Business Live: Jamie Veitch's Sheffield Live radio show

Alex Cousins makes dice trays from reclaimed materials. Every one is different, they can be engraved or embossed and feature bespoke materials and finishing.I popped down to Ed's Workshop, a wonderful workplace and community of makers in Sheffield to meet Alex and learn more about his new business, Wolven Crafts.He tells me how, when playing Dungeons and Dragons, dice often fall off the table – so a dice tray is invaluable. He's used a £500 grant to help bring his business vision to life. Alex successfully applied for funding from the SWEF Enterprise Fund at South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF). This enabled him to use the fantastic facilities at Ed's Workshop, which includes embedded support and is a family business.Alex is joined in this interview by his mentor Gayle Brogan from Opportunity Sheffield. Gayle has been working with Alex, who is autistic, since November 2023 in her role as a senior project support officer.Kim of Ed's Workshop joins us too. I was blown away by the wonderful atmosphere and facilities there.Alex also covers his prototyping and how a local gaming shop, Patriot Games Sheffield, has been so supportive and helpful to him in testing his dice trays.What next?Listen to the episode and let me know what you thinkVisit the South Yorkshire Community Foundation website, https://www.sycf.org.uk/Learn more about Opportunity Sheffield, the employment and skills service in Sheffield City Council, https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/campaigns/opportunity-sheffield Visit the Ed's Workshop website, https://edsworkshop.co.uk/Contact me to nominate yourself or someone else as a potential guest for this show, telling me why there's a good fit (our audience: curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs running businesses which make a positive impact for people, places or planet. Our priorities: inspiration and practical, actionable tips).This is episode 398 of the Business Live radio show, for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio. 

Many households want to install renewable energy technology – but the market doesn''t serve them well, says serial innovator Barry James.But his "Green Streets Club" has already enabled homes on his own residential street in Sheffield to halve the cost of adoption of solar and battery.Barry explains how they've done it – and other households can too.He also covers his plans for a UK-wide network of Green Streets Hubs, social enterprises (community interest companies) that he says would support the transition to green energy, and revitalise high streets, support small businesses and empower tradespeople.Barry explains his financial model for Green Streets Club and covers his panel of advisors which includes the economist and author, Ann Pettifor, and Professor Andrew Crossland of the Durham Energy Institute.Plus a call for a small business to pilot a new iteration of Green Streets Club to support its employees.What next?Listen to the episode and let me know what you thinkVisit Barry's Green Streets Club website, https://greenstreets.clubContact me to nominate yourself or someone else as a potential guest for this show, telling me why there's a good fit (our audience: curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs running businesses which make a positive impact for people, places or planet. Our priorities: inspiration and practical, actionable tips).This is episode 397 of the Business Live radio show, for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio. 

Rebecca Collins is the Brand Coach at The Conscious Communication School, which she launched after becoming burnt out from 10 years in the mainstream media.Now she helps business owners and social entrepreneurs craft powerful brand strategies and learn how to tell powerful stories which resonate with their target audience.In today's episode Rebecca walks through exercises to help you find your big bang moment, covering her Breakthrough Brand Story Method and "five Cs" of mapping out your story.She explains how this can build deep connections and strengthen relationships with your ideal audience, supporting your business development and growth.It also means "no more panic posting" and gets rid of fake authenticity on social media.We cover how building your story doesn't mean a "me, me, me" approach, folks' biggest problems when trying to embed storytelling in business, and as a special bonus, some insights about pitching your story to broadcast television.This episode is crammed with practical tips you can use today. Links:Take Rebecca's free, 60 second brand audit quiz or download resources from her website, https://consciouscommunicationschool.comRebecca's FREE event on 4 October 2024 in partnership with Union St: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/authentic-selling-through-storytelling-tickets-1012966338587The book Rebecca mentioned, Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_Who_Run_with_the_WolvesThis is episode 396 of the Business Live radio show, for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio. 

Lotus Collaborations is a Community Interest Company, set up to address the needs of autistic survivors of sexual violence and sexual abuse.Its directors are Neurodivergent Survivors and allies with experience in accessing and providing specialist support and mentoring to victim-survivors of sexual violence."There's big gap in understanding among  service providers and the general public," says  director, Dr Susy Ridout, “and our needs very often don't get addressed. The autistic voice isn't heard at all, and our needs are very different to those of the predominant neurotype, the predominant public. We need to have services who do understand that."Susy covers:• The impacts on people if their communication preferences, sensory and other needs are not properly understood• How Lotus' team and beneficiaries are developing its services and resources to meet the requirements of individuals and services• How health practitioners are responding to or addressing survivors: poor and good practices• Practices which make people feel validated• The value of support from Sheffield Social Enterprise Network, Social Enterprise Exchange and the SEGA / SSEN peer mentoring and action learning programme• Securing contracts or funding• Engaging with your beneficiariesLotus Collaborations is currently recruiting volunteers:  https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/org/lotus-collaborations-uk-cic Also on this episode: new funding opportunities: The PPL Momentum Music Fund (grants of £5 to £15,000); Feasibility studies for Artificial Intelligence solutions (grants  between £25,000 and £50,000).This is episode 395 of the Business Live radio show, for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio. Podcast image features: Lotus Collaborations' logo.

