other SDR who’s ever ruined someone’s afternoon. This is the same playbook we use to book thousands of meetings a year at WHAM. IMPORTANT 🚧 Watching isn’t enough. Cold calling is a contact sport. Do this 👇 1️⃣ Like the video and save it to your “Watch Later”. You’ll want it before your next call block. 2️⃣ Introduce yourself in the comments. Tell us your role and your worst ever cold call. Treat this like a community group. 3️⃣ Download the free Cold Calling Tools - https://www.salesistherapy.com/#toolkit 4️⃣ Follow the video steps properly. Then pick up the phone. Today. 5️⃣ Want us to book meetings for you instead? Have a chat with WHAM https://wehaveameeting.com 🏆 Get our bestselling book Sales Is Therapy https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sales-Therapy-Empathy-Driven-Results-ebook/dp/B0GJFNCJCS 🎧 Listen to the We Have A Meeting podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-have-a-meeting/id1609651289 📩 Join State of Sales, the newsletter for revenue and GTM leaders: https://stateofsales.co.uk Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Everything You Know About Sales Is Wrong 00:00:42 Openers: Humor, Honesty, and Room to Say No 00:03:31 The LinkedIn Opener That Gets 99% Acceptance 00:07:02 The Lost and Helpful Technique: Making Prospects Want to Help You 00:08:31 Value Propositions: Stop Talking About Yourself 00:10:24 The Recruitment Example: Problems Over Features 00:13:30 Pub Talk and Robert De Niro: Delivering Scripts Like It's the First Time 00:18:07 PEEMEES Framework: Qualifying Like a Therapist 00:19:04 Problem and Example: Getting Specific and Recent 00:26:57 Effect: Finding Personal and Professional Pain 00:28:48 Motivation: The Why Now Question That Changes Everything 00:32:06 Expectation: Setting Realistic Goals and Course Correcting 00:35:32 Emotion: The Late Night DJ and the Give Up Test 00:37:40 Objections: ACES Framework for Handling Pushback 00:41:53 The IKEA Curve: Getting Prospects to Build Their Own Solution 00:44:41 Breadcrumbing Back to Problem: The Art of Redirection 00:46:28 Closing: Ridiculous Questions and Test Closes 00:50:51 The Three Final Questions: Locking In Commitment 00:53:33 Your Sales Process Is Your USP: Final Thoughts Remember you will die. So you might as well make the call.

Can humour be learned, or are middle managers doomed? Renée Shaw is a writer, comedian and the brand and social brain behind tl;dv. She built a following on LinkedIn by being, in her words, an “unhinged goblin”. In this episode, Jack and Zac ask her the questions nobody else will. What KPI measures emotional availability? Should redundancies be announced via carousel? Has anyone ever really been “humbled to announce”? It’s daft. It’s also a proper lesson in standing out in a feed full of beige. Renée explains why funny content cuts through, how to be yourself online without losing your job, and what “personal brand” actually means once the follower count goes up. If you’ve ever cried choosing between “Agree?” and “Thoughts?”, this one’s for you. In this episode: 👉 Why humour beats “grateful for this journey” 👉 Being authentic online and still paying the rent 👉 What makes a post go viral, and what’s just a VP of Sales liking it 👉 Whether a horse could succeed in B2B SaaS ⏱️ Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Renee Shaw, Synergy Expert and Corporate Satirist 00:00:52 Shareholder Value and the Glass of Water: Strong Arms in Corporate Environments 00:01:43 The Price of Going Too Far: LinkedIn Followers and Personal Brands 00:03:06 Bears vs Sharks and Corporate Discourse: The Mr. Ed Economy 00:10:24 Corporate Sentences for First Dates: Shipping Features and Circling Back 00:12:13 The Sam Altman Connection: GPT-1, Mary Had a Little Lamb, and Platonic Tension 00:14:49 Layoffs and Lay-Ons: Bringing Humanity to Performance Issues 00:17:27 Meet Todd the Puppet: The Best Right-Hand Man with Cluster B Tendencies 00:25:09 Tasmania, IBM, and Selling Your Skin: Monitor Lizards and Jensen Huang's Next Jacket 00:28:34 Business Ideas and Byzantine Empires: Airbnb for Divorce and Euthanasia Wordplay 00:30:15 The Future: AI Chickens, Large Language Beings, and Why Everyone Should Be Pretty 00:32:20 The Final Riff: Polly Fockett, Uncomfortable Shoes, and Not Belonging 🔗 Follow Renée LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeeshaw/ Website: https://reneeshaw.co/ Newsletter (Unsupervised): https://unsupervisednewsletter.substack.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pollyfockit TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@pollyfockit X: https://x.com/pollyfockit 🔗 We Have A Meeting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wehaveameetingpodcast/ State of Sales newsletter: https://stateofsales.co.uk 📘 Sales Is Therapy by Jack Frimston & Zac Thompson: [ADD LINK] WHAM: https://wehaveameeting.com 🎧 Subscribe for weekly conversations with founders, operators and big personalities on business and everything around it. #WeHaveAMeeting #LinkedIn #PersonalBrand #ContentCreation #BusinessPodcast

The last time the world changed this much, we swapped feudalism for factories and rewrote the rules of money, work and power. Daniel Priestley thinks it’s happening again, right now. In his view AI isn’t just another tech trend. It sits with the printing press, the railways and electricity. That means a new political system is coming, then a new monetary system, then a completely different idea of what a life and a career can look like. And if it sounds far-fetched, Britain has been here before. Between 1825 and 1835 we had a banking crisis, a pandemic, a game-changing new technology, a debate about wealth inequality, and six prime ministers in ten years. Sound familiar? Daniel has spent 25 years building companies. He’s started them, scaled them, sold them, bought them and invested in them. He sold an IT services company to a publicly listed company in New York, spun out ScoreApp, and recently sold one of his publishing companies to Forbes Books. He also wrote the foreword to Sales Is Therapy, so he is legally obliged to come back. He rejoins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson three years after they last sat down in Wandsworth. He explains what founders should be doing before the shift lands, why every copywriter needs to stop competing with the calculator, and why half the business value on your street is sitting with someone aged 62 to 80 who wants to sell. His numbers are specific. The world watches 500 billion short-form videos a day, roughly 100 per person with internet. LinkedIn views halved this year while engagement stayed exactly the same, because the algorithm is now a matchmaker, not a megaphone. Only about 4% of people pay for AI. He spends a couple of hundred grand a month on Meta ads without blinking, then thinks twice about going from the $20 to the $200 ChatGPT plan. Baby boomers hold 50% of all businesses by revenue and valuation, and every one of them needs a buyer. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Daniel Priestley, Entrepreneur Navigating the AI Revolution 00:01:32 The Printing Press Moment: Why AI Changes Everything Like the Industrial Age Did 00:03:00 The Resourcefulness Question: Making the Most of Massive Opportunity 00:05:46 The Death of the Technician: Why AI Wants You to Be a Leader, Not a Cog 00:08:16 The Entrepreneurial Skill Set: Six Pillars Every Kid Should Learn 00:10:11 Build to Sell Even If You Never Sell: The Beautiful Business Mindset 00:13:18 Short Form, Long Form, Lead Form: The Path from Attention to Money 00:14:10 The Semantic Algorithm Era: Matchmaking Ideas with the People Who Need Them 00:20:29 Trust is the Premium Product: Why Founder-Led Brands Win in the AI Age 00:24:21 The Hype Cycle Prediction: Boom, Bust, Stagnation, and the Pattern from 1825 00:34:54 The Baby Boomer Business Opportunity: 50% of All Equity Up for Grabs 00:36:26 Passion, Problem, Payment: The Three Pillars Before You Start Anything 00:38:23 Shiny Object Syndrome: Default Yes People Need Default No Friends 00:41:02 Cool vs Fearful Marketing: Which One Has More Longevity? 00:43:38 Rapid Fire: Sales, Assets, and Why Your First Customer is About Data, Not Money Hashtags #DanielPriestley #FundingCircle #BackedByFundingCircle #KeyPersonOfInfluence #ScoreApp #Entrepreneurship #AI #BuildToSell #SmallBusiness #BusinessFinance #ShortFormVideo #StartupFounder #ScalingUp #BusinessPodcast #Manchester #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Daniel Priestley: Dent Global: https://www.dent.global ScoreApp: https://www.scoreapp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpriestley/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. Fast, flexible loans to help UK small businesses grow. Find out more at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk/ Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.

Mark Roberge started out writing code. He studied at MIT, found entrepreneurship at 23, and ran a string of startups, a number of which failed. The last one was HubSpot, where he was the fourth employee and founding CRO, and he took it through IPO. He has taught sales at Harvard Business School for the last 11 years. He is also a deacon at his church, a daily meditator, and a man who reads every spiritual doctrine he can get his hands on. Mark joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson to explain why a million in revenue and a hundred customers is not product market fit, why promoting your best rep to manager is one of the most reliably destructive things a founder can do, and why the sales teams winning right now are the ones that can prove how much of the week their reps actually spend talking to buyers. He sits in 40 to 50 board meetings a quarter and has been close to around 500 startups trying to scale. The numbers he gives here are brutally specific: mid-market reps on 50K to 75K ACVs take four to six months to ramp, carry an 800K to 1M quota, cost around 150K, and one in four never makes it. Enterprise reps on 200K to 800K deals can take a year. The industry rep-to-manager ratio is seven to one, and he thinks AI takes it to fifteen. Reps have historically spent about 25% of the week actually selling. He believes today's tools get that to 75%, and that alone is a 3x. Along the way: the 150,000-meeting study on talk time, why the best salesperson you know is a therapist who asks eight questions, the founder who raised eight million and hired 15 reps the next week, Africa skipping fibre and going straight to cell towers, what he'd build if we populated Mars, the five hours a week he blocks out to build Claude skills. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Mark Roberge, Harvard Professor and Former HubSpot CRO 00:02:55 The Emergency Room of Founder Problems: What Mark Sees in 50 Board Meetings Every Quarter 00:06:22 The Product Market Fit Trap: Why 100 Customers and 1 Million in Revenue Means Nothing 00:08:51 The Therapy Session Masterclass: Why the Best Salespeople Talk Less Than Half the Time 00:12:56 The AI-First Career Advantage: Why It's the Best Time Ever to Start Your Professional Life 00:14:35 The Cloud Skills Pipeline: How Mark Uses AI to Automate His Entire Professional Workflow 00:18:14 The Buyer Journey Framework: Taking an Outside-In Approach to Building Your Sales Playbook 00:24:18 The 15 Reps in One Week Disaster: Why Founders Scale Sales Like a Factory Making Cookies 00:27:39 The Pace Over Panic Strategy: Establishing a Forever Hiring Rhythm That Actually Works 00:37:47 The Brutal Hiring Truth: Ramp Times, Quotas, and Failure Rates Across SMB, Mid-Market, and Enterprise 00:44:08 The 75 Percent Selling Time Revolution: How AI Will 3X Sales Productivity This Year 00:48:16 The Leapfrog Opportunity: Why Companies Without CRMs Have the Biggest AI Advantage 00:49:33 The Science of Scaling and Mental Health: How to Find Mark and Support the Mission Hashtags #MarkRoberge #TheScienceOfScaling #HubSpot #Stage2Capital #HarvardBusinessSchool #ProductMarketFit #GoToMarket #SaaS #StartupFounder #SalesLeadership #ScalingRevenue #VentureCapital #AIinSales #B2BSales #SalesPodcast #Manchester #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Mark Roberge: Stage 2 Capital: https://www.stage2.capital The Science of Scaling: https://www.stage2.capital/science-of-scaling-book LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Geraint Anderson thinks he might be a psychopath. So he got himself tested. He fell into the City by accident, while he was selling trinkets on beaches and smoking weed. He turned up to the interview in a £6 Oxfam suit, and the interview involved four bottles of champagne and a strip club. Nine years later the former intern was running the second-highest ranked team in London. Then he wrote an anonymous column exposing everything he’d seen, which became Cityboy: Beer and Loathing in the Square Mile. It sold over 400,000 copies in seven countries. A forensic psychologist has since told him he’s not a psychopath. She also told him he can turn the dark triad up and down whenever he likes. Geraint joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson for the most honest conversation we’ve had about manipulation, in the City and everywhere else. He explains why he kept a spreadsheet of every client’s wife, dog and football team. He explains why he made clients his “best friends” so they’d vote for him in the rankings, and why he grabbed the coattails of the nerdy genius and took the credit. He breaks down what really goes on in the Square Mile. A power station in Utah exploded and he walked onto the trading floor with a nosebleed showing on every screen. His bank lost £1.2 million. He and his team made a sell call against the entire City and it came good. A rival recently messaged him on LinkedIn with just “proper psycho”. He explains why insider trading is stealing from your granny’s pension, and why the bonus system rewards psychopathic behaviour. Along the way: a knife at his neck at 16, hanging off a cliff in Nepal, why not giving a shit is a superpower, why you should invest in your most insecure mate, the Domino’s shares that went up 15 times, Sam Altman, why Silicon Valley’s real psychopaths won’t let their own kids near a screen, a business partner blackmail story that’s hard to believe, and the three questions to ask before you believe anything. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Geraint Anderson AKA Cityboy, Ex-Banker Turned Bullshit Detector 00:03:45 The Making of a City Manipulator: Spreadsheets, Cocaine, and Madonna Concerts 00:07:55 The Knife to the Throat: Fearlessness, Going Limp, and Psychopathic Traits 00:21:09 The Bloody Nose Disaster: Losing 1.2 Million Quid on Cocaine and Scottish Power 00:24:52 The Superpower of Not Giving a Shit: Imposter Syndrome and Philosophical Detachment 00:28:13 The Conspiracy Theory Takedown: COVID, 9-11, and Why Your Weed-Smoking Mate Is Wrong 00:35:01 The Art of Stealing Thunder: Brown Nosing, Self-Deprecation, and Taking Credit 00:37:27 From Beach Bum to Banker: The Two Year Plan That Became Ten 00:40:45 Silicon Valley Psychopaths: AI, Sam Altman, and the Race to Destroy Humanity 00:49:21 How to Spot a Psychopath: The Yawn Test, Emotional Mirroring, and Business Partner Red Flags 00:52:30 The 21 Percent Problem: Why Business Leaders Are More Psychopathic Than You Think 00:57:13 Ask Yourself This: Are They Lying to Me and Where's the Evidence #GeraintAnderson #Cityboy #HowToConFriends #Psychopath #DarkTriad #Manipulation #TheCity #Banking #TradingFloor #SquareMile #Narcissism #SiliconValley #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #Entrepreneur #Sales #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Geraint Anderson: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cityboygez/?hl=en Book: How to Con Friends and Manipulate People: The Subtle Art of Being a Total Psychopath https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Friends-Manipulate-People-Psychopath/dp/1835984568 Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.

This episode of We Have A Meeting is sponsored by Funding Circle, business finance that backs you. 👉 https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk/ Tonia Buxton didn’t know it was impossible. That’s how she did it. She was a primary school teacher in Tottenham with an idea for a TV show nobody was making: food and travel, just Greece and Cyprus. She posted VHS showreels to almost 200 production companies and ran out of companies in London. A company in Birmingham finally said yes. My Greek Kitchen and My Cypriot Kitchen went on to air on Discovery Channel in 37 countries. Tonia joins We Have A Meeting at Ideas Fest for a conversation about joy, tenacity and the choices that shape a life. She explains why joy is a habit you can build. She also talks about why you have to get uncomfortable to find it, and why she forces herself into hip hop classes where she’s the oldest person in the room and can’t remember the steps. She tells the story she never tells: the TV job she was offered years before her own shows. It was a presenting role that made everyone who took it famous, and she said no. She explains why, what her now-husband of 35 years said at the time, and why the man behind the show recently told her it was the best decision she ever made. Along the way: sending a production company a VHS packed with sweets and a hamper of home-cooked Greek food, the one question that changes how people remember you, manifesting with frankincense, what young people lose by never being bored, why people over 45 lose their curiosity (and their youth with it), and why generosity always comes back to you. About our sponsor: Funding Circle Tonia sent out almost 200 showreels before someone backed her idea. Funding Circle backs UK small businesses with fast, flexible finance, so you can spend less time chasing a yes and more time building. Find out more: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk/ #FundingCircle #ToniaBuxton #MyGreekKitchen #IdeasFest #Manifestation #Resilience #Rejection #Joy #Ageless #TVPresenter #FounderMindset #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #Entrepreneur #PersonalBrand #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Tonia Buxton: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toniabuxton/?hl=en Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.

James Smith knows a lot of people think he’s a prick. He’s fine with that. He started as a personal trainer, picked fights with every diet tribe going, and didn’t even agree to his first book deal. Today he’s a bestselling author and a co-founder of Neutonic, the productivity drink he built with Chris Williamson, Luke Betts and Shan Hanif. He says it’s now valued at over $100 million. None of the four had any experience running a drinks company. By his own admission, they’re winging it. James Smith joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson for the most honest conversation we’ve had about building a consumer brand from a following. He explains why he upsets vegans, keto people and Formula One fans on purpose, why Joe Wicks could never get away with what he does, and why he tells people to buy a can of C4 if they’re shopping on price. He breaks down what nobody tells you about drinks: Prime’s cans ending up in the bargain bin, Walmart asking for 11 SKUs per store, the $1 million bill for cardboard displays in one retailer, and the investors who called a £150,000 first-year profit stupid. He explains why the founders haven’t taken a penny, why he’s a million in the hole, and why he thinks that once Neutonic reaches the size they’re hoping for, they’ll get rid of him. Along the way: the investor who lent them his helicopter and the LinkedIn backlash that followed, 3am calls to the US, why he refunds customers personally, why most creators think their audience is thick, what’s really wrong with Chris Williamson, Matthew McConaughey, the mistake in Jordan Peterson’s most-viewed video, and why young people are psychos. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet James Smith, Founder Turning Newtonic into a Billion Pound Brand 00:01:20 The Problem We Solve: Why Productivity Could Be the New Fitness 00:03:25 The Drug-Fueled Book Writing Sessions: Modafinil, Clenbuterol, and Getting Sh*t Done 00:05:35 How Newtonic Was Born: From Hammersmith Apollo to Hiding Ghost Cans Backstage 00:12:27 Selective Polarization: Pissing Off Vegans, Keto People, and Everyone Who'll Never Buy 00:16:55 Leading with Honesty: Money Back Guarantees, Refunds, and Why It's Actually Selfish 00:24:36 The Reality of Raising Millions: Family and Friends Rounds, Helicopter Trips, and Being Called Idiots 00:32:53 Customer Service Obsession: Yeti Bottles, Refund Piss-Takers, and Waking Up Harry at 3am 00:35:42 AI Slop and Email Marketing: Why James Went Off on His Agency for Using ChatGPT 00:47:41 The James Smith vs Chris Williamson Dynamic: Who Does What and Why It Works 00:57:13 Why Email Isn't Dead: The 8Sleep Strategy and Being There on the Worst Day 01:04:25 The Three Year Vision: Billion Dollar Exits, Empty Achievements, and Just Trying to Enjoy It #JamesSmith #Neutonic #ChrisWilliamson #ModernWisdom #NotADietBook #ProductivityDrink #EnergyDrinks #ConsumerBrands #FounderMindset #StartupFunding #RetailExpansion #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #Entrepreneur #Marketing #PersonalBrand #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with James Smith: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamessmith/ Neutonic: https://www.neutonic.com/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.

Spencer Matthews has run 30 marathons in 30 days in the desert. He’s done an Ironman on every continent in 21 days, Antarctica included. He says running a marathon is easy. Before you throw your trainers at the screen, hear him out. Most people can run a marathon. Running one as fast as you possibly can is something completely different. Don’t mistake distance for time. Trotting 5K with your dog is lovely. Trying to break 17 minutes for 5K is not. It sucks. Now Spencer is chasing a sub-2:45 marathon in Valencia, at 84 kilos, which is big for a runner. That’s about 3:55 per kilometre for 42.2 kilometres. He says it’s harder than anything he’s done before. On the long challenges you can pause, reframe and think your way out of trouble. On a fast marathon you can’t. It’s sustained pain, and you can’t wing it. Spencer tells Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest why going fast hurts more than going far, and why his next challenge is smaller on paper and harder in his legs. #SpencerMatthews #Marathon #MarathonTraining #Running #RunningMotivation #Sub3Marathon #ValenciaMarathon #EnduranceMindset #MentalToughness #Ironman #CleanCo #Untapped #IdeasFest #FundingCircle #BackedByFundingCircle #WeHaveAMeeting Watch the full conversation with Spencer: [LINK TO FULL EPISODE] Connect with Spencer Matthews: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencermatthews CleanCo: https://clean.co Untapped podcast: https://thehighperformancepodcast.com/untapped Untapped on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1788474884 Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. Learn more at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up. Comment “Spencer” for the full episode Spencer Matthews has run 30 marathons in 30 days. He still thinks running a marathon is easy. Running one fast is the hard part. In this clip, Spencer explains the difference between endurance and speed. It’s the difference between finishing a marathon and racing one. He breaks down his sub-2:45 marathon goal, the training it takes, and why being a heavier runner makes it harder. He also looks at the mental game. Multi-day endurance challenges test your resilience. A fast marathon tests whether you can hold pain without a break. If you’re training for your first marathon, chasing a PB or trying to go sub-3, this one is for you. Search We Have A Meeting where you get your podcasts

How do you win new clients when every competitor is shouting the same thing? Three founders who have built businesses from nothing give you their best sales and marketing advice in one room. No theory. Just what actually brings in new business. James Martin started cutting grass as a boy, moved into tree surgery and has built, bought and sold companies ever since. He now owns Baddow Park House in Essex, runs a group of businesses and a property portfolio, hosts the Entrepreneur Conversations podcast and mentors business owners through the Baddow Park Mastermind. He joins Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson, co-founders of We Have A Meeting, the Manchester outbound sales agency that books meetings for B2B companies every day, and co-authors of the bestselling Sales Is Therapy. Between them they cover the full journey of winning a client. Where to find them. How to get the first conversation. What to say when you get it. How to price without flinching. How to keep the client once you’ve won them. In this panel you’ll learn: Why being the most expensive option can win you more clients than being the cheapest, and how to say it out loud How to find new business through outbound, referrals and your own network without feeling like a pest What makes a prospect actually want to talk to you, and why sales works best when it feels like a conversation, not a pitch How to build a marketing message that sounds like a human, not a brochure Why cutting what you sell can grow what you earn The small details that separate businesses that win work from businesses that chase it The one thing all three would tell a founder trying to land their next big client tomorrow If you run a small business, lead a sales team or you’re trying to grow a UK company in a crowded market, this is your playbook for winning new clients and building a pipeline that doesn’t dry up. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet James Martin, Jack, and Zach on Sales and Marketing 00:02:28 Marketing Tricks No One Else Is Doing: Meet and Greet Training 00:06:38 What Your Industry Does Wrong: The LinkedIn Slop Problem 00:10:03 The Power of Intent: Using AI to Find Growth Stage Companies 00:11:44 You Can't Lose a Deal You Never Had: The Mindset of Detachment 00:14:45 Betting the Business: Credit Cards, Property Deals, and Forcing Things Into Existence 00:17:46 Going Into Business With Friends: The Trust Factor vs The Risk 00:20:21 Bad Advice You Followed: Don't Copy, The Customer's Always Right, and Wearing Too Many Hats 00:23:43 Your Business Gets One Billboard: Creating Disruptive Brand Messaging 00:26:20 Turn 500 Pounds Into 5000 in 48 Hours: Creative Sales Challenges 00:28:41 The Hardest Conversations With Employees: Shovels, Suspensions, and HR Nightmares 00:33:36 Final Takeaways: Stop Weeing on Yourself and Think of Bad Ideas This episode is backed by Funding Circle. Business finance that backs you. Winning new clients often means hiring, buying stock or taking on bigger contracts before the money lands. Funding Circle helps UK small businesses get the finance to say yes to growth. Find out more: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk/ Connect with James Martin: Website: https://www.jamesmartinentrepreneur.com Baddow Park Mastermind: https://www.baddowpark.com Podcast: Entrepreneur Conversations LinkedIn: /james-martin-entrepreneur Instagram: @jamesmartinentrepreneur Hear more from the hosts: Jack: /jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: /zac-thompson-33a9a39b Subscribe to We Have A Meeting for new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up. #HowToWinClients #WinNewBusiness #SalesAdvice #MarketingTips #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessGrowth #LeadGeneration #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #ClientAcquisition #JamesMartinEntrepreneur #SalesIsTherapy #FundingCircle #UKBusiness #WeHaveAMeeting

Madonna changed the lights, the seating and her outfit before the cameras rolled. Ben Shephard won her over with one question. That’s the skill behind 26 years in broadcasting. He’s presented This Morning and Tipping Point and done film junkets where he had four minutes to get a Hollywood star to open up. He calls himself a frustrated professional sportsman who never made the Ryder Cup, so he became a communicator instead. Now, at 51, he’s a founder. He co-founded For Skin, a men’s skincare brand, with Joel Dommett. He also helped set up Sweetspot, a venture studio that builds businesses celebrities actually own. Ben joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest. They talk about purpose, gratitude and why being interested beats being interesting every time. He explains why a quiz show still matters, and why he gets his dad to text him every night with three things he’s looking forward to tomorrow. He also explains why 80% of men’s skincare is bought by women. He breaks down how Sweetspot works. Every celebrity goes through a questionnaire on their motivations and passions, and the audience helps build the product. For Skin’s community picked the name, the price point and the packaging. He also explains why he will always ask the stupid question in a meeting about burn rates. And why a skincare brand needs a name people argue about, but products good enough to outlive the famous faces behind it. Then comes the masterclass in connection: the Simon Cowell name trick he recommends to everyone, and why he forgets most of the pitches he hears unless someone finds a way to connect with him personally. Along the way you’ll hear about Zac talking to his moisturiser, a 24-hour World’s Toughest Mudder with his two sons, a six-year-old called Greg who taught him a lesson in manners, why golf teaches you that the next shot matters most, and the best advice Tim Campbell ever gave him: if it ain’t broke, break it. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Ben Shephard, TV Presenter Turned Entrepreneur 00:02:19 The Purpose Behind the Presenter: Finding Meaning in Entertainment 00:05:15 Smelling the Roses: Gratitude, Mindset, and Making Memories 00:07:56 The Skincare Secret: How Ben Ages Like Fine Wine 00:13:36 Building Foreskin: The Problem We Solve and Why the Name Works 00:16:32 From TV to Business: Learning the Ropes and Asking Stupid Questions 00:23:41 Beyond the Founders: Building a Brand That Outlives the Celebrities 00:26:23 The Tough Mudder Mindset: Achievements, Letting Go, and What Comes Next 00:27:40 The Art of Connection: What Ben Knows Now About Communication 00:31:41 The Madonna Masterclass: Finding Common Ground in Four Minutes 00:37:55 Raising Communicators: Teaching Boys to Ask How Are You 00:41:55 Quickfire Business Wisdom: Nurture the Kernel and Break What Ain't Broke #BenShephard #ForSkin #JoelDommett #Sweetspot #MensSkincare #Skincare #TippingPoint #ThisMorning #Communication #Curiosity #Connection #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #FounderMindset #Entrepreneur #IdeasFest #FundingCircle #BackedByFundingCircle #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Ben Shephard: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benshephard For Skin: https://www.for-skin.co.uk The Business Men podcast (with Joel Dommett): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-men/id1843664679 Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. Learn more at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.

Your sales team has more AI tools and more data than ever. So why are they doing less with it? And what should you never, ever let an AI agent do for you? Mel Smith has a one-question test for that, and most teams fail it. She also has a rule for her SDRs: book a meeting on a cold call in under five minutes and you'll be getting a message from her. Mel is VP of Sales Development at Nooks, the AI revenue agent platform for sales teams. She started as an SDR when outbound meant email only. She was a Nooks customer before she was a Nooks employee, after a former rep of hers got laid off, joined Nooks and told her the product was crazy. She bought it for her SDR team, then talked her way into the co-founders' inbox. Two and a half years later she runs the team that sells it. She is, quite literally, her own buyer persona. Mel joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson to unpack where AI agents genuinely save sales teams time, where they quietly destroy trust, and why cold calling still beats email and LinkedIn for pipeline. This is a working masterclass in AI for sales development. Mel breaks down the automate, augment, human model, where AI agents take 80% of a task and the rep owns the last 20%. She shows how agent-led account research cuts a properly personalised email from 45 to 60 minutes down to 15 or 20, and why that saved time belongs on the stuff that doesn't scale. As a customer, Nooks took her team from an hour to make 50 cold calls down to eight minutes. Her qualified cold calls run 12 to 18 minutes, built on permission-based openers, bucket questions and three yeses, and nobody gives up before three nos. New SDRs hear 100 to 200 peer calls on the virtual sales floor in their first two weeks, and the data says the reps who spend the most time there ramp fastest. Along the way: the Tony Robbins AI agent claim that didn't survive a fact-check, how to sell a whole platform on a cold call without sounding like everyone else, the spreadsheet interview test where not reaching for AI is now a red flag, the "it was December" excuse that tells her everything about a candidate, why entry-level reps should check a company's current SDRs before applying, the theatre tickets that get unreachable leaders to take a meeting, and the inside jokes on her LinkedIn that only one prospect has ever noticed. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Mel Smith, VP of Sales Development at Nooks 00:01:56 The AI Data Paradox: Why Sales Teams Have Everything But Do Nothing 00:03:39 The Simplest AI Win: Account Research That Actually Works 00:04:32 What AI Should Never Touch: The Trust-Bearing Moments in Sales 00:09:06 AI Agents Explained: Spider Webs of Decision-Making 00:12:36 The 45-Minute to 15-Minute Email: Real AI Use Cases That Save Time 00:16:02 Personalization That Cuts Through: Business Context Beats High School Facts 00:18:51 Selling a Platform Not a Product: Solution and Persona-Based Messaging 00:21:10 Finding the Problems That Matter: Talking to Your Target Personas 00:25:12 The 12 to 18 Minute Cold Call: Running Discovery on Every Dial 00:27:18 Hiring SDRs in the AI Era: Characteristics Over Skills Every Time 00:36:46 The Sales Floor Effect: Why Top Performers Spend the Most Time There 00:38:03 Breaking Into Sales: Do the Research Before You Prospect 00:40:09 The Future of Sales: Leaner Teams, Same Human Connections Hashtags #WeHaveAMeeting #Nooks #MelSmith #AIAgents #AIinSales #SalesDevelopment #SDR #ColdCalling #OutboundSales #PipelineGeneration #SalesLeadership #RevOps #SalesAutomation #SalesHiring #B2BSales #SalesTraining #SalesPodcast Connect with Mel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-smith-4118564b/ Email: melanie.smith@nooks.in (mailto:melanie.smith@nooks.in) Nooks: https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Spencer Matthews has changed since his Made In Chelsea Days. He was a terrible employee. Hotels, nightclubs, bars, a stint as a forward foreign exchange broker in the City. None of it stuck. Then he got sober, found nothing worth drinking between a gin and tonic and a sparkling water, and built CleanCo to fill the gap. Today he runs CleanCo and the Untapped podcast, is a three-time world record holder, and has run 30 marathons in 30 days and seven Ironmans on seven continents in 21 days. He is also, by his own admission, a little bit ashamed of Made in Chelsea. Spencer Matthews joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest for one of the most honest conversations we've had about fame, failure and quitting. He explains why he thinks Made in Chelsea makes business harder, not easier, why he doesn't like the persona, the accent, the drinking or the way he treated people on it, and why his wife assumed the worst before she met him. He breaks down the mistakes behind CleanCo: rebrands, products released before they were ready, recalls, and launching into 44 US states it couldn't afford before pulling back to five. He explains why being a naive founder is a superpower, why he gets bored when the numbers are being hit, and why he delegates everything, including the dishwasher to his children. Then the bit he didn't have to share. The 10K he bailed on. A heart rate of 140 on the start line, 3:08 pace for the first 400 metres, a big panini and a lot of vomit. He didn't stop because he had to. He stopped because he wasn't going to break 37 minutes. The man who kept going through moments in Antarctica that felt life threatening quit a park 10K, and he explains exactly why that still bothers him. Along the way: one beer a week rationed across 30 desert marathons, waking at 3:30am ready to run a 31st, sleeping 18 hours on a mess hall floor in Antarctica because his team left him there, why he thinks finishing at all costs is verging on moronic, what Mo Farah told him about effort, the 2:45 he's chasing in Valencia, why he follows exactly three accounts, his brother passing on Uber, and his contingency plan if nature calls at 30km. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Spencer Matthews, From Made in Chelsea to Clean Co Founder 00:01:30 The Problem We Solve: Sophisticated Alcohol-Free Options and Inspiring Human Potential 00:02:55 From Crap Employee to Entrepreneur: Why Spencer Had to Work for Himself 00:06:27 Don't Be Afraid to Fail: Why Reputation Damage Doesn't Scare Spencer 00:07:52 The Made in Chelsea Baggage: Being a Rich Privileged Wanker in Business 00:11:41 Building Clean Co: Mistakes, Product Recalls, and Learning the Hard Way 00:14:50 The Art of Delegation: From Business to Getting Kids to Do Chores 00:17:20 The 10K That Broke Him: Vomiting, Quitting, and Feeling Like a Bitch 00:22:30 Life-Threatening Ironmans vs Park Run Failures: The Mental Game of Endurance 00:29:24 Chasing 2:45 in Valencia: The Hardest Thing Spencer's Ever Attempted 00:34:55 Backyard Ultras and Max Effort: Why Perceived Effort Is All That Matters 00:38:34 Best Business Advice: If a Deal Is Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is 00:39:47 Winning Your First Customer: Go on Made in Chelsea or Just Be Authentic 00:40:54 Closing Thoughts: Business Finance That Backs You with Funding Circle #SpencerMatthews #CleanCo #Untapped #MadeInChelsea #Sobriety #AlcoholFree #EnduranceMindset #MarathonTraining #Ironman #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #FounderMindset #Delegation #Entrepreneur #IdeasFest #FundingCircle #BackedByFundingCircle #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Spencer Matthews: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencermatthews CleanCo: https://clean.co Untapped podcast: https://thehighperformancepodcast.com/untapped Untapped on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1788474884 Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. Learn more at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Sammie Ellard-King cleared £24k of debt in his twenties, then built one of the UK's biggest money education brands. He launched Up The Gains in 2021 and has racked up more than 500 million views, 510,000+ social followers and 750,000+ podcast downloads. He was named Best Money Content Creator at the 2024 British Bank Awards. In June 2026 he launched Gains App, a free personal finance app combining budgeting, cashback and AI money support, to a waiting list of over 15,000 people. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Sammie joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to explain how he went from £24k in debt to building a money brand millions trust, why he walked away from a six-figure job to go all in on content, and how he turned an audience into a business. Along the way: [three or four specifics pulled from the episode]. CHAPTERS #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #SammieEllardKing #UpTheGains #GainsApp #IdeasFest #PersonalFinance #MoneyTips #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with Sammie Ellard-King: Gains App: https://gainsapp.com Up The Gains: https://upthegains.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upthegainsmoney LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammieellardking X: https://x.com/ellardking Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Luke Tobin has built and sold three businesses. The big one was Digital Ethos, which he took from launch to an eight-figure exit in under five years, making it one of the fastest agency growth-to-exit stories in UK history. He sold to Cadastra, South America's largest independent agency group, in late 2022, then ran EMEA for the combined business. He now invests and operates through Unusual Group, Tobin Capital and Succeed, and won the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2020. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Luke joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to explain how he built an agency buyers wanted, what actually drives an agency's valuation, and why most founders undersell their life's work when they exit. Along the way: [three or four specifics pulled from the episode]. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Luke Tobin, Marketing Agency Founder Who Scaled to Exit 00:00:26 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Why Managing Runway Makes or Breaks Your Business 00:00:56 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: Get More Than Just Cash and Service Your Debt 00:01:40 Day One of Your Business: Check Market Fit and Talk to Real Customers 00:02:34 The Best Business Advice: Work Your Current Network Better 00:03:15 Ignore the Easy Money Hype: Entrepreneurship Is Graft, Not Rock and Roll 00:03:39 The Most Underrated Skill: Leverage Self-Doubt and Move Through Fear 00:04:20 What Separates Winners from Everyone Else: Take the Chance on Yourself 00:04:50 Winning Your First Customer: Solve Their Pain Points and Speak Directly to Them 00:05:15 Closing Thoughts: Business Finance That Backs You with Funding Circle #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #LukeTobin #DigitalEthos #UnusualGroup #IdeasFest #AgencyOwner #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with Luke Tobin: Website: https://www.luketobin.com Unusual Group: https://www.unusualgroup.com Tobin Capital: https://www.tobincapital.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luketobin Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Piers Linney is best known as a Dragon on BBC's Dragons' Den. These days he is building the workforce of the future. The entrepreneur and investor, with a background in law and finance, is Executive Chairman and co-founder of Implement AI, which deploys teams of AI digital workers for businesses and was named AI Start-Up of the Year (London) at the UK Startup Awards 2025. He co-hosts The Implement AI Podcast, is a LinkedIn Top AI Voice, holds an MBE and is an in-demand keynote speaker on AI, technology and the future of work. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Piers joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to break down how founders can put AI to work, grow their business and stay ahead of the curve. CHAPTERS #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #PiersLinney #DragonsDen #ImplementAI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIForBusiness #FutureOfWork #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Piers Linney: Website: https://www.pierslinney.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierslinney/ Implement AI: https://www.implementai.io The Implement AI Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/implement-ai-podcast/id1694738741 Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Lea Turner was a tattooed, pierced school dropout who'd worked minimum wage jobs her whole life. In 2019 she was a single mum running a small transcription business and relying on government support. Then she started posting on LinkedIn as herself, and it changed everything. She grew to more than 170,000 followers, built a LinkedIn training business that turned over £500k in its first year, and trained individuals and companies around the world. In December 2024 she hung up her tiara to focus on The HoLT, her membership community for freelancers, solopreneurs and small business owners, and hosts The HoLT's Survival Guide for Small Businesses podcast. Lea joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to explain why being yourself is a business strategy, how she turned LinkedIn posts into a half-million-pound business, and why she walked away from it to build a community instead. Along the way: [three or four specifics pulled from the episode]. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Lea Turner, Community Builder Solving Solopreneur Loneliness 00:01:09 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Pay Your Team on Time, Every Time 00:01:51 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: Read the Fine Print and Know Your Limits 00:02:19 Day One of Your Business: Start With Sales Conversations and Real Research 00:03:15 The Best Business Advice: Don't Work With Anyone Who Drains Your Energy 00:04:30 Ignore the Scaling Pressure: Build a Business That Fits Your Life 00:05:37 The Most Underrated Skill: People Skills and Being Likeable 00:06:03 What Separates Winners from Everyone Else: Be Ruthless or Be Genuinely Kind 00:07:00 Winning Your First Customer: Listen More Than You Speak 00:07:34 Closing Thoughts: Business Finance That Backs You with Funding Circle #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #LeaTurner #TheHoLT #LinkedIn #PersonalBrand #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with Lea Turner: The HoLT: https://www.the-holt.com Website: https://www.leaturner.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-turner Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Matt Elwell is the co-founder and director of Elite Closing Academy and one of the UK's most in-demand sales trainers. He's the bestselling author of Open With A Close and Cold To Sold, and used the same methods to help grow two family businesses to over £17 million in revenue. Now he teaches founders, business owners and experts how to sell without feeling like a salesperson. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Matt joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to explain why brilliant founders struggle to sell, what it actually means to open with a close, and how to turn a sales call into something that feels like a service. Along the way: [three or four specifics pulled from the episode]. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Matt Elwell, Sales Expert and Business Owner 00:00:48 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Get Serious About Getting Paid 00:01:50 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: De-Risk with a Clear Vision 00:02:42 Day One of Your Business: Find One Customer and Get Them a Result 00:05:08 The Best Business Advice: Take More Responsibility for the Reward You Want 00:06:42 Ignore the Bad Advice: Fake It Till You Make It and People Buy from People 00:07:42 The Most Underrated Skill: Managing Your Own State and Inner Game 00:10:22 What Separates Winners from Everyone Else: Purpose and Guiding Principles 00:12:07 Winning Your First Customer: Solve a Real Problem or Deliver a Desired Outcome 00:13:53 Closing Thoughts: Success Brings Success, Learn or Win #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #MattElwell #EliteClosingAcademy #OpenWithAClose #IdeasFest #SalesTraining #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with Matt Elwell: Elite Closing Academy: https://eliteclosingacademy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-elwell-sales-trainer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthewelwellECA Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Ella McCrystal has spent 20 years helping people rewire how they think. Now she applies the same neuroscience to running a business. The accredited psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist and EMDR practitioner is Director of The Northampton Clinic, a multi-disciplinary private health clinic in the heart of Northampton. She is also a business coach, published author, TEDx speaker, founder of The Neurolectric Method and host of The New Mind Podcast, coaching leaders across business, sport and the arts to reach their full potential. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Ella joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to break down what therapy can teach founders about mindset, pressure and building a business that lasts. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Ella McCrystal, Psychotherapist, Trauma Specialist, and Business Owner 00:00:51 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Think Outside the Box and Don't Fear Money 00:02:33 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: Know Who You're Borrowing From and Whether You Can Pay It Back 00:03:16 Day One of Your Business: Start With What You Love, Not What Makes Money 00:04:06 The Best Business Advice: Avoid Certainty and Build Real Friendships in Your Industry 00:05:00 Ignore the Money Chase: Why Chasing Cash Makes You Narcissistic 00:05:36 The Most Underrated Skill: Communication and Transparency Win Every Time 00:06:06 What Separates Winners from Everyone Else: Passion and Love for What You Do 00:06:52 Winning Your First Customer: Show Up in Person and Build Real Relationships 00:07:47 Closing Thoughts: Business Finance That Backs You with Funding Circle #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #EllaMcCrystal #Psychotherapy #Mindset #Neuroscience #FounderMindset #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Ella McCrystal: Website: https://ellamccrystal.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-mccrystal-3ab0a137/ The Northampton Clinic: https://northamptonclinic.co.uk/about-ella/ X: https://twitter.com/ellamccrystal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellamccrystalhypno/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Donna O'Toole spent years inside the awards industry watching great businesses miss out on recognition. So she built a company to fix it. The founder of August Recognition, part of Daniel Priestley's Dent Global group, has helped hundreds of businesses from start-ups to FTSE 100s win the awards that matter, including The King's Awards for Enterprise. She is a national and international awards judge, one of the world's Top 25 Customer Experience Influencers and the bestselling author of WIN!, the ultimate guide to winning awards. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Donna joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to break down how founders can use awards to raise their profile, build trust and grow their business. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Donna O'Toole, the Award Queen Who Helps Businesses Get Recognition 00:00:28 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Forecast Three Months Ahead and Treat It Like Your Bible 00:00:53 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: Don't Be Scared, It's a Growth Driver 00:01:19 Day One of Your Business: Productize Your Idea and Build a Sustainable Ecosystem 00:01:54 The Best Business Advice: Put Your Personal Brand Front and Center 00:02:27 Ignore the Shiny Objects: Niche Down and Stay Focused on What You're Great At 00:03:02 The Most Underrated Skill: People Development and Team Management 00:03:40 What Separates Winners from Everyone Else: Avoiding Distractions and Staying Niche 00:04:16 Winning Your First Customer: Build Strategic Relationships and Partnerships 00:04:54 Closing Thoughts: Quick Fire Answers and Where to Find Funding Circle #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #DonnaOToole #AugustAwards #BusinessAwards #PersonalBrand #Marketing #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Donna O'Toole: August Awards: https://www.augustawards.com Website: https://www.donnaotoole.com Winning Awards podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/18JwzG3TXFwOYBMaJnhqyT LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnaotoole/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Dan Kelsall built one of LinkedIn's loudest personal brands by refusing to sound like everyone else on LinkedIn. The Manchester creative founded and exited content agency Offended, now runs the University of Creative Idiots and TaxTickle, and wrote the marketing books Fcking Good Content and This Is Fcking Sh*t. Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Dan joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to break down why brave, polarising content wins clients, and why playing it safe keeps you invisible. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Dan Kelsall, the Marketer Who Does What He Wants 00:01:16 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Why Three Months Isn't Enough 00:03:26 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: Know Your Terms and Don't Get Fucked on Interest 00:04:38 Day One of Your Business: Test the Market Before You Spend a Penny 00:07:02 The Best Business Advice: Stop Listening to Absolutes and Don't Copy Others 00:09:15 Ignore the Authenticity Trend: Why Relatability Beats Being Your True Self 00:11:10 The Most Underrated Skill: Patience Wins Every Single Time 00:14:15 Winning Your First Customer: Outbound Sales and Getting Real Feedback Fast #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #DanKelsall #PersonalBrand #ContentMarketing #LinkedInMarketing #Copywriting #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with Dan Kelsall: X: https://x.com/danjkelsall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-kelsall/ Website: https://dankelsall.com/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Backed by Funding Circle Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Brothers AJ and Curtis Pritchard from Stoke-on-Trent became two of the best-known faces on British TV. AJ was the youngest ever professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing and went on to I'm a Celebrity and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Curtis finished fourth on Love Island and returned for Love Island: All Stars. Between them they have toured the UK with their own live dance show, starred in Hollyoaks and launched the BrosTorqueSuperCars motoring channel. AJ and Curtis join hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to talk about going from TV to business: why fame doesn't pay the bills, what reality TV never taught them about money, and the best advice they have picked up building a brand beyond the screen. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Curtis and AJ Pritchard, From TV Stars to Investment Platform Co-Founders 00:00:55 The Problem We Solve: Taking the Stress Out of Investing with Fininvest 00:02:29 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Why Nothing Is Guaranteed in the TV Industry 00:04:40 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: Bootstrap First, Spend Money Last 00:06:00 Day One of Your Business: Build a Waitlist and Know Your Audience 00:07:01 The Best Business Advice: Don't Expect It to Happen Overnight and Do Something You Love 00:08:21 The Information Overload Problem: Stay Narrow-Minded vs Take It All In 00:10:12 The Most Underrated Skill: Drive, Willpower, and Just Doing It #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #AJPritchard #CurtisPritchard #LoveIsland #StrictlyComeDancing #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneur #BusinessAdvice #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with AJ and Curtis Pritchard: * AJ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aj11ace * Curtis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curtispritchard12 * AJ on X: https://x.com/Aj11Ace * Curtis on X: https://x.com/CurtisPritchard Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up..

Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Chris James started out in telemarketing and now helps founders, coaches and service businesses turn social media content into paying clients. The Manchester-based online business mentor, content strategist, keynote speaker and bestselling author runs the Content To Clients programme, sends a weekly newsletter to 3,000+ entrepreneurs and has shared stages with Daniel Priestley, Chris Do and Davina McCall. Chris joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to break down the social media lessons every founder needs. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Chris James, Expert Mindset Coach and Business Builder 00:00:32 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Leading Indicators and Collecting Money Upfront 00:01:16 The Borrowing Money Philosophy: No Credit Cards and Mortgage Freedom 00:02:07 Day One of Your Business: Build Your Business Backwards 00:02:15 The Warm Network Strategy: Why Your First Customers Are Already in Your Phone 00:04:19 The Best Business Advice: No One Gives a Shit, So Just Do It 00:05:29 Ignore the Carbon Copy: Why Following Other People's Success Will Make You Miserable 00:06:14 The Time Management Superpower: Focus, Block Distractions, and Schedule Worry Time 00:07:57 Lower Expectations, Higher Standards: The Mindset Shift That Drives Success 00:09:23 Winning Your First Customer: Make 200 Calls and Collect 100 No's #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #ChrisJames #SocialMediaMarketing #PersonalBrand #ContentStrategy #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with Chris James: * Website: https://www.chris-james.co * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjamesonline/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisjamesonline * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisjamesonline Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Chris Gore went from a Liverpool council estate to 13 years in the military to the boardroom. He co-founded SPOR Group with Chris Spence, each putting in £50k, and landed an £800k deal in week six. The Maidenhead workplace technology business now looks after more than 1,500 meeting room sites across the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific, works with clients including the NHS and the NFL, and has just acquired interior design consultancy Squaredot. Chris also writes the Work Isn't Working newsletter on the future of the workplace. Chris joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest for 12 minutes of no-fluff business advice: the thing most founders get wrong, what to fix before anything else, and what the military taught him about accountability and running a company. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Chris Gore, Co-Founder of Spore Group 00:01:04 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Why It's Priority Number One, Two, and Three 00:01:58 The Borrowing Money Masterclass: Get It Cheap and Know Your Forecast 00:02:54 Day One of Your Business: Test the Market Before You Take a Penny 00:03:44 The Growth Question: Why Scaling Isn't Always the Answer 00:04:57 Ignore the AI Slop: Why Boring Businesses Still Win 00:06:09 The Most Underrated Skill: Talking to Actual Human Beings 00:06:44 The Gary in a Van Problem: Why Systems Beat Hustle Every Time 00:08:10 Closing Thoughts: Liverpool Wins, Handshakes Matter, and People Buy from People #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #ChrisGore #SPORGroup #IdeasFest #WorkplaceTech #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #BusinessAdvice #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Chris Gore: * SPOR Group: https://www.wearespor.com * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgoremba/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisgore.spor * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisgorespor Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Andrew Hulbert grew up on a council estate in Oxford and started Pareto Facilities Management from his bedroom at 27. He grew it to around £50m turnover and 500 staff, took it through a management buy-out and a private equity exit, and walked away at 37 with a $100M-class exit. Today he is Founder and Vice Chair of Pareto FM and Chair of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Andrew joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to explain what buyers actually look for, why you should build your business to sell from day one, and the side of a big exit nobody warns you about. If you are a founder thinking about growth, private equity, a management buy-out or selling your business in the UK, this is the honest version. CHAPTERS Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Andrew Hulbert, Dad, Farmer, and 100 Million Dollar Exit Entrepreneur 00:01:17 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Why Cash Beats Profit Every Single Time 00:02:35 The Borrowing Money Masterclass: Covenants, Interest Rates, and What You Need to Know 00:03:43 Day One of Your Business: Where Is the Money Coming From 00:05:27 The Self-Worth Warning: Why Your Business Is Not You 00:07:01 The Social Media Trap: Why Follower Count Is Overrated Business Advice 00:08:29 The Networking Masterclass: How to Win Your First Customer 00:10:17 Closing Thoughts: Get Out There and Network #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #AndrewHulbert #ParetoFM #BusinessExit #SellingABusiness #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Andrew Hulbert: * Pareto FM: https://www.paretofm.com * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhulbert/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Backed by Funding Circle. Funding Circle is business finance that backs you. Business loans, a flexible line of credit and a cashback business card for UK businesses, with a decision in as little as an hour. If you are looking for funding to take the next step, check them out here: https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk James Martin left school at 14 with no qualifications and dyslexia, and built an empire anyway. He started out mowing lawns, moved into landscaping and tree surgery, then brought the first tree-moving machine to England from Illinois. That became Ruskins Tree Moving, the UK leader in large-scale tree transplanting, which he sold, bought back and sold again. Since then he has built a £30M+ commercial property portfolio, owns the Baddow Park House wedding venue, co-hosts the Baddow Park Mastermind for £2M to £20M founders and hosts the Entrepreneur Conversations podcast. James joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Ideas Fest to share his rules for scaling a business fast: the rule most founders never follow, what to fix before you try to grow, and why speed without systems can kill a good company. If you are a founder, business owner or entrepreneur trying to scale in the UK, this is the playbook from someone who has built, sold and rebuilt more than once. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet James Martin, Serial Entrepreneur with 48 Years of Battle Scars 00:01:10 The Cash Flow Reality Check: Why You Need to Know Your Numbers Daily 00:01:20 The Borrowing Money Masterclass: Cost, Source, and Purpose 00:01:30 Day One of Your Business: The Market Study You Can't Skip 00:01:47 What Got You Here Won't Get You There: The Best Business Advice 00:01:57 Ignore the Professionals: Why Accountants and Lawyers Give Overrated Advice 00:02:14 Trust Your Gut: The Most Underrated Business Skill 00:02:20 The Laser Beam Vision: What Separates Winners from Everyone Else 00:02:44 The Assassin Customer Strategy: How to Win Your First Sale 00:02:59 Closing Thoughts: Deep Scars, Mini Trips, and Giving Back #BackedByFundingCircle #FundingCircle #JamesMartinEntrepreneur #ScalingABusiness #IdeasFest #SmallBusinessUK #BusinessFinance #FounderStory #Entrepreneur #PropertyInvesting #WeHaveAMeeting #Manchester Connect with James Martin: * Website: https://www.jamesmartinentrepreneur.com * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-entrepreneur/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesmartinentrepreneur * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@James_Martin_Entrepreneur Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Funding Circle: business finance that backs you. See how they could back your business at https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

You're using AI wrong. Most people treat ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude like a glorified Google search. Amelia Miller calls that level one of ten, and it uses maybe 5 to 10% of what the tools can actually do. In this episode she shows you the other nine levels. Amelia is the co-founder and CEO of Ivee, the AI training company she runs with her sister Lydia. She is a published researcher and current fellow at the University of Cambridge, where she studies which skills survive tech revolutions and which ones die. She spent time in FX sales and trading at Goldman Sachs and sits on the UK government's Women in Tech taskforce. She was also recently named in the Forbes 30 Under 30. And she once had two hours' notice to get on a train and pitch on Dragons' Den, with £0 revenue and a product that didn't exist yet. Amelia joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson to explain why there are really only three foundation models and everything else is a wrapper. She also shows how an inbound enquiry landed at 3am and had a meeting booked in her diary before she woke up. She runs a proper prompting masterclass. That includes the persona prompt that changes everything, negative constraints, few-shot examples, and why a bad prompt always equals AI slop. She reveals the automated email that goes out four and a half minutes after a form fill, written to look like she typed it on her phone while travelling. She then walks through the levels above chatbots: AI browsers, automations with an AI layer, and agentic AI. Give an agent your card with no guardrails and it might book you a first class flight to Rome. Along the way: why big companies are using AI to freeze hiring while startups use it to survive, and the three-person dog brand whose founder was losing two hours a day to his inbox. You'll also hear why AI fluency is the number one skill of 2026 and why 70% of today's skills will be obsolete by 2030. Then there's the chaotic 36 hours before Dragons' Den: a fake demo, a dash to Zara and a YouTube compilation of the worst roasts. She explains why they picked Steven Bartlett and Deborah Meaden from four offers, and why 70% of Den deals never go through. She covers the Amazon CV algorithm that binned anyone with "women's" on their CV, and why every company is now an AI company or it will die. And finally, the question she leaves for Barry, 52, from Swansea. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Amelia Miller, Forbes 30 Under 30 AI Expert 00:04:04 The AI Slop Problem: Why 97.2% of People Are Using AI Wrong 00:05:27 The 3am Email That Changed Everything: AI Working While You Sleep 00:06:50 ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini: Which AI Tool Should You Actually Use 00:15:20 The Prompt Engineering Masterclass: How to Stop Sounding Like a Robot 00:18:24 The Job Market Reality Check: Why 70% of Your Skills Will Be Obsolete by 2030 00:27:01 Beyond the Chatbot: AI Browsers, Automations, and Agentic Workflows 00:40:33 The Dragon's Den 36-Hour Scramble: Building a Fake Platform on a Train 00:47:11 The Amazon Hiring Algorithm Disaster: When AI Bias Gets Dangerous 00:51:17 The Closing Question: What Would You Do If AI Took Care of All the Manual Work #AmeliaMiller #Ivee #DragonsDen #AITraining #PromptEngineering #AIForBusiness #ChatGPT #Claude #Gemini #AgenticAI #FutureOfWork #AISkills #UKBusiness #BusinessPodcast #StartupUK #FounderMindset #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Amelia Miller: Website: https://ivee.jobs LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/amelia--miller Instagram: @buildwithamelia Ivee on Instagram: @ivee.jobs Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

We asked James Martin every weird and wonderful question we could think of. He answered all of them. James Martin started cutting grass as a boy, moved into tree surgery, and has been building, buying and selling companies ever since. Today he owns Baddow Park House in Essex, runs a group of businesses and a property portfolio, hosts the Entrepreneur Conversations podcast, and mentors owners through the Baddow Park Mastermind. He is also severely dyslexic. He does not read. He has turned down free lessons more than once. He built a team around the gap instead of spending thirty years trying to close it. We caught him at Ideas Fest and decided not to do the normal interview. No origin story questions. No "so what's next for you". Instead we threw the brutal, the strange and the flat out ridiculous at him and waited for something to break. Nothing broke. That is the problem with James. You go in looking for a wobble and come out with a business plan. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet James Martin, Problem Solver for Entrepreneurs 00:00:25 Snog Marry Avoid: The Royal Family Edition 00:01:17 The Pigeon Poo Property Disaster: When Garden Centres Go Wrong 00:01:35 The 17 Grand HR Nightmare: Firing Someone for Smoking Weed 00:02:20 Robust and Forthright Software: The James Martin Operating System 00:02:37 Da Vinci and Evita's Wedding: The Ultimate Power Couple 00:03:01 Dry Hire Terminology: When Business Jargon Sounds Completely Wrong 00:03:20 Kung Fu Fighting and Row Dancing: The 90s Networking Event 00:04:16 All the Isms: ADHD, Dyslexia, and Throwing Labels in the Bin 00:05:21 The Drowning Question: Why Jack Gets Saved and Zach Doesn't 00:05:42 Michael Bolton at My Funeral: How Am I Supposed to Live Without You 00:06:32 Sexual Innuendo and Paul King: How Do They Get Away With This What should we have asked him? Stick it in the comments. Best question gets sent to James and we will make him answer it. #JamesMartinEntrepreneur #IdeasFest #BaddowPark #EntrepreneurConversations #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #SmallBusinessUK #FounderMindset #BusinessOwner #Leadership #DyslexicEntrepreneur #EssexBusiness #BusinessMentor #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with James Martin: Website: https://www.jamesmartinentrepreneur.com Baddow Park Mastermind: https://www.baddowpark.com Podcast: Entrepreneur Conversations LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-entrepreneur Instagram: @jamesmartinentrepreneur Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