YWCA Yorkshire supports over 250 young women, children and families to build better futures. They may be homeless, escaping abuse, or in financial or other difficulties. It runs programmes to assist them in living happy, fulfilled and independent lives.A charity, it has operated locally since the 1940s. This Valentine's Day it launched a campaign to "spread the love and word" about volunteering. So I invited Diane Offers, YWCA's HR Manager, on air.. She covers:YWCA Yorkshire's range of accommodation, support, empowerment and advocacy servicesThe crucial and varied roles its diverse volunteers play and how the charity nurtures themHow businesses already work with YWCA Yorkshire, and what you can do to help create real long-lasting change the life of someone in financial or relationship difficulties and having no family or friends to fall back onYWCA Yorkshire earns some of its operating income by providing services which are commissioned by local authorities, so we discuss social value in procurement, public services and commissioningDiane's day-to-day work in HR, her own career history, and her advice for others developing HR careers in purpose-driven organisationsAlso in this episode after the interview with Diane: new funding opportunities of between £10,000 and £120,000 for businesses and social enterprises. Timings:0:00 to 23:50 Interview with Diane Offers – get involved with YWCA Yorkshire as a volunteer via www.ywcayorkshire.org.uk/volunteer and/or learn more about becoming a corporate supporter at www.ywcayorkshire.org.uk/corporate-partnerships23:50 Forthcoming events from Business Sheffield: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/business-sheffield-1733801142325:01 Funding opportunities: 1) for UK industry via the Science and Technology Facilities Council / Innovate UK Industry Impact Fund (£10,000 - £100,000 to help companies overcome difficult product, manufacturing or process performance issues; focus includes health, net zero, energy, defence;  deadline 14 March 2024; details at https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/industry-impact-fund/ ) and for social enterprises / asset-locked organisations via the Esmée Fairbairn Youth-Led Creativity programme (up to £120,000 over 3 years; to support work led by and for young people who have less access to creative programmes or who are underrepresented in arts and culture; deadline 15 March 2024; details at https://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/latest-news/youth-led-creativity-funding )27:19 Ends. This is episode #394 of the Business Live radio show, for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio.

Welcome to episode 393 of Business Live, for purpose-driven entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. When Rotherham wanted to transform its adult social care offer for people with learning disabilities and autistic people and offer personalised services that people wanted, local social and micro-enterprises proved crucial. Helen Allen and Harry Clarkson tell me how.Community Catalysts (www.communitycatalysts.co.uk) is a thriving community interest company, running since 2010 and operating across the UK. Speakup (www.speakup.org.uk) is a Self Advocacy Group run by and for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Employment is for Everyone ( (www.employmentisforeveryone.org.uk) is a social movement that aims to improve the employment rates for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.Also on today's show:• New CAF Venturesome funding for charities and social enterprises operating across the UK, including those with international projects. https://www.cafonline.org/about-us/caf-venturesome• Funding for starting up up to £8,000) and  scaling up (up to £18,000) social enterprises from UnLtd, the foundation for social entrepreneurs: https://www.unltd.org.uk/awards/• Event: 19 January, Refugee Entrepreneurship Network and Centre for Entrepreneurs Corporate Roundtable: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/refugee-entrepreneurship-network-corporate-roundtable-tickets-759765548207• Sheffield City Council has commissioned the Sheffield Social Enterprise Network to create the Social Enterprise Growth Accelerator (SEGA), providing specialist business support and advice for social enterprises in Sheffield. More details: www.ssen.org.uk/sega and www.scci.org.uk• Book recommendation: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

Social enterprises ploughed over a billion pounds into their social and environmental objectives last year. They make a vital contribution to the UK's economy, society and natural environment, as Dean Hochlaf describes today.An estimated 131,000 social enterprises in the UK collectively turn over £78 billion, representing over 3% of GDP. Many operate in the most deprived areas of the UK. They employ around 2.3 million people and  made £1.2 billion in profit in the last financial year,  reinvesting over a billion pounds of that into their environmental and social missions.The figures come from Social Enterprise UK's 'Mission Critical – State of Social Enterprise Survey 2023' and Dean also covers access to appropriate, patient, long-term funding; procurement and ensuring social enterprises' social value is well-recognised; and visibility among consumers and in private sector supply chains.Also in this episode: new funding opportunities for businesses, social enterprises, charities, universities and arts organisations. Timings:0-1:40 Introduction1:40 Interview with Dean Hochlaf, Social Enterprise UK. Read SEUK's full report here: https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/seuk-report/mission-critical-state-of-social-enterprise-survey-2023/12:03 The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) are developing a joint VCSE action plan; they say it will identify and seek to address the barriers facing VCSE organisations in bidding and winning government contracts and grants. If you are from a voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisation and have comments on this please take part in their short survey.14:25 Events in Sheffield including Christmas makers' markets; the Millennium Gallery's Handmade for Christmas shop.15:33 The City of Rivers exhibition at Weston Park museum showcasing Sheffield's relationship with its rivers (there was a super article in the Sheffield Tribune this week too)16:38 Grants and funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises:For small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in South Yorkshire: The UK Shared Prosperity Fund Business Productivity and Digitisation Grant Scheme – Digital Innovation Grants of between between £2,500 and £5,000 and Productivity Grants of between £2,500 and £12,499 . Applications will be approved on a first come, first served basis until no more grants or support are available. Details: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/business/business-productivity-and-digitisation-grant-schemeThe Sheffield Creative Communities Fund is offering Sheffield-based arts, cultural and heritage organisations to deliver creative programmes of outreach, engagement and participation . Grants can be between a minimum of £10,000 and maximum £30,000. Deadline for applications Tuesday 9 January 2024, midday. Details: https://www.sitegallery.org/creativecommunitiesElectric vehicle infrastructure grant for staff and fleets. This one is for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and gives you money off the cost of wider building and installation work that's needed to install multiple chargepoint sockets (eg wiring and posts). The grant covers 75% of the cost of the work, up to a maximum of £15,000. Open for applications now; details https://find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/electric-vehicle-infrastructure-grant-for-staff-and-fleets-1#summaryThe Youth Music NextGen Fund, which offers grants of up to £2,500 for early-stage musicians and wider music adjacent creatives; aimed at those whose lack of finance holds them back from pursuing their goals. It's

When I heard about the UK's first open-access factory, offering "pay-as-you go accessibility" so entrepreneurs and makers can access state-of-the-art light industrial equipment I was intrigued.Originally established in 2012, its co-founders call it the "missing link for solopreneurs and SMEs seeking to bridge the gap between start-up and producing at scale."And when I learned it was a social enterprise, with sustainability "designed in" – well, we had to get its co-founders in for a  radio interview. They've gone from strength to strength, moving to a brilliant, award-winning facility, the UK's largest open-access factory which they say is "crafted by makers for makers."In this episode, Arnaud Nichols and Al Parra, BLOQS co-founders, cover:• What they mean by a pay-as-you-go, open access factory• Who uses it (there are currently 700 active members and they're really diverse) and what people create• How collaboration and access to shared facilities means makers and small businesses can use equipment at a much lower cost, and with a lower individual and collective environmental footprint• How BLOQS has both contributed to regeneration n the London Borough of Enfield, and benefited from regeneration match funding investment• Why being a social enterprise enables purpose and mission alignment, with everyone sharing common goals• Their own backgrounds and transferable skills• Plans for the future with big ambition to build more BLOQSIt was a pleasure hearing from Al and Arnaud and I hope you'll find the interview as fascinating as I did. Do check out the BLOQS website here: https://bloqslondon.comThis is episode #391 of the Business Live radio show, for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio.

Many businesses make the same basic mistake when they want to make video content, says today's guest Joseph Palmer of Open House Pictures.  His simple tip will help anyone wanting to use films to communicate, whether you want to work with a professional filmmaker, a local freelancer or even try to shoot them yourself.It's been a few years since Joe was last on the programme and Open House has achieved significant growth since then, creating jobs and taking on multiple creative and commercial projects. Joe explains – and tells us about:the value of finding mentorsa new networking event in Sheffield which supports LGBTQ+ businesses – Out2Meet: LGBTQIA+ Business Networking – on 29 November in the city centre ( https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/out2meet-lgbtqia-business-networking-sheffield-tickets-700504005337 )a couple of books which have made a lasting impact Joe's tips for anyone running a business, social enterprise or other organisation who wants to use video effectivelyFind Open House Pictures here https://www.openhousepictures.co.uk and Joe on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephdpalmer/Also in today's programme – a run through of several funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises, includingGrants of up to £45,000 to businesses, universities and research organisations through the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) competition – which covers decarbonisation, connectivity and other "challenge areas." Details of this Department for Transport and Connected Places Catapult programme: https://cp.catapult.org.uk/opportunity/transport-research-and-innovation-grants-2023/ Closing date: 27 November.The Youth Music NextGen Fund, which offers young creatives grants of up to £2,500 to make their ideas happen. It's for early-stage musicians and wider music adjacent creatives; and aimed at those whose lack of finance holds them back from pursuing their goals.It's open to 18–25-year-olds (and up to 30-year-olds who identify as d/Deaf or Disabled). Details https://youthmusic.org.uk/nextgen/nextgen-fund Closing date: 19 January 2024.Community Interest Companies, charities and universities are invited to apply to the Armed Forces Families Fund: Supporting Partners programme to fund "projects that will improve support for Service partners and spouses regarding the skills and experiences they bring to the workplace." Grants of £30,000 to £80,000 available. Closing date: 25 January 2024.Grants of up to £2,000 are available to young people who need support with business start up costs that they would otherwise not be able to afford, through the SWEF Grants Programme. Applicants need to be between 18 - 30, living in South Yorkshire and from a low income household or facing other challenges that prevent developing the business. Details https://www.sycf.org.uk/apply/search-our-grants/swefThis is episode #390 of the show. Thanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio.