James Martin started cutting grass as a boy, moved into tree surgery, and has built, bought and sold companies ever since. Today he owns Baddow Park House in Essex, runs a group of businesses and a property portfolio, hosts the Entrepreneur Conversations podcast, and mentors business owners through the Baddow Park Mastermind. He is also severely dyslexic. He does not read, he has turned down free lessons more than once, and he built a team around the gap instead of spending thirty years trying to close it. James Martin joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson at Baddow Park to give the least polished answers anyone has given on this show. He explains why he has zero tolerance for what he calls an atmosphere vampire, why he refuses to hand out warning letters, and why he would rather double someone's severance, end it the same day and invite them to sue him than let one bad hire flatten the team around them. He breaks down the gardener he took from £650,000 turnover and an 11% margin to multi-million turnover and a 32% margin in eighteen months, and what actually changed to do it. He gets into the client with twenty five products who was quietly losing money on most of them, why cutting to six raised the margin and dropped the promotion spend, and why he is never the cheapest and says so out loud instead of discounting. He explains how a mistake that cost one of his companies half a million pounds got logged as a free lesson and closed down in one meeting, because your team copies how you frame the bad news rather than the news itself. Along the way: why he told two best friends who run a business together that he would never go into business with a friend or a family member, the Felix Dennis book he keeps coming back to, the jobs he thinks AI is never touching because nobody is crawling under there to mend the leak, what he actually spends in a year and why it is nothing like people assume, the three holidays and the Range Rover he mistook for success, why he has no intention of ever retiring, and the fact that he cannot get through his own gates because he does not know the codes. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet James Martin, Multi-Million Pound Entrepreneur 00:05:53 The Dyslexia Superpower: Turning a Disability Into a Business Advantage 00:09:48 The Van Man Origin Story: From Trees to Multi-Million Pound Empire 00:12:15 The Entrepreneur Apprenticeship: Why Working for Free Beats Business School 00:13:32 AI-Proof Industries: Where to Build Your Business in the Next Decade 00:18:38 Social Skills Over Degrees: The Real Talent Hiring Strategy 00:24:38 The Price Point Philosophy: Why Being the Most Expensive Wins 00:27:19 The Devil Is in the Detail: Why Small Stuff Equals Big Success 00:29:33 No Friends, No Family: The Partnership Warning Every Founder Needs 00:39:54 Commercial Property Over Houses: The Real Estate Strategy That Builds Wealth 00:42:46 The Madness Weirdo Journey: Are You Really Ready to Be an Entrepreneur? #JamesMartinEntrepreneur #BaddowPark #EntrepreneurConversations #BusinessPodcast #UKBusiness #SmallBusinessUK #HiringAndFiring #HowToFireSomeone #BusinessGrowth #ProfitMargin #FounderMindset #BusinessOwner #Leadership #DyslexicEntrepreneur #EssexBusiness #BusinessMentor #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with James Martin: Website: https://www.jamesmartinentrepreneur.com Baddow Park Mastermind: https://www.baddowpark.com Podcast: Entrepreneur Conversations LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/james-martin-entrepreneur Instagram: @jamesmartinentrepreneur Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Michael Aaron Flicker started his first company, ZenoSci, at 14 years old, and 28 years later he's built nine operating companies around a single idea: understanding why people actually believe and behave the way they do gives you an unfair advantage in any market. He's the author of Hacking the Human Mind and founder of the Consumer Behavior Lab, where he helps brands use behavioural science instead of guesswork. Michael Aaron Flicker joins host Jack Frimston to break down why humans make decisions with the laziest possible amount of brainpower, and what that means for anyone trying to sell, price or name something. He explains why you instinctively order the second cheapest bottle of wine on a menu, why Red Bull deliberately shrank its can and charged more for it, and why Nespresso built its entire pricing strategy around comparing itself to a Starbucks latte instead of a cup of ground coffee. He gets into the psychology of loss aversion and why fear of missing out beats the promise of gaining something, why rhyming slogans are proven to be more believable, and the real science behind why "Chilean sea bass" outsold "Patagonian toothfish" thirty to one. He also explains the illusion of effort, the reason James Dyson opens his own autobiography by mentioning 5,127 failed prototypes, and why that same trick works for a ramen shop or a plumber with zero marketing budget. Along the way: the study that proves even doctors prescribe whatever drug sits highest in a dropdown menu, the "regret lottery" that got office workers cycling to work, why Five Guys deliberately refuses to sell chicken or salad, and the one-word swap in a police study that changed how fast people remembered a car crash happening. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Michael Aaron Flicker, Behavioral Science Expert 00:01:35 The Irrationality Problem: Why Humans Aren't as Rational as They Think 00:07:16 The Red Bull Pricing Hack: Breaking Comparison Points to Win 00:12:05 The Apple Watch Anchor: How Premium Options Make Everything Seem Reasonable 00:14:10 Pain vs Pleasure: The Psychology of Loss Aversion in Sales 00:18:14 The Pringles Rhyme Effect: Why Simple Phrases Build More Trust 00:20:47 The Illusion of Effort: How James Dyson Built Trust with 5,127 Prototypes 00:25:36 The Chilean Sea Bass Story: How the Right Name Changes Everything 00:29:53 The Five Guys Focus Strategy: Why Doing One Thing Beats Doing Everything 00:34:02 The Ethics Question: Are These Tactics Manipulation or Marketing 00:41:55 The Amazon Prime Trap: How Past Behavior Defines Future Choices 00:45:42 The AI and Effort Connection: How to Use AI Without Losing Credibility 00:47:46 The Test and Learn Philosophy: The One Question Every Business Owner Should Ask #MichaelAaronFlicker #HackingTheHumanMind #BehavioralScience #ConsumerPsychology #MarketingPsychology #SalesPsychology #PricingStrategy #Branding #Neuromarketing #CognitiveBias #LossAversion #B2BSales #ConsumerBehaviorLab #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Michael Aaron: Book: https://www.hackingthehumanmind.com Consumer Behavior Lab: https://www.consumerbehaviorlab.com Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Andy Coleman has spent the last 21 years starting things, breaking things and fixing them, on rinse and repeat. He became the youngest landlord in the Greene King estate in his early twenties, went on to build and run pubs, bars, a roofing business, a women's clothing chain, an events company and a content creation agency, and most recently launched BizzFest, a festival-style business event that went from an idea on a retreat to 1,000 people, three stages and 40 speakers in a field within seven months. Andy Coleman joins hosts Jack Frimston to talk about what actually happens when you build a career out of jumping into things other people would call reckless. He explains why he never learned to delegate until a manager called Ben forced the issue, why the smoking ban was the moment he learned to "jump before you're pushed" in business, and why the businesses that failed for him were never killed by some outside disaster, they just got dragged on too long after he already knew. He breaks down the exact framework he uses to decide whether to pivot or shut something down, why he refuses to call it quitting, and why giving someone terrible food poisoning taught him more about customer trust than almost anything else in hospitality. Then he gets into how BizzFest actually got built: why he spent money before the brand had any trust to spend it on, why ticket sales for a first-time event barely move until the final 48 hours, and what it was like hosting a fireside chat with Andy Coulson and Jamie Laing having never done one before in his life. Along the way: the ChatGPT prompt Andy wrote in the bath the night before interviewing Jamie Laing on stage, the "burn the boats" story that talked him into doing it anyway, why he thinks most business failure feels like getting cut from the school basketball team, and the charity worker who told him a single day at BizzFest changed his life. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Andy Coleman, Serial Entrepreneur 00:01:37 The Youngest Landlord: Starting a Business at 21 00:04:51 The Resilience Factor: Why Andy Didn't Fail 00:06:09 Learning to Delegate: The Seven-Year Struggle 00:07:20 The Smoking Ban Pivot: Knowing When to Jump or Be Pushed 00:07:55 Building an Ecosystem: From Pubs to Bars to Clothing Shops 00:10:15 Customer Experience Masterclass: The Power of Fixing Mistakes 00:15:12 Defining Success: Happiness Over Everything 00:19:56 The Month Off Challenge: Working Yourself Out of the Business 00:26:59 The BizFest Origin Story: Born in a Bath in Portugal 00:31:01 The Only Real Risk: What If Nobody Shows Up? 00:33:16 Sales and Marketing Lessons: Throw Money at the Problem 00:35:11 The Ticket Sales Spike: Why Events Come Together Last Minute 00:41:30 First Time on Stage: The Andy Coulson and Jamie Lang Interviews 00:46:36 The Future of BizFest: Scaling Across the UK and Beyond 00:47:33 The Life-Changing Moment: When BizFest Led to an Adoption #AndyColeman #BizzFest #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Hospitality #EventsIndustry #PersonalBranding #FounderStory #SmallBusiness #BusinessLessons #SalesAndMarketing #CustomerExperience #StartupFailure #Resilience #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Andy: BizzFest: https://www.bizzfest.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theandycoleman/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-coleman-6343aa49/ Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Mark Bowden has spent his career reading the eight seconds before anyone says a word. He's the founder of Truth Plane, and he's coached leaders at the G7, elite athletes and Fortune 500 executives on how to win trust and credibility the moment they walk into a room, long before their content, their numbers or their pitch ever gets heard. Mark Bowden and hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson get into why your brain decides whether to trust someone in seconds, and why that decision has almost nothing to do with what's actually being said. Mark delivers the same five-million-pound pitch twice, live, with two completely different sets of body language, to prove that identical words land completely differently depending on how predictable your movement is. He breaks down why "you can never change a first impression" is a myth, and gives the exact script for rebuilding trust once it's broken. He explains why the brain isn't a computer but a chemical system that changes its own thresholds day to day, why a nervous read and a lying read can look almost identical, and why Donald Trump's handshake theatre with world leaders is a deliberate performance for an audience, not an instinct. Along the way: why one person's charisma is another person's arrogance, the exact question to ask at any networking event instead of pitching yourself, how to build real rapport without turning someone else's story into your own, the cold call line that stops a "no" before it starts, and the story of how Zac's brother accidentally avoided being mugged by his trousers falling down. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Mark Bowden, Body Language Expert 00:00:30 The Trust and Credibility Problem: Why Everyone Needs Help 00:01:25 The Anxiety Factor: Who Mark Helps and Why 00:02:57 First Impressions in the Boardroom: The Predictability Principle 00:07:38 The Likeability Paradox: When Being Difficult Still Works 00:11:13 Can You Change a First Impression: The Real Answer 00:13:40 The Persuasion Transparency Technique: Telling Them You're Persuading Them 00:20:44 The Brain Is Not a Computer: Why Complex Systems Need Simple Tools 00:26:20 Trump's Handshake Strategy: Performing for Your Audience 00:30:47 The Networking Event Masterclass: How to Win Without Selling 00:38:27 The Hierarchical Evaluative Question: Finding What People Really Value 00:47:52 The Cold Call Pattern Interrupt: When They Say No, Say Thank You 00:50:33 The Duty to Persuade: Why Letting People Go Is Failing Them 00:51:51 The Closing Question: What Will You Do Immediately and What's in Your Way #MarkBowden #TruthPlane #BodyLanguage #BodyLanguageExpert #NonverbalCommunication #TrustAndCredibility #FirstImpressions #Charisma #Persuasion #SalesPsychology #ColdCalling #Networking #PublicSpeaking #ExecutivePresence #CommunicationSkills #SalesTraining #B2BSales #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Mark: Truth Plane: https://www.truthplane.com Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Will Perez is the lead filmmaker and editor behind Behind The Diary, the documentary series following Steven Bartlett's day to day running Flight Story and hosting The Diary of a CEO. His work on the channel has passed 12 million views and helped build an audience of over 400,000 subscribers, and in 2025 Forbes named him to its 30 Under 30 list for Media and Marketing at just 24. Will Perez joins hosts Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson for an honest conversation about what it's actually like working that close to one of the UK's most recognisable entrepreneurs. They get into ego, his own and the ego that comes with being permanently embedded inside someone else's brand, the parts of working for a high-profile founder that never make it into the polished footage, and the reality behind building a career off the back of someone else's fame. #StevenBartlett #DiaryOfACEO #FlightStory #BehindTheDiary #WillPerez #Ego #Filmmaking #ContentCreation #CreatorEconomy #PersonalBranding #WorkingForACelebrity #PodcastProduction #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Will: Website: https://www.willperez.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btswithwill Substack: https://btswithwill.substack.com Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Anna Cairns and Kerry Collinge are the co-founders of Illuminari, the marketing collective they launched in 2026 alongside Rory Sutherland, Les Binet, Karen Nelson-Field, Orlando Wood, Richard Shotton, Margaret Heffernan, Tom Goodwin and Adam Morgan. Anna spent 22 years agency-side. She ran Nudgestock, the behavioural science festival, for a decade, and spent eight years building Rory Sutherland's fame and stage presence around the world. Kerry spent 25 years in marketing at Carlsberg, AB InBev and Mondelez, then ran marketing at System1 and took Uncensored CMO to Marketing Week's B2B Brand of the Year as its Managing Director. Between them they have sat in most of the rooms where marketing decides what it thinks. Their view is that the industry has hidden behind measurement. Everyone uses the same dashboards and the same frameworks, so everyone gets the same answers, and nobody is accountable for whether any of it worked. Along the way: why Anna's daughter believes Elvis is still alive, the Joe Rogan cat litter story and who gets paid when misinformation spreads, why you can line up ten beers blind and nobody can tell the difference, why a CEO will believe a stranger with a slide deck over the team he already employs, and why marketing still gets treated as the colouring in department. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Kerry and Anna, The Founders of Illuminari 00:01:41 The Data and Fear Problem: Why Marketing Lost Its Humanity 00:09:21 The Cannes Dinner Party: How Illuminari Was Born 00:14:52 The TikTok Generation: Misinformation and the Need for Real Conversations 00:23:50 The Three Martini Lunch: Bringing Back Joy and Connection 00:39:11 The Organ Transplant: Moving from B2C to B2B Marketing 00:55:08 The Rory Effect: Why Simplification Beats Complication 00:56:50 The Wall of Shame: Why Great Work Comes from Shaking the Tree 00:59:07 The Avengers of Marketing: How to Work with Illuminari 00:59:53 The Closing Question: Are You Bringing Your Whole Self to Work? #RorySutherland #Illuminari #UncensoredCMO #Nudgestock #System1 #Marketing #BrandBuilding #MarketingStrategy #CMO #B2BMarketing #MarketingEffectiveness #BehaviouralScience #Advertising #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Anna and Kerry: Illuminari: https://www.theilluminari.com Anna Cairns: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-cairns-70284220 Kerry Collinge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-collinge Uncensored CMO: https://system1group.com/uncensored-cmo Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Will Perez is the filmmaker who spent three years documenting Steven Bartlett from inches away. As lead filmmaker and editor at FlightStory, he built Behind The Diary, the behind-the-scenes channel following The Diary Of A CEO, from zero to 400,000 subscribers and more than 12 million views. In April 2026 he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for Media and Marketing, at 24. He got there by dropping out. At 21, in his second year at Edinburgh University, Will texted his mum to say he was leaving to take a job with Steven Bartlett. Her reply, in Spanish, was blunt: are you crazy? He'd stolen his dad's camera at 16, shot weddings in Velcro Spider-Man shoes, and sent close to a thousand cold pitches that went nowhere. Gymshark said no. HBO said no. Then a referral put him on a call with Jack Sylvester, co-founder of Diary Of A CEO, and four days later he'd quit his degree and moved to London. What followed was three years inside one of the biggest media operations on the planet. Last year alone that meant 54 flights in 54 weeks. He has since left to build his own studio, telling stories for founders, artists and brands. He joins Jack and Zac for an unusually honest conversation about storytelling, YouTube strategy and what it actually costs to work at that level. Why nobody cares about your story, how a DOAC video gets packaged before a single frame is cut, the two hours after you hit publish that decide everything, and what Steven Bartlett does backstage that nobody films. What you'll learn in this episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Will Perez, The Man Behind Diary of a CEO 00:01:55 Nobody Cares About Your Story: The Three Assumptions That Kill Content 00:04:00 Brand vs Founder Storytelling: The Red Bull Strategy 00:07:08 The Story Seller Framework: How Real Estate Agents Hack Your Brain 00:11:09 The Dropout Decision: Texting Your Way Into Your Dream Job 00:17:34 Data Before Creative: The Title Testing Process That Changes Everything 00:22:15 The First Two Hours: What Happens After You Hit Publish 00:26:13 54 Flights in 54 Weeks: The Reality of Working for Stephen Bartlett 00:33:21 The Steve Jobs Headphone Jack Story: How Much You Care Equals How Much You Win 00:52:39 Going Full-Time: The Bet on Himself and What Comes Next #StevenBartlett #DiaryOfACEO #DOAC #YouTubeStrategy #VideoEditing #Storytelling #ContentStrategy #ContentCreation #Filmmaking #PersonalBranding #YouTubeGrowth #BehindTheDiary #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Will: Website: https://www.willperez.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btswithwill Substack: https://btswithwill.substack.com LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/will-lindsay-perez Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have A Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, says empathy is the hardest skill to learn, and the one that matters most. In this clip, Jack and Zac break down why empathy is the single most underrated sales skill in B2B, and how it changes everything about the way you cold call, handle objections and close deals. Most salespeople think empathy is soft. It isn't. It's the difference between a prospect hanging up in four seconds and a prospect actually telling you the truth about their situation. Empathy is what turns a cold call into a conversation, a pitch into a diagnosis, and a "not interested" into a real objection you can actually work with. If you're learning how to sell, how to cold call, or how to build a sales career that doesn't rely on being pushy, this is the skill to start with. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: The One Skill Every Salesperson Needs 00:00:36 The Microsoft CEO Quote: Why Empathy is the Hardest Skill 00:01:48 Can Empathy Be Taught: Nature vs Nurture 00:02:42 The Home Test: When Problem Solving Kills Connection 00:04:01 Beyond the Transcript: Reading Tone and Body Language 00:04:47 The Ten Out of Ten Problem: Testing Real Empathy 00:05:49 The Summary Technique: Your First Empathy Skill 00:07:49 Nooks Ad: Stop Cold Calling on Your Mobile 00:08:21 Labeling and Mirroring Masterclass: The Theory 00:10:21 Live Role Play: Empathy Skills in Action 00:13:41 Common Mistakes: Mirroring the Wrong Phrases 00:15:03 The Low Stakes Practice Game: Try This at Home 00:15:47 Active Listening: The Foundation of Empathy 00:16:44 Secret Mission: The Wham Challenge for 850 Pounds What you'll learn in this clip: Why Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella calls empathy the hardest skill to learn How empathy actually works on a cold call, and what fake empathy sounds like to a prospect The difference between empathy and being "nice" in sales, and why nice salespeople lose deals How to use empathy to handle objections instead of fighting them Why empathy is the fastest way to build trust with a stranger on the phone How to train empathy as a sales skill, not a personality trait Whether you're in cold calling, SDR work, account executive sales, recruitment, or you're a founder doing your own outbound, this is the skill that compounds. #Sales #ColdCalling #Empathy #SalesTraining #B2BSales #SalesTips #SatyaNadella #Microsoft #HowToSell #SalesSkills #ObjectionHandling #SDR #Prospecting #WeHaveAMeeting Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have a Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Tom Hunt is the founder and CEO of Fame, the B2B podcast agency he's bootstrapped to around $4.5m ARR with 70+ full-time staff and $0 raised. Fame now starts and grows 300+ B2B podcasts around the world. Before Fame, Tom quit management consulting in 2014 and, by his own count, tried and failed with 17 businesses before one finally stuck. Those failures taught him more about attention, distribution and demand than any of the wins ever did. Today he's one of the most-watched voices in B2B marketing. A LinkedIn Top Voice, host of Confessions of a B2B Entrepreneur and Cash Machines, and the founder most other founders quietly copy the day they decide to start posting. He joins Jack and Zac for an honest, tactical chat about how to become impossible to ignore online. How to build a personal brand that actually generates pipeline instead of vanity likes, why most founder content gets scrolled past, what B2B podcasting really does for a sales team, and how he built a 70-person company without a penny of outside money. What you'll learn in this episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Tom Hunt, Founder of Fame 00:02:25 The Fame Formula: How Taylor Swift Built Her Brand Twice 00:03:29 The Three Ways People Mess Up Their Podcast Launch 00:05:32 The Top Podcast Lists Strategy: Free Organic Traffic 00:09:53 The Intercom Deal: How One Guest Paid for the Podcast 9X Over 00:18:05 The Rollercoaster Years: 15 Failed Businesses Before Fame 00:24:44 The SaaS Hacker Newsletter: Building the Audience First 00:29:16 The Anatomy of a Viral LinkedIn Post: Face, Hook, and Rage 00:33:43 The HR Content Switch: Trading Relevance for Numbers 00:39:46 Building Culture Remotely: The Four Values That Drive Fame #B2BMarketing #PersonalBranding #FounderLedMarketing #LinkedInGrowth #ContentMarketing #Podcasting #Bootstrapping #Entrepreneurship #B2BSales #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Tom: LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tomhuntio X: https://x.com/tomhuntio Fame: https://www.fame.so Cash Machines newsletter & podcast: https://www.tomhunt.io Hear more from the hosts: Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: the AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have a Meeting: new episodes every week with founders, sales leaders and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