"I ended up being offered a permanent role as a junior programmer which is a dream come true – and I worked on an awesome game which is actually my favourite of all the current projects at Sumo."Many people would love to work in the games industry but don't know where to start. Today's guests Eva Kioseoglou and Ruth Dickens have both secured full-time roles as junior programmers, having graduated from a games industry apprenticeship programme on which previous game programming experience is not required.Ruth and Eva have some brilliant advice for aspiring programmers in today's episode.They discuss their experiences in  the Sumo Digital Academy, a talent development programme that "creates new pathways into the games industry," offering opportunities to graduates aged 18 or above looking to make their first career move, those skilled in different industries, and those seeking a career change.Eva and Ruth are the first two people to graduate from the Academy's Game Programming Apprenticeship Programme. It gave them C++ training, practical application through project work, Unreal Engine training and then placement experience.They discuss why they applied to the programme. Applicants must demonstrate "their learning potential as game programmers" – Ruth and Eva explain how they did so.We cover the programme content, the products and projects they worked on, the mist challenging and most valuable parts of the apprenticeship programme too – and Eva and Ruth both give their top tips for anyone thinking of applying this year.Also on the show today: a new retail opening in Sheffield, some events and some funding opportunities.Timings and further details:0 - 1:41 Introduction1:41 Interview with Eva Kioseoglou and Ruth Dickens. Applications for the 2024-25 Game Programmer Apprenticeship Programme will open on 4th September 2023 (and will close on the 29th September). Details will be available via https://www.sumo-academy.com/game-programmer-apprenticeshipDuring the interview we mentioned the Sumo Digital Academy's Diversity Internship Training Programme, which gives people from under-represented groups the opportunity to receive training and mentoring in game programming to see what it would be like as a career. Details: https://www.sumo-academy.com/diversity-internship-training-programme20:58 A new opening in Sheffield city centre: Atelier Japan, the brainchild of Johnny Pawlik (who's been on the show a few times) brings traditional and hand-made arts and crafts to Sheffield. It sounds wonderful.22:42 Events including an International Youth Day celebration in Sheffield today (11 August); Sheffield By The Seaside until 29 August; Jurassic Week at Graves Park Animal Farm. See the Welcome to Sheffield website.23:27 Sheffield City Council has re-opened its books for the Electric Van Trial. 15 vans are available to book – register your interest here: https://forms.sheffield.gov.uk/form/auto/apply_electric_van_trial24:01 Grants of £10,000 to £75,000 are available to  community organisations tackling the cost of living crisis. Find out more at https://locality.org.uk/news/community-organisations-cost-of-living-fundThanks for listening to the programme and to Sheffield Live! for broadcasting us on DAB and FM radio.

Naomi Hulston has experienced "pretty much every role" in her 21 years working for Catch22.The social business has been around for 200 years. It delivers more than 120 public services that meet local needs and support individuals within our communities. "We consider ourselves a business with the heart of a charity and a business' mindset." Those services include justice, education services, support for vulnerable children and families and many more.Naomi started her career at Catch22 as a volunteer before progressing in many different roles across the organisation, so when Naomi became chief executive she  brought valuable insights and understanding as a leader..And in this interview she gives candid, thoughtful and powerful tips about how to foster an "intentional" culture; accountability, transparency and communication.Anyone running a social enterprise, purpose-led business or charity should listen to Naomi's advice.She also covers changing ways of working, making the "impossible" possible and collaboration.And we learn about the positive impact of a "people-centred" culture – with practical and implementable tips about how to galvanize this. "People feel included, engaged, enabled, able to express their wishes."Plus there's even a remarkable story about the Rolling Stones.What next? Visit the Catch22 website: https://www.catch-22.org.uk Rachel has written a chapter for the new book, Vitalising Purpose – The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services,  published this week by E3M, which I have co-written. A 'must-read for chief executives, heads of transformation, commissioners and procurement officers, and social entrepreneurs,' the book, which I have written is available in paperback and ebook formats here: https://e3m.org.uk/vitalising-purpose-book/ And from Amazon here ( https://amzn.eu/d/6f25KJB )

Today's guests have bumped off nearly 300 people through their business.But they're not career criminals. Adrian Hobart and Rebecca Collins run Hobeck Books, a leading family-run independent publisher of award-winning crime, thriller, mystery and suspense books.What better business to get on air in National Crime Reading Month?Rebecca and Adrian launched Hobeck Books in the middle of the pandemic. Rebecca brought expertise from over two decades working in the publishing industry, with clients such as Bloomsbury, Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. She is also a published non-fiction author and poet. Adrian has been a broadcaster and journalist with the BBC for twenty-five years, and is an audiobook narrator, filmmaker and a writer.This episode is a super business case study in itself, giving an insight into how Rebecca and Adrian launched the business, choose which books to publish, what works best to promote their authors, and the ever evolving world of the publishing industry.We talk plot, character, what makes for a riveting read – and I couldn't resist asking Adrian and Rebecca for their favourite ways in which their authors have knocked off characters. It's chock-full of tips anyone can use in their businesses too, with practical advice about branding, building an email list, giving radio interviews, and writing your own business book. And Rebecca and Adrian discuss their own work as editor and audiobook narrator too.Today's show also includes upcoming events for entrepreneurs and some new funding opportunities after the interview.What next?Visit Hobeck Books: https://www.hobeck.netAdrian and Rebecca's Hobcast Book Show has been nominated as one of twenty of the best UK Mystery Podcasts. Listen here: https://www.hobeck.net/hobcastRebecca worked with me and co-author Jonathan Bland on our new book, Vitalising Purpose – The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services,  published this week by E3M. It's available in paperback and ebook formats here: https://e3m.org.uk/vitalising-purpose-book/ and from Amazon here ( https://amzn.eu/d/6f25KJB )Events mentioned on the show: Bagging Your First Investment, Wednesday, June 28, Electric Works, Sheffield: Details. And Fundraising for impact startups - Unrest, Friday, June 30, webinar. Details.Plus the Welcoming Cultures Celebration in Sheffield and Alternate Realities: Sheffield DocFest at Site.Funding; go to https://www.powertochange.org.uk/our-work/our-programmes/ and https://get-it-made.co.uk/grants/women-in-engineering for details of funding mentioned in the show.

PossAbilities CIC provides services for people with learning disabilities, people with dementia and young people leaving care.Formed in 2014, PossAbilities has increased staff from 220 to more than 600, had eight consecutive years of growth and surplus, and grown its capital and reserves from zero to £6 million.It was formerly the Adult Social Care Provider within Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) and was one of the first 100 social enterprises to be formed by ‘spinning-out' services which had formerly been run by public sector bodies. It has become a regional rather than local provider – and much of this, says CEO Rachel Law, is through doing ‘the opposite of what we were used to doing as part of a local authority'.Its organisational achievements are matched by its outcomes: PossAbilities CIC has used its own surpluses to build high-quality accommodation and to run numerous community initiatives and events, becoming a catalyst in the neighbourhoods it works.Rachel gives us an honest description of how she and her team overcame barriers and challenges to ‘push the boundaries of what is possible' as a social entrepreneur and former local authority officer leading a successful public service spin-out.What next? Visit the PossAbilities CIC website: https://www.possabilities.org.uk Rachel has written a chapter for the new book, Vitalising Purpose – The Power of the Social Enterprise Difference in Public Services,  published this week by E3M, which I have co-written. A 'must-read for chief executives, heads of transformation, commissioners and procurement officers, and social entrepreneurs,' the book, which I have written is available in paperback and ebook formats here: https://e3m.org.uk/vitalising-purpose-book/ And from Amazon here ( https://amzn.eu/d/6f25KJB )

Do we want to live in places full of thriving businesses and social enterprises, and where people don't get trapped by exploitative lenders and loan sharks? Sounds good to me.Eleanor Russell is policy and programmes lead at Responsible Finance, which represents the UK's social purpose lenders (community development finance institutions, CDFIs). Their work has been covered extensively by media including the Guardian, Financial Times, BBC, Mail Online and elsewhere. I work with Responsible Finance and invited Eleanor on to discuss new figures about the social, economic and environmental impact unlocked by CDFIs, through increasing access to finance for people, businesses and social enterprises otherwise excluded from finance for a variety of reasons.This £248m sector worked with nearly 95,000 customers in 2022 – a 22% leap on the year before – creating and supporting thousands of businesses and jobs, and helping households avoid millions in interest compared with higher-cost lenders. Eleanor gives us more details.Also in this episode:Events:  Games Careers Week, from 19-25 June, which celebrates diverse pathways into a career in games for young people of all backgrounds; StartUp Meetup Sheffield on 30 May, and a "lunch with Claire Rimmer" event at Theatre Deli,  Arley Street, Sheffield, via the Social Enterprise Exchange programme. Claire is head of Operations at Sheffield-based creative arts organisation, CADS.Funding and support, including:Accelerating FemTech, an initiative aiming to support innovators to boost the development of technology solutions to address current challenges in women's health. Learn more and apply here.The Power to Change Community Business Trade Up programme (open now, deadline 26 June, details here) and the Discovery Fund (which opens for applications on 1 June and closes on 21 July 2023, details here).UK SMEs can apply to Innovate UK's Future Economy investor partnerships, (deadline 5 July 2023,, guidance and details here).An interview originally broadcast in March with David Hanney, CEO of Alpkit, a business which has thrived after CDFI finance.Timings:0- 2:55 Introduction2:55 New interview with Eleanor Russell15:29 Interview with David Hanney, CEO, Alpkit (recorded in March 2023)34:02 Events37:03 Support and funding for SMEs and social and community businesses40:42 Wrapping up

For a long time Claer Barrett vowed never to write a book about money. Now the award-winning financial journalist and broadcaster, who frequently answers the public's money questions on ITV's Lorraine, LBC radio and the Financial Times' Money Clinic podcast, has published 'What They Don't Teach You about Money.'It's a brilliant read – like having a chat with a friendly expert who wants to help you avoid pitfalls without confusing or judging you; Claer is honest about her own financial mistakes, clear and helpful.  Barrett is the FT's consumer editor and a trustee of FT-backed charity, FLIC (Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign). She joins me in this episode to discuss why she's written the book, some of the biggest emotional reactions to money, what we can all do to build better financial habits, what business leaders and social entrepreneurs can do to support employees during the cost of living crisis, her passion for financial education and literacy, the phenomenon of 'FOBSAG' (fear of being seen as greedy) and lots more.It's a comprehensive conversation and a call for more openness, better communication and less embarrassment and shame when it comes to discussing our finances.Also in the show: events and funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises.Timings:0 - 40:23 interview with Claer Barrett. Get Claer's book from Amazon here https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-They-Teach-About-Money/dp/152914633X and Penguin here and find her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/claerb and Twitter at https://twitter.com/claerb40:23 Events including Sheffield Business School's Intercultural Innovation Programme for SMEs, a two-day introduction to social enterprise workshop, and Business Sheffield events44:11 Funding opportunities including Future Economy Investor Partnerships SME round one (46:33 Wrapping upThis is episode 382 of Business Live, broadcast on FM and DAB radio and online on Sheffield Live! and available as a podcast. Thanks to Sheffield Live for putting us out on the airwaves and thank-you for listening.