Josh White is the co-founder and CEO of Cano Water, the UK drinks brand that helped pioneer canned water as an alternative to single-use plastic bottles. The idea was born after a trip to Thailand with friends, where he witnessed the scale of plastic pollution firsthand — a moment that turned into a mission and, eventually, a business. Before water, Josh ran an events company bringing together some of the biggest names in grime and electronic music across the UK. In this episode, Josh joins Jack and Zac for a candid conversation about building Cano Water from an idea people initially dismissed into one of the UK’s fastest-growing drinks brands, the reality of bootstrapping a physical product business, and how his own personal struggles growing up shaped the way he leads and builds today. What you’ll learn in this episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet Josh White, Founder of Cano Water 00:01:39 The Troubled Kid: ADHD, Addiction, and Rehab at 15 00:12:15 Finding Purpose Through Music: The Events Company Journey 00:17:40 Rock Bottom to Reborn: The Turning Point at 21 00:19:43 The Thailand Trip: How Cano Water Was Born 00:37:48 The ADHD Superpower: From Problem to Solution in Seconds 00:33:49 Wrapping Cans in Mum's Kitchen: The Scrappy Early Days 00:35:36 The Selfridges Miracle: Perfect Timing and Saying Yes with Nothing 00:48:12 Taking On Liquid Death: How Cano Survived the American Giant 00:57:37 The Future of Cano: Staying True to the Mission #Entrepreneurship #BrandBuilding #FounderStory #CanoWater #SustainableBusiness #ProductInnovation #Marketing #Bootstrapping #WeHaveAMeeting Connect with Josh: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/joshwhite2201 🔗 Cano Water: https://canowater.com Hear more from the Hosts: 🔗 Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b 🔗 Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have a Meeting: New episodes every week with founders, sales leaders, and entrepreneurs who’ve built it from the ground up.

From Bartender's Verdict to 2 Billion Bottles: The Man Who Invented Baileys - David Gluckman David Gluckman is the drinks industry legend who created Baileys Irish Cream, Tanqueray Ten, Cîroc, The Singleton, Sheridan's, Aqua Libra and more during his 40-year career at IDV (now Diageo). He's the author of "That Sh*t Will Never Sell" — the book named after the verdict a colleague gave when he first tasted the muddy-brown liquid that went on to sell over two billion bottles. In one of the most candid, funny, and idea-obsessed founder conversations we've had, David takes us inside the real, messy process of inventing the brands that ended up in millions of homes worldwide — including the flops nobody remembers alongside the wins everybody does. What you'll learn in this episode: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet David Gluckman, The Man Behind Baileys 00:02:31 The Fear Factor: Why Creative Work is a 24-7 Obsession 00:03:56 The One Answer Philosophy: Why 48 Ideas is 47 Too Many 00:06:00 The Hard-Looking Bastard: Designing for the Sales Force 00:07:41 Ciroc and Grape Vodka: The Story That Got Away 00:13:19 The Consumer Research Problem: Why 9 Out of 10 Means You Have Crap 00:15:53 The Singleton Strategy: Selling Single Malt to Blended Whiskey Drinkers 00:18:00 Burn the Boats: Why Plan B is for Losers 00:19:12 The Smirnoff Black Challenge: Getting a Michelin Star for KFC 00:24:35 The Australian Rum Disaster: When Ego Kills a Great Idea 00:29:24 The Power of One Word: Finding Vitality in Roger's Thesaurus 00:33:48 Setting Trends Not Following Them: The Birth of Alcopops 00:37:12 The Baileys Secret: Why Passion Beats Product Every Time 00:39:53 The Baileys Mystery: How a Brand Survives 51 Years of Bad Marketing 00:41:47 The Final Question: Is Your Product Really Good Enough #Entrepreneurship #BrandBuilding #FounderStory #Baileys #DrinksIndustry #ProductInnovation #Marketing #Bootstrapping #WeHaveAMeeting About David Gluckman: Creator of Baileys Irish Cream, Tanqueray Ten, Cîroc, The Singleton, Sheridan's, Aqua Libra and more. Spent 40 years at IDV (now Diageo) building some of the world's most recognisable drinks brands from scratch. Author of "That Sh*t Will Never Sell" (2nd edition), a book about the ideas behind the brands, told by the person who had them. Connect with David: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gluckman-7a7bb29 🔗 Book & more: https://www.thatshitwillneversell.com 🔗 Author site: https://davidgluckmanauthor.com Hear more from the Hosts: 🔗 Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b 🔗 Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b Brought to you by Nooks: The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. Learn more at https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Subscribe to We Have a Meeting: New episodes every week with founders, sales leaders, and entrepreneurs who've built it from the ground up.

How to sell your business: James Ashford built GoProposal from a WordPress plugin and exited to Sage. This is the full story. For founders, agency owners and accountants who want a business that runs, grows and sells without them. James Ashford turned a pricing problem in one accountancy firm into GoProposal, software that let the most junior team member price and sell complex services in under five minutes. In this episode he answers the questions every founder types into Google at 2am: how do I know if I have a business or just a job? How do you actually sell a software company? And what happens to your mental health after the exit? He also opens up about the breakdown that followed the sale, and the inner child work that rebuilt him. Buy his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1781339872?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_GQR6D38EGKM6069R9J0J_3&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_GQR6D38EGKM6069R9J0J_3&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_GQR6D38EGKM6069R9J0J_3&bestFormat=true Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: Meet James Ashford, Serial Entrepreneur 00:03:19 The Sales Problem: Why Business Owners Can't Let Go 00:05:59 The Restaurant Analogy: How Accountants Price Like Amateurs 00:08:05 The Accountancy Breakthrough: Solving the Same Problem Over and Over 00:14:01 The Four Grand Launch: Building a SaaS Business on WordPress 00:16:32 The Waiting List Strategy: 100 Customers in 30 Days 00:19:54 The Shock and Awe Pack: Customer Retention Through Physical Gifts 00:22:03 The Five Million Pound Goal: Getting Your Wife on the Journey 00:23:49 Taking Over the Space: The Conor McGregor Mentality 00:27:07 The Discounting Problem: How You Train Bad Clients 00:29:30 The Sticking Points: When Revenue Hits a Wall at 18K and 53K 00:34:21 The Competitor Blindside: Losing 25 Percent of Customers Overnight 00:37:11 The Oversuite Launch: Turning Crisis Into a New Product Line 00:38:12 Built to Sell: Manifesting the Acquisition From Day One 00:40:26 The Negotiation That Started Everything: Could We Buy You Instead 00:44:03 Putting On Your Best Suit: Going to Market With an M and A Firm 00:46:02 The Day the Money Hits: Why Everything Felt Exactly the Same 00:47:40 The Loss No One Talks About: Purpose, Team, and Identity 00:48:42 From Apple Tree to Apples: The Shift From Making to Managing Money 00:49:14 Playing to Win Versus Playing Not to Lose: The Corporate Shock 00:51:31 The Breakdown: On Your Hands and Knees at the Side of the Road 00:57:57 The Inner Child and Small T Trauma: Understanding What Drives Us 00:59:49 Equine Therapy and Breath Work: The Journey to Healing 01:00:45 The Final Question: Where Is the Gift in This Moment FRAMEWORKS COVERED The Restaurant Pricing Method | Built to Sell | "Where's the Gift?" | "Who Do I Need to Be?" | The 2-4% Finance Rule | Small t Trauma and Inner Child Healing ABOUT JAMES ASHFORD James Ashford is the founder of GoProposal, the pricing and proposal software acquired by Sage. He now invests in businesses and mentors entrepreneurs, with a focus on founders raising young families. Find James on LinkedIn and Instagram, and @thejamesashford on TikTok. https://jamesashford.com/ YOUR HOSTS Jack Frimston and Zac Thompson are the co-founders of We Have A Meeting, the B2B sales agency behind the Sales Is Therapy method. 🌍 https://wehaveameeting.com 📖 Get the book: https://salesstherapy.com THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY NOOKS The AI dialler that helps your sales team have more conversations: https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting SUBSCRIBE for weekly conversations with founders, sales leaders and psychologists: https://www.youtube.com/@wehaveameeting?sub_confirmation=1 If you're searching for how to sell your business, how to build a SaaS company with no funding, how to price your services, or what a business exit actually feels like, this episode covers it all. James Ashford shares the GoProposal story from WordPress plugin to Sage acquisition, including value pricing for accountants.

Who cold calls better — the UK or the USA? In this LIVE cold calling battle, Jack (USA) and Zac (UK) go head-to-head, dialing real prospects back-to-back to find out whose style, tone, and script actually book more meetings. Building something cool? Running a business? Join our FREE WhatsApp community - https://www.wehaveameetingpodcast.co.uk/ Generate more leads: https://www.wehaveameeting.com Watch as two very different cold calling styles clash in real time: British directness vs. American energy. You'll hear the openers, the objection handling, the pivots, and the moments where each caller either books the meeting or gets hung up on — all live, unscripted, and unfiltered. If you're in sales, SDR, or lead generation, this is a masterclass in how cultural style shapes cold calling success — and a fun, brutally honest look at what actually works when you're live on the phone. Check out Nooks here: https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to the Show: UK vs USA Cold Calling Battle Begins 00:01:45 The San Francisco List: Dialing America at 8am 00:03:10 First Blood: Jack's Opening Calls and the Data Problem 00:08:14 The Polite American No: Beverly Hills Brush-Offs 00:11:50 Zac Takes the Stage: Parallel Dialing Mode Activated 00:14:03 The Duncan Conversation: When Persistence Pays Off 00:19:47 Jack's Revenge: The Real Work Beatdown 00:21:50 The Embroidery Company: Mark's Marketing Agency 00:24:14 Connection Rate Reality Check: UK 10-30% vs US 5-10% 00:35:48 The Five Second Challenge: When Prospects Give You No Time 00:37:44 Jerry the Berry: The Gatekeeper Transfer That Goes Nowhere 00:39:37 The Dr. Sean Marathon: A Masterclass in Discovery 00:52:54 The Debrief: Who Won UK vs USA

In this episode, we sit down with Sean McPheat, Founder and CEO at MTD Training and Skillshub for one of the most brutally honest, emotionally raw, and strategically revealing conversations about what it really takes to survive 25 years in business, why a Tony Robbins weekend walking across hot coals convinced him to quit his £100k corporate job at age 29, and why most people fail in entrepreneurship because they go into it half pregnant instead of fully committing to the fight. We reveal why just because you're good at something doesn't mean you'll be good at leading a business doing that thing, why decorators and painters are brilliant at their craft but terrible at answering emails and sending invoices, and why the acid test question for entrepreneurship is whether you want to be old looking back with regret about all the things you didn't do. More From Sean: https://www.seanmcpheat.com/ Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Nooks* The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit: https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we dive into Samuel Leeds, property entrepreneur and course creator, for one of the most divisive, brutally honest, and strategically revealing conversations about whether he's a legitimate property investor helping people build wealth or a course selling shyster using rage bait and fear mongering to drive clicks and sales. We break down his viral content teaching kids how to buy houses with the bank's money, why flying his children in economy while he sits in first class sparked outrage across the internet, and whether that's actually good parenting or just another algorithmic stunt designed to boost impressions when engagement drops. You'll hear why his appearance on the Gary Economics documentary raised questions about his sales tactics, why telling people to take out loans they can't afford to buy property courses is dangerous advice that Gary Economics was right to call out, and why those that can do and those that can't teach. We reveal why AI scaremongering has become the new FOMO marketing tactic creating urgency around property investment, why claiming your investment properties will hold value when AI takes everyone's jobs ignores the reality that nobody will have money to buy houses if the economy collapses, and why people need to stop being sold on fear and start engaging the rational part of their brain before taking out loans that put strain on their families. You'll hear why Samuel's social media strategy feels all over the place, why his networking content of a nervous 17 year old trying to find investors at a party is bizarre, and why ethical sales means giving people the bad news upfront instead of getting them excited in the moment only for remorse to hit them later. We leave you with one challenge: post a picture of Samuel Leeds and ask Samuel, are you from Leeds, tag us in the comments, and the first person to do it wins 500 pounds while the second person gets the mystery prize. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Kent Bray, former Citibank trader and therapeutic counselor, for one of the most brutally honest, emotionally raw, and strategically revealing conversations about what it really takes to survive in the trading world, why cocaine addiction nearly destroyed everything he built, and why the man who sat beside Gary Stevenson every day says parts of that viral city backstory aren't true. We break down the reality of trading at one of the world's biggest banks, why losing $5 million in a day taught Kent more about resilience than any win ever could, and why the best traders have an innate ability to disseminate information with perfect timing and conviction that separates them from everyone else. You'll hear why Kent made $34 million one year after being down to zero at six months because he was doing three grams of cocaine every morning, why he made $4 million over a weekend by accident while doing coke in his apartment overlooking the Thames, and why colleagues started asking if he had cancer or AIDS because he'd lost so much weight. Kent reveals why Gary Stevenson's claim of being the most profitable trader globally at Citibank isn't truthful according to WhatsApp messages he still has, why Gary sat on a million dollar seat doing nothing after falling out with the bank over unvested stock, and why being genuine and authentic matters more than any cause when you're building credibility. You'll hear why Kent went from 90 kilograms to 63 kilograms as a raging drug addict doing 20 to 30 grams a week, why he's now nine years eight months clean and sober helping professional men who feel like there's no one to talk to, and why his greatest achievement isn't what he achieved but what he overcame. We reveal why a wealth tax would absolutely devastate the UK through intellectual property and wealth migration, why millionaires don't like free handouts because they worked their guts out for everything they have, and why penalising success instead of rewarding it sends a horrible message to entrepreneurs. Kent leaves us with two powerful questions: what's your dream and why aren't you going for it, and where does truth sit in amongst your cause? More from Kent: Website: Kent Bray Counselling and Mentoring Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down to react to Gary Economics, the viral internet economist from Ilford, for one of the most brutally honest, divisive, and strategically revealing conversations about whether his message is genuinely helping poor people or just creating rage bait that oversimplifies incredibly complex economic problems into bite sized chunks that lose all their nuance. We reveal why 81% of entrepreneurs have had some sort of crappy sales job like door to door or cold calling before they became successful, why growing up poor and facing adversity should leave you inspired by people who've been there and done it rather than scared by someone telling you the system is rigged, and why the antidote to Gary's message would be sitting him down with someone who can walk him through how quickly you can start making money if you actually try instead of just arguing big picture points that always have holes in them. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

Sign Tom's Petition to help lower VAT: https://www.vatstheproblem.co.uk/ In this episode, we sit down with Tom Kerridge, Michelin starred chef and hospitality entrepreneur, for one of the most brutally honest and strategically revealing conversations about why opening a restaurant today would be financial suicide, why even packed restaurants operating at full capacity are barely breaking even, and why the margins in hospitality have been completely obliterated by a perfect storm of food inflation, energy costs, national insurance hikes, and minimum wage increases that have made profitability almost impossible. We break down the numbers behind the crisis: cooking oil and beef have gone up over 100% in the last five years, utility bills have skyrocketed, national insurance contributions have been driven incredibly high, and minimum wage increases mean a 22 year old working 45 hours a week now costs over £30,000 a year instead of £21,000. You'll hear why a hospitality business employing just 10 people at minimum wage has seen wage costs increase by 80 to 100 grand a year, wiping out any profit margin that existed before food inflation and energy costs even come into play. Tom reveals why he wouldn't open a restaurant today without the right conditions, why taking your business to the gym and tightening everything up without losing your DNA is the only way to survive right now, and why the moment you start de-skilling and buying pre-bought product it becomes a race to the bottom that destroys the entire UK food scene we've built over 25 years. You'll hear why 21 businesses are shutting every week, why the country is being run by the accountant instead of the operators, and why nobody's successful business is run by the accountant because operators make decisions about growth while accountants just monitor spreadsheets. More from Tom: Website: https://www.vatstheproblem.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheftomkerridge/?hl=en Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