We can do it if we really want to: Alpkit is a business success story which has doubled employee numbers since last appearing on this programme while dramatically reducing its absolute emissions and carbon intensity."It's really positive and something ALL businesses can do, from small to big" says CEO David Hanney.The measures it is taking, Hanney adds, align with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommendations and processes which would enable the global economy to achieve  the 1.5 degree limit on global warming – if everybody does them.I last interviewed David in 2020 when he talked about how businesses must take responsibility for driving positive changes and Alpkit's environmental sustainability reporting. Since then the firm, which makes and sells outdoor equipment and bikes, has:halved its total greenhouse gas emissions eight years ahead of a 2030 deadline set by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)reduced carbon intensity by more than 36% in three yearsset a path with its decarbonisation to achieve true net zero in line with SBTi deadlinesachieved B Corp Certification and grown from 100 to 200 employeesHow has Alpkit done this, and what's next on its  journey to Net Zero? What can we all do to minimise our impact? Why should we use outdoor gear as long as possible? And how does Alpkit measure and verify its Full Value Chain Carbon Footprint?The word "inspirational" can be cheapened by over-use. But this story really shows that businesses can develop, create jobs and opportunities and do so while achieving measurable and transparent milestones on the path to decarbonisation.Also on the programme: data about B Corporations (B Corps) in the UK; details of funding and events for businesses and social enterprises. Timings:0 - 2:40 introduction2:40 Interview with David Hanney, CEO, Alpkit (more about Alpkit's work on sustainability https://alpkit.com/pages/sustainability )21:14 Gripple and Mina have recently been certified as B Corporations (B Corps) and March is 'B Corp' month –information and data about B Corps in the UK24:00 Events: Doing business in the USA; The Business and IP Centre South Yorkshire; Business Planning for Social Enterprise; other Social Enterprise Exchange events and workshops. 27:09 The Economic Recovery Fund; Sheffield Clean Air Zone Funding. Plus Innovate UK.This is episode 382 of Business Live, broadcast on FM and DAB radio and online on Sheffield Live! and available as a podcast. Thanks to Sheffield Live for putting us out on the airwaves and thank-you for listening.

Dr Kirsty Smitten has gone from PhD Student to founder and CEO of MetalloBio Ltd: "I was writing my thesis while forming a company." Her firm is developing new compounds to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and is a spin-out from the University of Sheffield, incorporated in 2021. Already the cause of 1.2 million fatalities every year, antimicrobial resistant infections are predicted to cause 10 million by 2050, more than cancer.In the first week of a PhD in Chemistry and Microbiology, Kirsty adapted compounds to be more readily taken-up by bacteria "and they worked." That's not a typical PhD, she adds, "it was a real shock and surprise." Kirsty describes the whirlwind progression from filing a patent in 2019, joining a market validation programme, establishing the need for the compounds, and then getting onto the Innovate UK ICURe programme – "I don't think we'd have a company if we hadn't got onto that."She gives valuable tips about getting onto incubation and acceleration programmes, securing support from Innovate UK, raising funding and demonstrating impact. Kirsty's comments aren't only relevant to biotech firms and spin-outs: they will be useful to listeners across many sectors.MetalloBio is developing its two lead antimicrobial compounds for two areas: to be used in drugs and treatments to combat multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria; and to be used in medical devices, and material coatings and additives.The firm has received multiple awards and accolades: Kirsty was listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science and Healthcare Europe, and named "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" by The FSB Yorkshire and the Humber. But winning The Royal Society of Chemistry Emerging Technologies Competition 2022 - Health is probably her favourite, and she tells us why.She also covers:How she secured nearly £2 million in non-diluted funding,MetalloBio's routes to market, its new raise, and its revenue potential,The need for appropriate laboratory space in Sheffield,Why she used to dread pitching but now loves it – with a top tip,Why universities should introduce modules on commercialisation and entrepreneurship for their PhD students."I always thought I wanted to be an academic but now I wouldn't do anything else – I love my job," says Kirsty, and finishes with more valuable advice.What next?MetalloBio Ltd website https://www.metallobio.comThanks for listening and to SheffieldLIve! for broadcasting the show.

It's three years since Louis Speight, a former men's European record holder, was last on the programme.His social enterprise Omnis Circumvado CIC is a specialist sports coaching company which works with children, young people and adults who have complex needs. "We are games-based" says Louis, and "our approach is to make sure everybody is having fun and they engage."Omnis runs inclusive activities in SEN (Special Educational Needs) schools and with people in day centres. How did this social enterprise make it through the pandemic? And what are the biggest challenges in 2023?What are the widely-held misperceptions of disability sport and how is Louis addressing these?Is it right or wrong to think its activities can be paid for by people who use them?What does Louis think about typical contract lengths for social enterprises? What does he have to say about social investment?And what does he mean by "jumpers for goalposts"?It's a comprehensive conversation with many learning points about resilience, funding, social investment, storytelling and commissioning.What next?Visit the Omnis Circumvado CiC website here: https://www.omniscic.co.ukListen to my last conversation with Louis Speight: from zero-hours frustration to super social entrepreneurship for record-breaking athlete, here.Thanks for listening and to SheffieldLIve! for broadcasting the show.