Sign Tom's Petition to help lower VAT: https://www.vatstheproblem.co.uk/ In this episode, we sit down with Tom Kerridge, Michelin starred chef and hospitality entrepreneur, for one of the most tactical, politically charged, and strategically brilliant conversations about what it really takes to create change at government level, why this isn't Tom Kerridge versus Keir Starmer but a coordinated industry wide movement, and why being officially fucking loud matters more than following official petition processes if you actually want Treasury to listen. You'll hear why Tom warned government beforehand that this campaign was coming, why he's been invited into meetings with the Business and Trade Secretary who understands that VAT reduction is the key lever to hospitality survival, and why front bench ministers already know this works because they're doing 5% VAT on kids meals this summer to encourage theme park visits. We reveal why this has become cross party with Nigel Farage, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, Andy Burnham, and Angela Rayner all backing hospitality VAT reduction, and why Tom is deliberately building regional ambassadors up and down the country so this doesn't become about one celebrity chef but about saving the pub just around the corner from you. More from Tom: Website: https://www.vatstheproblem.co.uk/ Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference, for one of the most raw, tactical, and psychologically charged conversations about what it really takes to negotiate like your life depends on it, why sales is helping and not manipulation, and why most people fail in negotiation because they're too afraid to call out the negatives before the other side even thinks them. We break down the psychology of mirroring and why repeating one to three words keeps people talking without draining their mental energy the way what and how questions do, why what questions uncover problems and how questions uncover solutions, and why why questions trigger defensiveness and make people say what the fuck is it to you inside their head. You'll hear why fair is an emotional word you have to be careful with, why giving time back in someone's day is something nobody else does for them, and why the last impression is the lasting impression! More from Chris: Website: https://www.blackswanltd.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Brad Pickett, former WEC and UFC fighter, for one of the most raw, honest, and emotionally charged conversations about what it really takes to survive in the cage, why most fighters retire because they either lose their job or their body gives out, and why building a brand outside the octagon is just as important as learning how to throw a punch if you want to actually make money in this sport. We dive into the reality that Brad didn't find fighting until he was 25, started boxing just to get fit, and somehow ended up competing against the best fighters in the world including Demetrius Johnson, one of the greatest of all time, and beat him using wrestling even though he'd never wrestled a day in his life before MMA. You'll hear why backstage before a fight felt like waiting for a death sentence, why he hated sparring at first but loved it once he got cracked in the nose, and why the mental side of fighting is harder than any physical challenge you'll ever face. You'll hear why the UK MMA scene was so far behind America that Brad had to fly to American Top Team for every fight camp, why selling 200 tickets made him more valuable to promoters than being the best fighter on the card, and why wearing a trilby hat and braces to honor his granddad who did bare knuckle boxing at night to support his family became the brand that made him unforgettable. Brad leaves us with one powerful question: have you maximized the amount of hours you had in your day to your full potential, because everyone has the same 24 hours, and what you do with them is the only currency that actually matters. More from Brad: Instagram: @oneone_punch Gym: Greybury and Top Team (GBTT_HQ on Instagram) Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

We break down the cold call opener that's absolutely flying right now for one of their marketing clients: calling up and saying you've been looking at their content online, you've had a thought, and asking if you can fly through why you chose to call. You'll hear why this works, how to back it up with actual research so you don't get caught out, and why having the website and LinkedIn page open before you dial is non negotiable if you want to avoid looking like an idiot. We reveal why adding friction to your callbacks instead of rushing to book the meeting actually increases conversions, whether that's saying you're not 100% sure if it's relevant yet or asking which team they think they should be put in front of. You'll hear why making the prospect earn the next step works the same way Rolex and Ferrari do, and why assumptive callbacks with a bit of hesitation create more engaging conversations than desperate ones. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Simon Rogerson, co-founder and CEO of Octopus Group, for a raw and unfiltered conversation about why META is actively destroying human connection, why most businesses fail because entrepreneurs lack the resilience to survive the brutal early years, and why giving founders too much capital is often the worst thing you can do if you want them to actually succeed. We dive into the reality that most businesses are selfish, short-termist, and borderline sociopathic because they only care about the bottom line and shareholders, ignoring every other stakeholder that actually matters. Simon challenges the idea that AI will replace human connection, arguing instead that technology should free us up for deeper relationships, not isolate us further behind screens and virtual friends like Mark Zuckerberg wants us to believe. You'll hear why the best entrepreneurs are given too little capital, not too much, forcing them to make smarter decisions and avoid pissing money up against the wall on bad hires and rushed moves. Simon reveals how Octopus didn't start with a grand mission but with frustration and survival, hitting tiny milestones one at a time until they could finally ask themselves what they were actually building and why it mattered. We explore the uncomfortable truth that META has done more for social isolation than any other company in history, why human beings desperately need to belong to something real, and why the next five to ten years will be a sick continuation of what's already happening to our kids who can't put their phones down. Simon leaves us with one powerful question: if the company you work for was a person, would you want to be friends with it? If the answer is no, you probably need to get another job. More from Simon: Website: https://www.octopusgroup.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/

In this episode, we sit down with Simon Rogerson, co-founder and CEO of Octopus Group, an enterprise spanning energy, investments, real estate, and special needs schools, for one of the most honest, grounded, and philosophically charged conversations about what it really takes to build a business that isn't just profitable but actually worth being proud of when you look back on your life. More from Simon: Website: https://www.octopusgroup.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we take you inside a brutally honest live cold calling session where Jack, Zac, and special guest Jeb Blunt Jr. dial prospects in real time, proving that even the best salespeople face rejection after rejection and that success in cold calling isn't about magic scripts but about consistency, resilience, and the willingness to keep dialing when everyone else has given up. We break down the psychology of cold calling frameworks, from Jeb's five step approach that grabs attention and builds curiosity in seconds to Jack and Zac's authentic British style that uses contradiction callouts and sounds like statements to disarm prospects. You'll hear the difference between asking for a meeting straight away versus building curiosity first, why calling out contradictions can either open doors or start arguments if you're not careful, and how to handle brush off objections like send me an email without letting polite prospects off the hook. We expose the reality of AI assistants screening calls, the emotional strain of dialing through gatekeepers and voicemails, and why tools like Nooks matter when you're trying to maximize conversations instead of wasting time manually dialing. You'll witness live conversations with prospects who are too polite to hang up, business owners who are genuinely at capacity, and one retired gentleman who definitely does not want a meeting. More from Jeb: LinkedIn: JBJ (Jeb Blunt Jr.) Book: 90 Days to Level Up Your Sales Skills Website: https://www.salesgravy.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Ella McCrystal, psychotherapist, TEDx speaker, author, and director of the Northampton Clinic, for one of the most raw, honest, and scientifically grounded conversations about trauma, anxiety, ADHD, and what it really takes to heal when your body remembers everything your mind tries to forget. If you've ever wondered whether your anxiety is just who you are, whether your body is trying to tell you something your mind refuses to hear, or whether healing is even possible when the damage feels too deep, this episode will give you the permission to stop waiting for someone else to fix you and start understanding that your nervous system, your cells, and your brain are all capable of change if you're willing to do the work. More from Ella: Instagram: @ellamccrystal Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we dive into one of the most uncomfortable conversations of our time: how social media, broken family structures, and a failing education system are fundamentally rewiring the brains of an entire generation, and why the solution isn't more diagnoses but a complete rethinking of how we raise, educate, and protect young people in a world that profits from their attention. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we take you inside a brutally honest cold call roasting session where Jack and Zac tear apart their own old sales calls from two to three years ago, proving that even the best salespeople cringe at their past selves and still have room to grow. We break down what actually works in cold calling, from delivering openers like punchlines to the art of matching your prospect's energy, why curiosity is the one skill you can't fake, and how genuine interest beats any script. You'll hear the difference between hard disqualification that kills deals versus soft qualification that opens conversations, why asking the same question twice in different ways is a rookie mistake, and how to spot problems prospects don't even know they have yet. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

Ever wondered how much the BBC actually pays you to appear on Dragons' Den? In this clip, we find out exactly what the dragons were paid to sit in that famous chair and it's a lot less than you'd think. We also hear the story of how he almost turned down Dragons' Den entirely, how Duncan Bannatyne convinced him to reconsider, and what it was really like behind the scenes on one of the BBC's biggest shows. More from Simon: Book: Yo Man https://www.amazon.co.uk (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yo-Man-Simon-Woodroffe/dp/1399610848) Website: https://www.yo.co.uk Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/

In this episode, we sit down with Simon Woodroffe, founder of Yo Sushi and Yotel, one of the original dragons on BBC's Dragon's Den, and one of the most unlikely success stories British entrepreneurship has ever produced. A man who spent three decades behind the scenes, designing stages and rigging lights for some of the biggest names in music before reinventing himself at 45 to build two iconic brands that changed hospitality forever. If you've ever felt like an imposter, struggled with the fear of failure, or wondered whether it's too late to start something big, this episode will give you the permission to stop waiting and start building the life you actually want. More from Simon: Book: Yo Man https://www.amazon.co.uk (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yo-Man-Simon-Woodroffe/dp/1399610848) Website: https://www.yo.co.uk Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

Rory breaks down why AI in the hands of procurement and finance teams will be catastrophic, how the shareholder value movement since the 1980s has created a managerial Ponzi scheme that misaligns leadership with everyone else in the company, and why the purpose of a business should never be profit maximization but the discovery of new sources of value. He explains why Octopus Energy is now bigger than British Gas by focusing on customer service instead of cost cutting, how Herbert Simon's Nobel Prize winning philosophy completely contradicts Milton Friedman's shareholder value doctrine, and why businesses that optimize for efficiency instead of discovery will make terrible decisions faster with AI. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Amelia, a personal branding strategist who's built a thriving business helping founders scale from £250k to £50 million by turning their personal brands into revenue generating machines, not vanity metrics. If you're a founder struggling to win inbound leads, wondering whether personal branding is worth the time, or trying to figure out how to stand out in a world where everyone sounds the same, this episode will give you the exact playbook to stop hiding behind your logo and start building a brand that makes you money. More from Amelia: Website: https://klowt.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we take you inside a live cold calling session where nothing goes according to plan, proving that even the best salespeople have to deal with technical disasters, brutal rejections, and prospects who just want to eat their dinner in peace. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsor Nooks! Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Hancock, former UK Health Secretary, tech entrepreneur, and now a leading voice in health technology innovation, who breaks down the art of decision making under pressure and why most people are afraid to make the call when it matters most. Matt explains why taking decisions quickly is a strength until it becomes a weakness, how to know when you have enough information to act, and why the most senior people only see the hardest decisions because the easy ones get taken elsewhere. He reveals the difference between decisions that need thinking time versus decisions that should take 60 seconds, why sleeping on a decision is a legitimate strategy, and how indecision is itself a decision with consequences. We dive into the psychology of group decision making, why cabinet government is essentially non hierarchical compared to business, and how write rounds in Whitehall slow down ambition but create accountability. Matt shares why businesses with single decision makers can spend 80 billion on failed projects like the metaverse, how to structure organizations so the right decisions get escalated, and why compromise is the foundation of any successful negotiation. If you're stuck on a decision, wondering whether to take a risk, or trying to understand how to lead better under pressure, this episode will give you the frameworks to stop prevaricating and start taking action. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting Chapters 00:00:00 Who Is Matt Hancock: From Tech to Health Secretary 00:03:26 The First Principles of Decision Making: Choosing to Decide 00:05:45 When You Have All the Information But Still Get It Wrong 00:07:41 The Psychology of Group Decision Making: From Individuals to Cabinets 00:10:58 Government vs Business: The Hierarchical Decision Making Divide 00:14:53 The Art of Influence: Understanding Your Audience and Their Influencers 00:16:26 Thinking Fast and Slow: The Mental Models That Matter 00:19:30 AI as Your Junior Team Member: Where Humans Still Win 00:28:42 The Driverless Car Paradox: Why We Demand Perfection From AI 00:22:11 AI in Healthcare: The Sepsis Detection Revolution 00:35:04 Trade-Offs and Pareto Optimization: No Decision Is 100 Percent 00:37:10 Deadlines and Pressure: The Consequences of Indecision 00:41:59 The Beast Games Effect: How Group Size Changes Decision Dynamics 00:48:07 The Steve Jobs Audacity: When Knowing What People Want Is a Lie 00:51:10 The Decision Framework: Consequence, Reversibility and Information 00:53:11 The Prevarication Question: What Decision Are You Avoiding

In this episode, we break down 20 minutes of the most brutally honest sales advice you'll ever hear from Rory Sutherland, Daniel Priestley, and Benjamin Dennehey, three of the sharpest minds in business, marketing, and sales. We dive into Daniel's 3000 DM strategy, the exact approach he used to launch Score App without a massive audience, and why cold outreach still beats posting on social media when you're starting from zero. Rory explains the difference between transactional and relational capitalism, why America's most successful car salesman asked a completely different question to everyone else, and how businesses obsessed with short term efficiency gains are destroying long term customer value. Benjamin reveals why most salespeople are lazy, how to spot the symptoms of a broken sales team, and why sales reps spend more time getting their emotional needs met than actually closing deals. He breaks down the permission based opener that statistically outperforms everything else, why LinkedIn is full of validation seeking gurus, and how to qualify prospects properly instead of living on hope and quotes that go nowhere. We also discuss the cold calling versus texting debate, why Daniel refuses to take unscheduled calls but will read a long text, and how forcing customers into cheap channels to reduce transaction costs is fundamentally misdirected. Rory shares the online travel business lesson that proves maximizing low cost channels isn't the same as maximizing value, and why customers who complain and get their problem resolved become more loyal than those who never had a problem in the first place. If you're launching a business without an audience, struggling to get your sales team to perform, or wondering why your outreach isn't converting, this episode will give you the unfiltered strategies that actually work. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Holly Matthews, self development coach, founder of the Happy Me project, best selling author, and former TV actress who went from being a child star on Byker Grove to navigating grief, rejection, and reinvention in the most public way possible. Holly breaks down why most people are terrified of success, not failure, how childhood experiences shape our adult confidence, and why wearing a mask to fit in only works until it doesn't. She explains why she started vlogging during her husband's terminal illness, how grief became the catalyst for building a business that helps thousands, and why being your weirdest self is the only way to live without regrets. Holly also reveals why she removed someone from her membership for the first time, how she uses swearing as a litmus test for whether people will vibe with her energy, and why her daughter's viral video about homelessness led to death threats, a BBC controversy, and eventually a spot on Little Big Shots with Dawn French. If you're struggling with confidence, people pleasing, or wondering whether it's okay to be unapologetically yourself, this episode will give you permission to stop performing and start living. More from Holly: Website: https://www.hollymatthews.com Instagram: @hollymatthews Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham Nooks The AI powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

Join Prospeos upcoming webinar https://shorturl.at/cROZT In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tara, a certified sexologist, 10 year professor, and the voice behind millions of followers who trust her to talk about the things most people are too afraid to say out loud. Dr. Tara breaks down why sexual confidence isn't just about what happens in the bedroom, but how it shows up in dating, relationships, and even career negotiations. She explains the Madonna whore complex, why men in high powered roles seek out dominatrix training, and how she went from teaching sex education in a university to becoming a professional dominatrix to truly understand power dynamics. We discuss why the lack of sexual connection in long term relationships is an epidemic, how sexual desire discrepancy destroys intimacy, and the uncomfortable truth that many women no longer find their partners attractive but won't say it out loud. Dr. Tara also shares why she turned down AI companies wanting to create a virtual version of her, the difference between traditional and kinky sexual profiles, and why most people have never been taught how to have good sex but are too ashamed to admit it. She explains why feedback during sex is non negotiable, how to ask for what you want without sounding demanding, and why the first symptom of a failing relationship always shows up in the bedroom. If you've ever struggled with sexual confidence, felt disconnected from your partner, or wondered why sex becomes the last priority in long term relationships, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about intimacy, desire, and what it really means to feel fulfilled. More from Dr. Tara: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luvbites.co/ Book: How Do You Like It? A Guide For Getting What You Want In Bed - https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=32314279449&dest=GBR Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, Jack and Zac dive into the chaotic world of job interviews by reacting to the most cringeworthy moments from The Apprentice, breaking down exactly what not to do when your career is on the line. We also cover the psychology behind buttering up interviewers, why referring to yourself in the third person is a red flag, and how to recover when you're asked to prove something you clearly don't know. They explain why preparation matters more than charisma, how to answer what would your friends say about you without sounding arrogant or insane, and why the best interviewers will always push you to back up vague statements with concrete proof. If you've ever panicked in an interview, blanked on a simple question, or wondered how people make it through hiring processes despite being wildly unprepared, this episode will make you laugh, cringe, and rethink how you show up when it matters most. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Levi Levenfiche, co-founder of Perfect Ted, the UK's fastest growing matcha brand, who went from funding the business with his own paychecks to negotiating million pound deals with Steven Bartlett. Levi breaks down the reality of building a food and beverage business from a kitchen table, why 99% of startups fail and the odds are even worse in F&B, and how Perfect Ted went from pretending to be a cafe to order matcha samples to becoming the largest matcha brand in the UK by consumption. He explains why they ignored every piece of advice telling them not to launch in Holland & Barrett, how they had four days to get their numbers ready for Dragons' Den, and why knowing your financials inside out is non negotiable if you want to survive the den. We dive deep into what happened after Dragons' Den aired, why it took nearly a year to sign the deal with Steven Bartlett that was shown in minutes on TV, and how they navigated negotiations when the business was doubling month on month. Levi reveals why Stephen isn't the type of investor who grills every number but focuses on brand and storytelling, how accountability changes everything when you're managing someone else's money, and why compromise is the foundation of any successful partnership. More from Levi: LinkedIn: Levi Levenfiche Perfect Ted: https://www.perfectted.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we dive deep into what it really takes to close a deal with one of the biggest investors in the UK, from the moment the cameras stop rolling to the final signature. Our guest walks us through the entire journey of negotiating with Steven Bartlett after appearing on Dragons Den, revealing why it took nearly a year to sign the deal that aired in a matter of minutes. We discuss the reality of managing investor relationships, why valuations become impossible to pin down when you're doubling month on month, and how monumental milestones kept shifting the goalposts during negotiations. They explain why Stephen isn't the kind of investor who grills every number but instead focuses on brand and storytelling, how the dynamic changes when you're suddenly managing someone else's money, and why accountability forces a business to grow up fast. We explore the difference between cutting corners as a scrappy startup and doing everything to regulation when you have an investor on board, why contracts need to be watertight, and how compromise is the foundation of any successful partnership. We also break down the reality of fundraising, from legal due diligence to financial and technical DD, why it takes far longer than anyone expects, and how to navigate difficult conversations without letting tension destroy the relationship. They share why every negotiation has its ups and downs, how to stay aligned when valuations are constantly shifting, and why finding the deal that works for everyone is about pulling different levers until you get there. If you're raising capital, negotiating with investors, or trying to understand what happens after the handshake moment on TV, this episode will give you the unfiltered truth about what it really takes to close a deal and build a genuine partnership. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Moore, a creator who's made over $5 million in brand sponsorships across 600+ deals and now helps thousands of creators monetise their influence. Justin breaks down why most creators approach sponsorships completely wrong, how to get brand deals with zero subscribers, and the exact framework he uses to negotiate partnerships worth tens of thousands of dollars. We discuss the sponsorship continuum, why you need to change your pitch based on where you're at in your journey, and how to serve brands by creating content for them before you have a massive audience. He explains the Arc Framework for understanding what brands actually care about, whether it's awareness, repurposing rights, or conversion, and why your pricing has to change dramatically depending on their goals. Justin shares why you should never have a public rate card, how to get brands to reveal their budget without asking directly, and the hell yeah number that takes the pressure off negotiations. We dive into the rope pitching method for cold outreach, why involving your audience in sponsorship decisions is the secret to landing better deals, and how to turn rejection into future opportunities by treating every no as not yet. Justin also reveals why most creators are being selfish by not offering sponsorships, the power of psychographic research, and how to position yourself as a consultant rather than just another commodified vendor. If you're a creator trying to monetize your platform, struggling to land your first brand deal, or wondering how to turn your content into a sustainable income stream, this episode will give you the exact playbook to start making money from sponsorships today. More from Justin: Book: Sponsor Magnet, available at https://www.sponsormagnet.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Sasha Lord, the founder of Warehouse Project and Parklife Festival, who went from running illegal raves to building the biggest metropolitan festival in the UK and becoming Greater Manchester's first Night Time Economy Advisor. Sasha breaks down what it really takes to survive in the hospitality industry, from handling petrol bombs and gang intimidation in the early days to navigating police raids, environmental health shutdowns, and complaints from Strangeways Prison. He explains why the nighttime economy is on its knees, how the national insurance increase is destroying venues, and why we're losing one pub every single day in the UK. We discuss the relationship between music, drugs, and nightlife, why Instagram and TikTok are killing dance floors, and how the energy in clubs has completely changed. Sasha shares stories from the Hacienda, the explosion of house music and ecstasy, and why the best promoters today are the ones who know every staff member's name and stay sober whilst everyone else is partying. He opens up about selling Warehouse Project and Parklife, why he walked away at 50, and how taking a year off to be a full time dad gave him clarity on what actually matters. We also dive into his legal battle with Matt Hancock during the pandemic, why the 10pm curfew and scotch egg rule were absolute nonsense, and how he forced the government to reverse both decisions in the High Court. If you're trying to build something from nothing, navigating a tough industry, or wondering whether success is worth the sacrifice, this episode will give you the unfiltered truth from someone who's lived it all. More from Sasha: Book: Dance Floor by Sasha Lord, available on Amazon; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Dancefloor-bestselling-nightclub-Manchester/dp/0008656355/ref=asc_df_0008656355?mcid=44d5ec39cea03c0cabe7aa392389e106&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=718870440885&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2663692099079957983&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006634&hvtargid=pla-2393997496693&psc=1&hvocijid=2663692099079957983-0008656355-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1 Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, Jack and Zac break down the one sales technique that separates average reps from top performers: the art of getting real examples from prospects. They explain why most salespeople fail to qualify properly, how to move beyond surface level answers, and the exact questions to ask when a prospect gives you something vague. We discuss the power of heuristics, why stories cement problems in reality, and how to tell the difference between a real pain point and something a prospect just mentioned in passing. Jack and Zac dive into the psychology behind getting someone to complain, moan, and share real stories about their problems. They explain why visibility issues or we're looking for something new aren't good enough answers, how to push prospects to give you the worst example and the most recent example, and why men of a certain age require a different approach to open up. We also cover why defending your question kills the conversation, how to make qualification feel like a natural chat instead of an interrogation, and why if you can nail problem and example, you'll book meetings nine times out of ten. If you're struggling to qualify properly, tired of prospects going cold after discovery calls, or want to understand how to have conversations that actually lead to closed deals, this episode will change how you sell. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Izzy, the corporate agony aunt who's on a mission to revolutionize career advice for people who don't have access to the networks, role models, or dinner table conversations that make navigating the professional world easier. Izzy breaks down how to survive and thrive in corporate culture, from understanding the traffic light system of who you can trust at work to knowing when your boss is a red flag and when they're genuinely in your corner. We discuss why most graduates aren't prepared for the reality of corporate life, how to handle rejection without letting it destroy your confidence, and the exact steps to take when asking for a promotion or pay rise. She explains why preparation is everything in interviews, how to turn weaknesses into strengths by addressing them head on, and why the best questions at the end of an interview aren't scripted but rooted in what you've actually heard. We dive into the reality of performance improvement plans, why HR isn't your friend, and how to navigate toxic bosses without sacrificing your mental health or career progression. Izzy also shares why job hopping isn't the career killer it used to be, how to stand out without being a try hard, and why the hustle culture narrative doesn't work for everyone. She opens up about microaggressions, the challenges of being a brown woman in corporate spaces, and why sometimes the best career advice is knowing when to leave. If you're struggling to navigate office politics, unsure how to ask for what you deserve, or trying to figure out whether corporate life is even for you, this episode will give you the tools, confidence, and clarity to take control of your career. More from Izzy: Instagram: @corporateagonyaunt Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we dive into 20 minutes of pure Rory Sutherland, the advertising legend and behavioral science wizard who makes you see the world completely differently. Rory breaks down why attention spans aren't actually shrinking, they're polarizing. He explains the difference between trends and vectors, why countertrends emerge organically to meet unspoken consumer needs, and how the most valuable role of marketing is discovering what people desperately want but don't know how to ask for. We discuss the power of tiny psychological tweaks like changing delayed to retimed, why entrepreneurs think about luck and risk differently than corporate executives, and how anomalies excite entrepreneurs while annoying everyone else. Rory introduces the concept of status signaling to yourself, the Versace underpants school of thought, and why Nandos succeeds not because it's brilliant but because it's incredibly good at not being bad. He challenges the entire concept of evidence based decision making, argues that science is often misapplied in chaotic environments, and reveals the invisible bottlenecks that businesses never notice, like customers walking past a restaurant for nine years because they didn't realize what it sold. If you want to understand human behavior, question everything you thought you knew about marketing, and learn how the smallest details can make or break a business, this episode will rewire your brain. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/