In today's show: cost of living support and new funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises. And it's the 'season of goodwill' – can't we have goodwill all year round? – but a time when many love to give presents.It's a horrifyingly difficult and challenging time for many. But it's also a crucial time for small businesses and social enterprises. If you are on the hunt for presents, I've rounded up a few ideas, many from businesses previously featured on this show.I wanted to highlight thoughtful, high quality, great value gifts, which could bring joy to recipients and ideally make a positive impact in the world. This Positive Gift Guide has plenty of ideas starting from well below £5.Timings and links:0 - 3:20 Introduction3:20 Positive Gift Guide featuring Vertebrate Publishing (recent interview), And Other Stories (interview here), Iain Broome's A for Angelica, Maria Popova's Figuring, Bullion Chocolate, Harry Specters Chocolate, Positive News magazine, Sheffield Tribune,  The Foundry, The Climbing Works,  Alpkit (listen to this interview with CEO David Hanney),  Rapanui Clothing, Naked Ape, Gifted Sheffield, Record Collector (check out this interview with Mark), Printed By Us (check out this interview), The Treehouse Board Game Cafe, (check out this interview with Ruth) and Independent Sheffield.13:50 The rising cost of living is challenging for businesses and Sheffield City Council has published new, free resource guides, and is offering free, one-to-one support. Details.15:54 Funding: The DCMS Create Growth Fund, grants for feasibility studies that develop new approaches to improve resource efficiency, and the UKRI circular fashion programme: recycling and sorting demonstrator. Details here. These are all via Innovate UK, check out last week's show for some tips on applying.Thanks for listening and to SheffieldLIve! for broadcasting the show.

Can you feel it? Can you hear it? Yes, it's the blistering, crackling heat from the South Yorkshire Tech 100 – the "hottest" startups and scaleups in the region, published today in a new ecosystem report.It lists the most successful tech companies born since the start of 2000 with headquarters in South Yorkshire and emerging startups with tremendous growth potential. Between them they employ 4,000 people.And it shows tech startup equity funding into South Yorkshire's early-stage tech companies has doubled in the last four years to more than £52m.Darren Balcombe, Deputy CEO at Capital Enterprise and Team SY lead, tells us what's changed to enable such a growth in investment, why now is a critical time for the region, and how we will nurture more entrepreneurs.He also covers why South Yorkshire is a brilliant place for a tech startup, the importance of social-purpose driven firms in the Tech 100, and has must-listen advice on applying for grants from organisations like Innovate UK.South Yorkshire is now home to more than 3,000 tech startups; Darren wants to "turn its emerging startup scene into a strong, self-sustaining engine of innovation and growth,  so that South Yorkshire can be home to many more global leaders" – he tells me how.What next?Team SY's South Yorkshire Tech 100 reportThanks for listening, to interviewee Darren of Team SY: weareteamsy.org and Capital Enterprise: capitalenterprise.org and to SheffieldLIve! for broadcasting the show.

Today's guests won't just make you make you think, I hope they'll help you to act since both offer practical and immediate action points to build a better world and better businesses.The UK generates some of the highest amounts of e-waste (electrical waste including headphones, remotes, computer equipment and devices) in the world. Why do we hoard such devices and how can we put them to better use?And how can we become better bosses, adapt for a hybrid-working world and plan so businesses and people can thrive amidst the digital and societal transformation underway?Helen Milner is the Group Chief Executive of Good Things Foundation and has been named one of the most influential people in IT in the UK. Well-known for its work in digital inclusion, Good Things Foundation is building the UK's first National Device Bank. Devices will be provided to people and organisations. Helen tells us more.She also covers social tariffs for broadband, why digital exclusion is becoming narrower but more pronounced for people affected, and her commitment to financial inclusion with MaPS (the UK's Money and Pension Service). Listeners can put their default device to good use in the future, she tell us how.Stefan Stern is a journalist, author and Visiting Professor of management practice at Bayes Business School, City, University of London. He is the author (with Prof Cary Cooper) of "Myths of Management - what people get wrong about being the boss" and "How To Be A Better Leader".Stefan tells me the biggest and most surprising things people get wrong about being the boss, what we can do to be better, and how organisations and leaders can work more effectively (and supportively of their people) in a hybrid world and the future. Stern is speaking at  Zoom's annual conference, Zoomtopia EMEA, about how the new world of work will change business and society and how to deal with it? Register for this free event here.Timings:0 - 2:57 introduction2:57 Helen Milner  – find Helen on twitter at @helenmilner21:15 Stefan Stern – find Stefan on twitter at @stefanstern38:17 Funding for businesses and social enterprises, including Innovate UK's Circular Economy for SMEs and Net zero living: Pioneer places funding competitions,  the Youth Music Incubator Fund, the Time After Time E-waste Fund.42:48 Upcoming events, including Zoomtopia EMEA virtual user conference on 17 November (details),  the Social Enterprise Exchange conference on 17 November, Unlocking the Labour Market Crisis – Talent across the generations on 21 November (details), Business Sheffield's Entrepreneurs Conference.Thanks for listening, to guests Helen and Stefan, and to SheffieldLIve! for broadcasting the show.