In this episode, we sit down with Sammie Ellard-King, a personal finance educator who went from 24,000 pounds in debt to building one of the most trusted voices in UK money education. Sammie breaks down why most people don't understand their relationship with money, how he went from reckless spending to financial awareness, and the exact systems anyone can use to take control of their finances in under 10 minutes. We discuss why the school system fails to teach money basics, the psychology behind impulse spending, and how to stop yourself from buying things you'll regret the next morning. He explains the three bank system that works whether you're in debt or have millions, why buying a house isn't always the investment people think it is, and how to use credit cards without destroying your life. Sammie also shares his thoughts on AI's impact on the economy, why traditional pension thinking might not make sense anymore, and why having an emergency fund is more important than any investment strategy. If you're struggling with debt, confused about where to start with money, or just want to understand how to build financial security without feeling judged, this episode will give you the clarity and tools to take your first step. More from Sammie: Gains App: https://gainsapp.com Social Media: @thegainsmoney Free Guides: https://upthegains.co.uk Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, Jack and Zac do what they do best: make live cold calls in front of an audience and show you exactly how it's done. For 37 minutes, you'll hear real conversations with real prospects. Some go brilliantly. Some don't. But every single one is packed with lessons on how to open a call, handle objections, ask the right questions, and book meetings without sounding like every other salesperson. We break down why the first 10 seconds matter more than anything else, how to reverse questions when a prospect asks what you do, and why getting someone talking about their problems is more valuable than pitching your solution. You'll hear how to handle the "we're doing fine" objection, why humor and honesty disarm even the most guarded prospects, and how to stay calm when someone gives you 10 seconds instead of 30. We also discuss why cold calling still works when email doesn't, the psychology behind getting past gatekeepers, and how to know when to push and when to let go. Whether you're terrified of the phone, struggling to book meetings, or just want to see how two experienced sellers handle rejection in real time, this episode will give you the confidence and tactics to pick up the phone and start dialing. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we break down Jordan Belfort's latest venture: a new AI sales tool that claims to replace entire BDR teams. We dissect the marketing campaign, the bold claims, and what this actually means for salespeople. We discuss why automation tools that just send thousands of emails miss the point entirely, how buyers can spot AI outreach from a mile away, and why the human element in sales is more valuable than ever. We dive into the difference between amplification and intelligence, why trust can't be automated, and how the best sales teams are using AI to enhance their work rather than replace it. We also explore why cold calling still wins over mass emailing, the dangers of burning your brand with volume based outreach, and what actually separates good salespeople from bad ones in an AI driven world. If you're wondering whether AI will replace your sales team, worried about new automation tools flooding the market, or trying to figure out how to use technology without losing the human touch, this episode will give you clarity. Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Hirst, a leader who's spent his career walking into broken businesses and fixing them. Chris breaks down what it really takes to lead through change, build high performing teams, and create cultures that actually work. We discuss why most hiring processes are broken, how to negotiate promotions and pay rises, and why networking isn't what most people think it is. He explains the six characteristics that define every great culture, why clarity and action are the only two things that really matter in leadership, and how to make decisions when you're never going to have all the information. Chris shares the exact framework he used to transform a 200 person business from worst to best in three years, why most leaders misunderstand the power balance in hiring, and how to build relationships that actually move your career forward. More from Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishirst/ Books: No Bullshit Leadership, No Bullshit Change, and Indispensable https://chris-hirst.com/books-by-chris-hirst-no-bullsht-leadership-no-bullsht-change-indispensable/ Hear more from the Hosts: Jack https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Keenan and Will Aiken, the duo behind Gap Prospecting, to break down why most outbound sales efforts fail and what actually works when trying to get a buyer's attention. We discuss why prospects ignore us, how sellers have conditioned buyers to block them out, and the psychology behind breaking through the noise. Keenan and Will explain the Problem Identification Chart, why most reps don't understand the problems they solve, and how to ask questions that force buyers to reflect instead of reject. We dive into the two sales you need to make on every call, why attention alone isn't enough, and how to avoid the trap of solution oriented conversations. They share real examples of cold call openers that work, how to handle objections like "we're already doing that," and why familiarity is one of the most underused tools in prospecting. If you're struggling to book meetings, tired of low response rates, or want to understand how to prospect in a way that actually creates trust, this episode will change how you approach outbound forever. More from Keenan and Will: Gap Prospecting Book: Available on Amazon (US, Canada, UK) or direct at https://salesgrowth.com/gap-prospecting/ Keenan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkeenan/ Will Aiken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justwillaitken/ Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Henry Hayes, the marketer who turned comedy into a business strategy and now drives 40% of his company's qualified leads through content alone. Henry breaks down how he went from a dark place two years ago to becoming one of the most distinctive voices in B2B marketing. We discuss why most marketers take themselves too seriously, how he applies consumer marketing tactics to LinkedIn, and the exact framework he uses to turn viral sketches into booked meetings. We also dive into the importance of events, why all marketers need to be good salespeople, and how finding work that feels like play transformed his entire life. If you're struggling to stand out in B2B marketing or wondering how to make content that actually converts, this episode will change your approach. More from Henry: LinkedIn - Henry Hayes https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-hayes-235028104/?originalSubdomain=uk Instagram & TikTok - @henryhayescomedy Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Stoffel, an entrepreneur who went from benefits to millionaire in under a year, and later sold his business for ten million. Sam shares the raw reality of building subscription businesses, the obsession that drove him to work hundred hour weeks, and the mindset shifts that separated him from everyone else. We discuss why specialists win over generalists, the dangers of shiny object syndrome, and how to validate ideas before wasting years on the wrong thing. He opens up about his darkest moment when a supposed billionaire conman nearly destroyed everything he'd built, the legal battle that followed, and how he clawed his way back to a successful exit. Sam breaks down the power of focus, why most entrepreneurs quit too early, and his formula for replicating success in any industry. If you're building a business, struggling with delegation, or trying to figure out what actually moves the needle, this episode will shift your perspective. More from Sam: Instagram - @samstoffel Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit : https://www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this episode, we sit down with Oscar Owen, a YouTube strategist who's cracked the code on what actually makes videos grow. Oscar breaks down the three golden elements of YouTube success: ideation, titles, and thumbnails. We discuss why most creators waste time on production quality when they should be focused on packaging, how to use outliers to validate your ideas before you film, and the psychology behind videos that take off. He explains how to build curiosity through fear and desire, why 55 characters is the magic number for titles, and his framework extraction method for stealing proven formats without copying content. If you're a founder, creator, or business owner trying to grow on YouTube, this episode will completely change how you approach content creation. Learn more about Oscar Here: https://www.youtube.com/@oscarowenbiz Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/

In the snippet from our recent episode with personal branding expert Ash Jones we discuss the importance of creating your personal brand for the long game and how this can lead you and your brand into new opportunities to making millions like Gary Vee and Alex Hormozi. You can catch the full episode now on our channel : https://youtu.be/WBsPaYZZhnY?si=y0qUamvcydxCMKL6 More from Ash and Great Influence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-jones-85363975/?originalSubdomain=uk / https://greatinfluence.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack -https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac -https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/

Peter built a business tackling one of the biggest problems facing young people today: the skills gap. In this episode, we break down why degrees aren’t enough anymore, why CVs are becoming irrelevant, and what actually gets you hired in today’s market. We also touch on how the education system in the UK is affecting todays youth when finding a role in society. More from our Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-m-wood/?originalSubdomain=uk Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit www.nooks.ai/wehaveameeting

In this week’s episode we sit down with Oscar to break down what actually makes YouTube videos grow. We discuss why most creators focus on the wrong things, how titles and thumbnails influence whether people click, and the psychology behind videos that take off. Oscar explains the small change that helped double his views and how anyone building a brand online can apply the same thinking. If you’re a founder, creator, or marketer trying to grow on YouTube, this episode will change how you think about content. Learn more about Oscar Here: https://www.youtube.com/@oscarowenbiz Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit https://www.nooks.ai

In this episode we sit down with Ash Jones, founder of Great Influence, the agency behind the personal brands of Steven Bartlett and Gary Neville. Ash breaks down what it really takes to build a personal brand that creates leverage. We discuss why most founders stay invisible, the difference between attention and authority, and how long-term brand building turns into real commercial advantage. This isn’t about posting for vanity, it’s about owning distribution, building trust, and creating demand over time. If you’re serious about building authority in your industry, this episode is essential. More from Ash and Great Influence:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-jones-85363975/?originalSubdomain=uk /https://greatinfluence.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack -https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac -https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free athttps://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visithttps://www.nooks.ai

In this episode, we sit down with Jodie Cook, An entrepreneur, investor, and founder who built and sold a 7-figure social media agency before turning her focus to AI-powered systems. We talk about building a business from 22, scaling to a team of 20, and what it really takes to create a company you can step away from. Jodie shares how her athlete mindset shaped her success, why most coaches struggle with lead generation, and how AI is transforming the way experts attract clients. This is a conversation about leverage, discipline, scaling smart, and building businesses that don’t rely on you. If you're a founder, coach, or entrepreneur navigating the AI shift, this one’s for you! Enjoy :) Learn more about Jodie - https://www.jodiecook.com Hear more from the Hosts: Jack - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-frimston-5010177b/?originalSubdomain=uk Zac - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-thompson-33a9a39b/ Brought to you by our amazing sponsors: *Prospeo,* the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at https://www.prospeo.io/wham *Nooks* The AI-powered platform helping teams automate outbound sales and book more qualified meetings. To learn more visit https://www.nooks.ai

Salespeople who swear on their calls close 8% more deals. Marketing teams using pink and purple instead of "Series A Blues" get more attention. Companies that avoid pissing anyone off end up exciting no one. In this episode, we sit down with Udi Ledergor, Chief Evangelist and former CMO at Gong, to unpack the psychology behind courageous marketing, the real impact of AI on sales teams, and why being different beats being better every single time. Udi reveals how Gong built one of the most recognizable brands in B2B by rejecting best practices, embracing controversy, and creating a culture where teams feel safe to fail. From the drooling bulldog mascot that made enterprise customers angry, to the viral research on swearing in sales calls, to the plain-text email that generated 700 event registrations in hours—this is a masterclass in standing out in a sea of sameness. We also dive deep into AI: what it can actually do right now, what it can't, and why the creators of ChatGPT don't use ChatGPT to run their revenue teams. Spoiler: AI isn't coming for your job. But salespeople who know how to use AI are coming for the jobs of those who don't. What You'll Learn: Why swearing on sales calls increases win rates by 8% The danger of "best practices" and why boring is the biggest risk in B2B marketing How to build a brand that polarizes—without crossing the line The two buckets of AI: what it can automate vs. what it can guide you on Why OpenAI and Anthropic use Gong to run their revenue teams (and what that tells you about generic LLMs) The plain-text email experiment that got 700 event sign-ups in hours How to create psychological safety on your team so they take risks and do their best work Why indifference is worse than hate when it comes to your messaging From privacy policy emails that went viral, to bulldogs on login screens, to the Starburst logo that refused to fit neatly into a square, this episode will change how you think about marketing, sales, and standing out in 2026. If your brand feels invisible, your messaging feels safe, or your team feels stuck playing by the rules everyone else is playing by, this conversation will give you permission to break free. Sponsored by Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. 98% more effective at finding mobile numbers and email addresses. Try it free at prospeo.io/wham About the Guest: Udi Ledergor is Chief Evangelist and former CMO at Gong, and author of the bestselling book Courageous Marketing: How to Take the Boring Out of B2B. He's known for building bold, unconventional marketing teams and helping sales leaders understand how AI is transforming their world. Find Udi on LinkedIn and grab his book wherever books are sold. Chapters: 00:00 Salespeople Who Swear Close 8% More Deals: The Research That Went Viral 02:15 Who Is Udi Ledergor: From Gong CMO to Chief Evangelist 04:30 Courageous Marketing: Why Different Beats Better Every Time 08:12 The Series A Blues Problem: How Gong Chose Pink and Purple 11:45 The Drooling Bulldog: When Enterprise Customers Hated the Brand 15:20 How to Be Polarizing Without Crossing the Line 19:03 The Plain-Text Email That Got 700 Event Registrations in Hours 23:47 AI vs Automation: What's Actually New and What's Just Rebranded 28:34 The Two Buckets of AI: Automation and Guidance 32:19 Why OpenAI Uses Gong to Run Their Revenue Team 36:55 Are We Losing Critical Thinking by Outsourcing to AI? 41:28 Building Courageous Teams: Psychological Safety and Process Accountability 47:12 The Privacy Policy Email That Went Viral on Twitter 50:45 One Question to Ask Yourself: How Can You Break Away From Boring Practices? #CourageousMarketing #UdiLedergor #Gong #SalesPsychology #AIinSales #B2BMarketing #WeHaveAMeeting

Does dropping an F-bomb actually close more deals? Udi Ledergor shared the data point that shocked the sales world: salespeople who swear on calls have an 8% higher win rate than those who don't. The reaction was instant chaos. One-third of people were appalled, calling it "unprofessional." The other two-thirds? They knew we were onto something real. In this sneak peek with Udi Ledergor, we dive into the controversial "Profanity Study" and the philosophy of Courageous Marketing. Key takeaways: Why "safe" marketing is actually the most dangerous strategy The psychology behind why polarising content wins Why indifference is the true enemy of sales growth Subscribe for the full episode dropping tomorrow! Chapters: 00:00 The Swearing Sales Stat That Broke the Internet 00:35 The Marketer's Dream: When Half Love It and Half Hate It 00:52 The Indifference Problem: If Nobody's Pissed Off, Nobody Cares 01:45 The Core Domain Exercise: Defining Your Brand Identity 02:08 What People Say When You Leave the Room: The Jeff Bezos Brand Test 02:20 From Best Practices to Courageous Marketing: Making the Transition Sponsored by Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. Try it free at prospeo.io/wham #SalesAdvice #CourageousMarketing #B2BMarketing #Polarizing #SalesPsychology #WeHaveAMeeting

You think you’re sending a meeting invite. Your team feels like they’ve just received a summons. In this episode on effective workplace communication, expert Chris Fenning reveals why the "blank calendar invite" is destroying your team's productivity. He shares his 3-part TPO Framework (Topic, Purpose, Output) to cut meeting times in half. What you’ll learn: • How to start every meeting so people instantly know why they’re there • The TPO framework that cuts meeting time in half • The polite sentence that brings a hijacked meeting back on track • How to write emails people actually reply to • How to communicate clearly between teams, experts, and non-experts Chapters: 00:00 The Meeting Framework That Changes Everything: Topic, Purpose, Output 01:14 Who Is Chris Fenning: Helping People Communicate 7% More Efficiently 02:02 The Symptoms of Bad Communication: Glazed Eyes and Endless Meetings 02:51 The First Minute of Every Meeting: Getting Everyone on the Same Page 06:38 The Amazon Six-Page Memo: Why It's Terrible for Most Companies 10:53 Regaining Control: What to Do When Meetings Go Off Track 15:54 The Education Gap: Why Nobody Teaches Us to Communicate at Work 18:48 University of Chris: Building a Communication Curriculum That Actually Works 21:38 Technical Teams vs Business: Bridging the Jargon Gap with Perspective and Impact 24:38 The Email Revolution: Subject Lines, Brevity, and the 30-40% Reduction 34:41 Making Training Stick: The Forgetting Curve and the Power of Repetition 37:23 Energising Your Team: The Anti-Icebreaker Approach to Training 40:33 AI and Communication: Custom GPTs, Chatbots, and the Ikea Success Story About the Guest: Chris Fenning is a communication expert helping technical teams and business leaders speak the same language. Website: chrisfenning.com LinkedIn: Chris Fenning Join the conversation: What's the most pointless meeting you've sat through this week? Tell us in the comments! 👇 #WorkplaceCommunication #ProductivityTips #ChrisFenning #WeHaveAMeeting

Stop writing emails until you watch this. You’re not bad at email, you’ve just been taught wrong. Here are 3 mistakes filling up your inbox (and how to fix them today). In this sneak peek from our full conversation with communication expert Chris Fenning, we break down the simple changes that can cut your inbox volume by 30–40%. If your inbox feels endless, this clip will change how you write immediately. What you'll learn in this clip: Why "being polite" in emails actually backfires & wastes time The 1-minute structure that saves hours of back-and-forth Why most subject lines get ignored (and how to fix yours) The simple change one company used to reduce weekly emails by 40% 00:00 Where Everyone Gets Email Wrong: Subject Lines That Actually Work 00:13 The Columbia Email Problem: Why We're All Drowning in Messages 00:40 The Golden Rule: As Few Words as Possible 00:55 Skip the Small Talk: Why Social Niceties Kill Email Effectiveness 01:34 The Perfect Email Introduction: Tell Me What You Need Immediately 02:01 The 30-40% Fewer Emails Result: Real-World Proof This Works Subscribe to watch the full episode tomorrow. Get the complete framework, real-world examples, and learn how to apply these skills to your meetings and internal updates.

Got a sales problem you can't solve? Struggling with pipeline consistency, no-shows, or closing relationship-led deals? In this live sales therapy session, we answer real questions from the audience and break down what's actually holding your sales back. This isn't theory. This is live troubleshooting for SDRs, BDRs, founders, and anyone trying to fix their sales process in real time. We tackle everything from building consistent pipeline to handling objections, beating call screening, and getting senior decision-makers to actually take your call. In This Episode, We Cover: How to generate consistent sales pipeline (not just one-off wins) Why your meetings have high no-show rates and how to fix it The real reason your tone on cold calls isn't working How to build accurate call lists without wasting time on bad data The LinkedIn outreach strategy that's getting 99% reply rates How to close relationship-led deals without being pushy Getting C-suite and Fortune 500 executives to respond The ACES framework for handling objections in real time We also break down the "Poke the Bear" LinkedIn strategy, why case studies should be stories (not boring PDFs), and how to use direct mail to actually stand out in 2026. If you've ever felt stuck in your sales process, this episode will give you the clarity and tactics you need to move forward. Sponsored by Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outbound and lead generation. Try it free at prospeo.io/wham Chapters: 00:00 Sales Therapy Session: Fix Your Sales Problems Live 02:15 How to Generate Consistent Sales Pipeline 07:42 Case Studies and Testimonials: Do It All Upfront 11:20 No Shows on Meetings: The Emotion Problem 16:33 Building Call Lists That Actually Convert 22:47 The New LinkedIn Offering: The Poke the Bear System 28:19 Closing Relationship-Led Deals Without Pressure 32:56 Guarantees and Managing Client Expectations 37:14 Reaching C-Suite and Fortune 500 Decision Makers 42:08 The ACES Framework: Accept, Clarify, Explore, Redirect #SalesTherapy #SalesTips #ColdCalling #LinkedInOutreach #B2BSales #WeHaveAMeeting

Ever wondered what actually happens in the boardroom? Join us for an unfiltered conversation with Mike Soutar as he reveals the truth behind those viral interview moments on BBC's The Apprentice. In this episode, Mike pulls back the curtain on working with Lord Sugar, the psychology behind the famous interview panel, and what the cameras don't show you. We discuss: Becoming an Apprentice Interviewer What it's really like meeting Lord Sugar Behind-the-scenes secrets from the set Mike's honest opinion on the contestants #TheApprentice #MikeSoutar #BusinessAdvice Chapters: 00:00 The Call That Changed Everything: Becoming an Apprentice Interviewer 00:25 Meeting Alan Sugar: 40 Minutes That Determined Everything 00:58 From One-Time Opportunity to 13-Year Legacy 01:37 13 Years Later: The Privilege and Impact of The Apprentice 01:58 Behind the Scenes: What Really Happens in Those Interview Rooms 02:32 The Real Motivation: Protecting Alan Sugar's Investment Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/jiirD9b_l-Q

Stuck at 6 figures? Most entrepreneurs stall because they solve the right problem at the wrong time. In this episode, we reveal the brutal truth about what it really takes to scale a business to 7 figures—without becoming the bottleneck. We sit down with Charlie Johnson, founder of 7 Figure Scaling Systems, to break down the simple, repeatable frameworks you actually need. If you are an online coach, consultant, or agency owner, this is your blueprint to escape unpredictable lead flow and build predictable revenue. Inside This Episode: The "One Question" that predicts if you'll scale or fail. The Trap: Why most businesses break within 12 months. AI vs. Organic: How to make ads and content work together. Pricing Psychology: Hacks to double your close rates instantly. Retention Systems: How to keep clients long-term and stop churn. Charlie shares his journey from online fitness coaching to building multiple seven-figure businesses, proving that personal branding is your biggest competitive advantage in the coming years. Guest: Charlie Johnson (@CharlieJohnsonFitness) (@sevenfigurescalingsystems) Sponsored by Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outreach and lead generation. Try it free at prospeo.io/wham Chapters: 00:00 The Fear-Driven Brain: Why Negative Hooks Capture Attention 01:24 From Estate Agent to Seven Figures: Charlie's Origin Story 04:41 Red Ocean vs Blue Ocean: Why Charlie Swims in Harder Waters 06:05 Finding the Bottleneck: The Theory of Constraints in Your Funnel 08:38 The Seven Hour Rule: Why Long-Form Content Builds Trust Faster 10:44 AI-Powered Targeting: Reading Your Customer's Mind Through Data 14:17 The Spider Web Marketing System: How Ads Feed Organic Growth 16:35 The Boosted Follower Campaign: The Lowest Risk Ad Strategy 18:44 Building the Offer: Testing Demand Before You Create the Product 22:07 The Webinar Blueprint: From $27 Tickets to High-Ticket Closes 27:24 Curiosity Plus Fear: The Marketing Hook That Never Gets Old 31:30 From Solopreneur to Team Leader: The Culture Shift That Changed Everything 34:24 Hiring Navy SEALs: The One Question That Reveals Drive 41:52 The Question Nobody Asks: What Do You Actually Want and Why? #scalingbusiness #7figurebusiness #marketingstrategy #businesssystems #entrepreneurship #wehaveameeting #leads

Why MrBeast is mathematically impossible to ignore. Why do you click on MrBeast videos even when you don't want to? In this sneak peek of We Have A Meeting, Charlie Johnson reveals the dark science of attention engineering. Discover how top creators weaponise curiosity gaps, fear, and dopamine to hijack your brain—and why it has nothing to do with luck. We break down exactly how the human brain is wired to respond to uncertainty and why negative hooks are currently outperforming positive ones. This isn't just about the YouTube algorithm; it's about biology. In this episode, you’ll learn: The Attention Trap: How curiosity gaps and fear keep you bingeing content. The MrBeast Formula: Why his dominance is engineered, not accidental. Viral Cycles: Why audiences are becoming skeptical and what works now. Psychological Triggers: How your brain is being quietly hijacked every time you press play. Stop blaming the algorithm. Start understanding the psychology. Sponsored by Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outreach and lead generation. Try it free at prospeo.io/wham Chapters 00:00 The Curiosity Gap: Why MrBeast Crushes on YouTube 00:20 Negative Hooks: Why Fear Drives Action 00:46 The Skepticism Problem: Are We Getting Tired of Being Sold To? 01:16 Curiosity Wins Every Time: The One Thing That Always Works 01:52 Geographic Awareness: Why Mainland Europe Is Less Skeptical 02:20 The Marketing Cycle: Why Strategies Come and Go #MrBeast #ViralPsychology #ContentCreator #WeHaveAMeeting

What would you do if you had to start a business from scratch in 2026 with just £100? In this episode of We Have A Meeting, we break down a step-by-step plan to build a lead generation agency from zero. No investors, no paid ads, no expensive software, and no safety net. If you are looking for a real-world £100 business plan, this is exactly how we would do it today. We cover: How to start a lead gen agency from scratch in 2026 How to find your first clients with £0 ad spend How to validate your offer before you build it How to structure your first agency pricing and recurring revenue Guerrilla marketing and outreach strategies that actually get replies Why cashflow and upfront payment matter when you are starting out Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, freelancer, or future agency owner, this episode is a practical playbook for building a business with no budget and no audience. If you have ever thought, "I want to start an agency, but I do not have money, connections, or experience yet," this episode will show you exactly where to begin. Sponsored by Prospeo, the easiest way to find verified emails and contact data for outreach and lead generation. Try it free at prospeo.io/wham Chapters 00:00 The £100 Challenge: Building a Lead Gen Agency From Scratch 00:57 Step One: Identify Your Scalable Skills 03:32 The Trojan Horse: Testing Your Messaging Before You Launch 04:44 Finding Your First Customers Without Spending a Penny 06:09 The Podcast Trojan Horse: 100% Close Rate 08:13 Spending Your £100: The Guerrilla Marketing Campaign 10:59 The Holographic Dinosaur Card: Making an Impact 12:15 Cash Upfront vs Payment Terms: The Honest Approach 13:49 The Six-Month Commitment: Tying Goals to Longevity 14:36 The Godfather Offer: Risk Sharing for Young Entrepreneurs 16:29 Free Tools and Minimal Spend: Data, Dialers, and Direct Mail 18:52 Your Network Is Your Net Worth: Leveraging Past Connections 20:15 Month One: £4K to £10K in Revenue 21:23 The £750 Marco Challenge: Your Task

What does it actually mean to be a man in 2026? In this episode, we talk about the masculinity crisis that nobody really wants to face. Why so many men feel lost, emotionally disconnected, and under pressure to live up to an old idea of what being a man is supposed to look like. George Bell opens up about his own battle with mental health and suicidal thoughts, and how his understanding of masculinity nearly cost him his life. We explore why men are taught to suppress emotion, why asking for help still feels like weakness, and why so many young men are turning to extreme online figures for identity and direction. In this conversation we cover: Why masculinity is changing and why many men are struggling with it The link between emotional suppression and male suicide How modern culture is leaving men without a clear role or identity Why “men are broken” is not an attack, but a wake-up call What healthy, grounded masculinity could actually look like George also talks about his new book and the work he is doing around male mental health and redefining what it means to be a man. George’s book: https://amzn.eu/d/0DuILcz This is not about blaming men. It is about understanding what is happening to them. If you have ever felt pressure to stay silent, man up, or carry everything alone, this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 The Andrew Tate Symptom: Why Boys Are Listening 01:43 Redefining Masculinity: The Problem We're Not Talking About 04:58 Rock Bottom: When Being a Man Nearly Killed Me 06:52 What Is Masculinity? Breaking Down the Rigid Definition 09:43 The Void Andrew Tate Fills: Pride, Power, and Purpose 15:04 The Last 20 Years: How Social Media Changed Everything 18:42 Men Are Struggling and Nobody's Listening 22:19 The Breaking Point: Something's Not Right With Me 30:58 Never Quite Fitting In: The Bullied Boy at School 37:51 The Health Crisis: Why Men Aren't Going to the Doctor 42:21 What We Can Learn From the Past: Stoicism vs Suppression 49:18 Fighting Myself: The Masculine Trap That Made It Worse 51:31 The Toolbox: Understanding Your Emotions First 56:40 The Technology Trap: Social Media Is Aging You Faster 01:05:57 What Am I Using and What Is It Doing to Me? #MasculinityCrisis #MensMentalHealth #RedefiningMasculinity #AndrewTate

Why are so many boys and young men drawn to Andrew Tate and similar influencers? In this sneak peek from the upcoming episode with George Bell author of Be A Man About It, we explore the deeper question behind the controversy: what void is being filled, and why traditional messages about masculinity, confidence, purpose, and identity are no longer reaching young males. Rather than simply asking “Is Andrew Tate bad?”, this conversation looks at why his message resonates, what modern boys are missing, and how society’s portrayal of men as dangerous, toxic, or broken is pushing them toward extreme online role models. We discuss male identity, masculinity in the digital age, fatherlessness, self-worth, purpose, and the psychological needs of teenage boys growing up on social media. This clip examines: • Why young boys feel ashamed of being male • How masculinity is portrayed in media and schools • Why Andrew Tate’s lifestyle (money, women, fitness, status) is so appealing • The crisis of meaning facing Gen Z boys • How online influencers fill the role models gap • The real reason canceling Tate won’t solve the problem • What positive masculinity could look like in 2026 and beyond If you’ve wondered why so many teenage boys defend Andrew Tate, why masculinity content is exploding on YouTube and TikTok, or what message young men are actually hungry for, this sneak peek into the full episode asks the question no one else is asking. Full episode drops tomorrow at 5pm. Chapters 00:00 The Dangerous Boy Stereotype: What Young Men See Online 00:46 The Andrew Tate Appeal: Why Boys Are Listening 01:03 The Traditional Masculine Checklist: Money, Fame, and Validation 01:43 The Whack-a-Mole Game: Why Another Influencer Will Just Replace Him #AndrewTate #ModernMasculinity #Toxic Masculinity

TikTok is full of viral sales advice, cold call scripts, and so called sales gurus claiming to have the perfect opener, the best objection handling, and the fastest way to book meetings. In this episode of Trench Tips from We Have A Meeting, we react to real TikTok cold calling videos and break down what actually works in B2B sales and what is actively hurting your results. We analyse cold call openings, tone, delivery, pattern interrupts, budget objections, performance based offers, and appointment setting tactics that sound impressive online but fail in real sales conversations. From 14 day free trials to too good to be true promises, we explain why much of the viral sales content on TikTok is misleading and how to approach prospecting the right way. If you work in SaaS sales, SDR, BDR, account executive, recruitment, agency sales, or any outbound sales role, this video will help you improve your cold calling, discovery calls, pipeline quality, and meeting conversion rates. You will learn: How to structure better cold call openers How to handle budget objections properly Why most sales scripts fail in real conversations How to qualify prospects without sounding pushy How to avoid low quality meetings What real buyers respond to on cold calls Why viral sales advice does not translate to real results Subscribe for weekly sales training, cold call breakdowns, objection handling, and practical B2B sales strategy from experienced sales professionals. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to TikTok Cold Calling: What Could Go Wrong? 00:38 Good News or Bad News: The Curiosity Hook Opener 01:53 The Awful News Opener: When Shock Value Backfires 03:00 Neil's Masterclass: Calm, Collected, and Budget Savvy 06:42 Am I Speaking With: The Data Qualification Debate 08:39 The Youngest Cold Caller: Boss Man Energy 11:00 Free Trials and Performance Pricing: Too Good to Be True? 12:19 The Quick 10-15 Minute Call Trap: Just Sell Now 14:27 Am I Right in Saying: The Jordan Belfort Move 17:30 Final Thoughts: The Meeting Obsession Problem #coldcalling #sales #b2bsales

How do you communicate with anyone, even difficult people, once you understand how they think? In this episode, bestselling author Thomas Erikson (Surrounded by Idiots) breaks down how the DISC colour system explains behaviour, communication styles, leadership mistakes, and why so many conversations fail. We explore why most leaders struggle after promotion, why people think DISC is a personality test (it is not), how self-awareness impacts leadership and sales, and how adapting your communication style can completely change your results at work and in life. This conversation covers: How the DISC colour system really works Why DISC measures behaviour not personality How to talk to different personality colours (red, yellow, green, blue) Why experts often fail when they become leaders The role of self-awareness in leadership and sales How to give feedback people can actually hear Why being yourself at work can backfire How to adapt without pretending to be someone you are not Whether you are a leader, manager, salesperson, founder, or entrepreneur, this episode will change how you communicate and how you are perceived. Thomas Erikson is the author of Surrounded by Idiots, one of the most translated non-fiction books in the world. Get it here: https://amzn.eu/d/eiCd3or Learn more about Thomas Erikson: https://surroundedbyidiots.com Chapters 00:00 Surrounded by Idiots? You Might Be the Problem 03:34 The Self-Awareness Gap: 95% Think They're Above Average 07:36 The Aha Moment vs The Oh No Moment 16:27 Behaviour vs Personality: What You Can Actually See 17:14 The Natural You vs The Masks You Wear 20:28 You Can't Be Anything: The Beautiful Lie Parents Tell 22:36 Living a Lie: The Real Cost of Pretending Too Long 27:58 When Your Brain Is Set: The Frontal Lobe and Fixed Personality 32:11 Red, Yellow, Green, Blue: Reading People in Sales 36:47 Selling to the Four Colors: Stop Giving Them What You Want 38:15 The Unwilling Salesman: Playing Hard to Get 42:17 Go Green and Listen: The Phone Call Strategy 47:28 Tell It As It Is: The Feedback Lie Everyone Tells 50:58 Getting the Most From Your Team: Three Non-Negotiables 54:22 Who Hired All the Idiots? Taking Responsibility as a Leader 56:32 Your Main Job: Those Eleven People, Not the CEO

This is a sneak peek from an upcoming episode of We Have A Meeting Podcast featuring Thomas Erikson, author of the global bestseller Surrounded by Idiots. In this preview, Thomas challenges one of the biggest misconceptions around DISC and the colour system. He explains why the colours are not personality types, what DISC actually measures, and why so many people misunderstand how communication really works. This short clip is part of a much deeper conversation about behaviour, self awareness, leadership, and influence. The full episode goes further into DISC, communication styles, conflict, sales, and why people struggle to understand each other at work. If you have read Surrounded by Idiots, taken a DISC test, or want to communicate more effectively with different types of people, this preview will change how you think about the colours. Full episode out tomorrow at 5pm. Subscribe so you don’t miss it! Chapters: 00:00 Not a Personality Test: Understanding DISC Profiles 00:13 Behaviour vs Personality: What You Can Actually See 00:34 The Natural You: Being Yourself at Home 01:03 Entering the Office: The Tweaking Begins 01:26 The Big Meeting Mask: Adapting for High Stakes 02:19 Different Masks for Different Situations 02:37 The Secret to Excellence: Minimal Adaptation Surrounded By Idiots Book: https://amzn.eu/d/57QdMXS Sales Is Therapy Book: https://amzn.eu/d/fSdYbkK