Terry Murphy runs Printed By Us, a social enterprise which sells t-shirts, prints, mugs, hoodies and other products, all featuring amazing designs by notable and up-and-coming artists.Terry was last on the show five years ago with colleague James whose candid story moved many listeners. The business works with vulnerable people and people who are or were at risk of homelessness, teaching them screen printing and other skills, and supporting them into employment. It has grown since then to 25 employees.Now Printed By Us has opened a shop in Orchard Square in Sheffield, is in Meadowhall, and sells online. But their product is not a "pity purchase" – Terry describes why quality and excellence is at the heart of it (and what that means for example about how their t-shirts are produced).Terry is also involved with the Sheffield Social Enterprise Network and the forthcoming Social Enterprise Exchange Conference. He's excited about both. Listen to find out why.Also on the show: new data from Fair4All Finance shows over 180,000 people in Sheffield are in financially vulnerable circumstances. Even before the cost of living really started escalating, a report in March demonstrated that over a million people might already be borrowing from loan sharks, illegal money lenders. The consequences are horrific.So a new campaign has been launched to help people, warn them to steer clear of loan sharks and high cost lenders, and  make people aware of sources of support: community lenders, community development finance institutions and credit unions.Jackie Hallewell, CEO at Sheffield Credit Union and Faisel Rahman, CEO at Fair Finance, join me to explain what their organisations do and why.Both have important comments and advice about credit, saving, debt and finances, and their advice could be directly relevant to listeners or could help people you work with. Timings and links:0 - 3:00 Introduction2:59 Terry Murphy, Printed By Us, www.printedbyus.org and Sheffield Social Enterprise Network, www.ssen.org.uk  Terry also flagged up the Social Enterprise Exchange conference on 17 November, www.socentxchange.net20:06 Jackie Hallewell, Sheffield Credit Union, www.sheffieldcreditunion.com36:42 Faisel Rahman, Fair Finance, www.fairfinance.org.uk – Fair Finance is a member of Responsible Finance, an organisation I work with www.responsiblefinance.org.uk49:14 Wrapping up, check out a recent episode with Helen Barnard, and last week's show with funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises.Upcoming events: The Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup starts today in Sheffield. The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival has lots going on.Prospect Magazine's "What Sheffield can teach us about true levelling up" is worth a read. It mentioned several folk we have interviewed including Deborah Bullivant and

Every week on this show we try to highlight new grant and funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises.Today (28 October 2022) we have details of 10 x £40,000 grants; funding streams with  £8,000 and £18,000 awards; and a new games and tech accelerator programme.Those come after news of the shortlist announcement for the Sheffield Business Awards 2022. Several of the finalists have appeared on previous episodes of this radio show.One is The Treehouse Board Game Café, shortlisted for the High Street Hero Award which recognises "an independent retail, hospitality or leisure business that is playing a vital role in supporting the high street experience in Sheffield."So today you can hear an interview with Ruth Haigh of Treehouse Board Game Café which we recorded in 2019. It has aged well: Ruth described how she left a career in data analysis for the civil service to launch the business and her advice on:testing the market and market-research when launching a new businessone critical success factorher most useful sources of advice as a startuphow to secure business premisesAfter the interview with Ruth it's back to 2022 for some new funding opportunities. Timings and details:0:00 Introduction and news – from this weekend the programme (and Sheffield Live! radio) will be available on DAB+ as well as FM radio2:58 Interview with Ruth Haigh, first broadcast in 201928:12 Recap29:40 Power to Change Community Tech: Makers & Maintainers two year programme will offer 10 x £40,000 grants for community businesses working on existing community tech solutions, not new projects. Deadline 4 Novemer 2022. See www.powertochange.org.uk30:23 The Indielab South Yorks Games Accelerator South Yorks Investment Readiness Programme 2022 is designed for games developers, and for games technology and service providers. Indielab Games is looking for South Yorkshire's "innovative, up-and-coming games companies to take part in this full funded programme, commencing in November 2022." Registration is open until 1pm on Monday 31 October. See www.indielabgames.co.uk30:50 UnLtd, The foundation for social entrepreneurs, has funding streams with grants of up to £18,000 to grow existing social enterprises (1-4 years old) and up to £8,000 for new (pre-trading, and up to one year old) social enterprises. Details: https://www.unltd.org.uk/awards/31:23 EVENTS: The Social Enterprise Exchange Conference 2022. Business Sheffield webinars. Business and IP Centre Sheffield events. And the Sheffield Forum meet-up 33:01 Recap of last week's show with Helen Barnard about creating and environment in which good businesses can thrive, and what businesses can do to address poverty and inequality; and of our recent interview with writer Akeem Balogun (I've since been along to the event he curated as part of Off the Shelf, it was excellent).Thanks for listening and to SheffieldLIve! for broadcasting the show.

Most people in poverty in the UK are in working families. Four million workers live in poverty: their resources are well below their minimum needs.That means 'not being able to heat your home, pay your rent, or buy the essentials for your children. It means waking up every day facing insecurity, uncertainty, and impossible decisions about money.'And seven in ten children growing up in poverty live in a working family. How have we come to this? And what can we do about it?Helen Barnard has spent her career researching poverty. She is the author of new book Want, part of Five Giants, a series published eighty years on from the original Beveridge Report in 1942 which identified five barriers to social progress and led to the creation of the modern welfare state (and NHS).Today mass unemployment is no longer the issue it was:  big factors behind poverty and insecurity are low pay, lack of progression, insecurity and underemployment as Helen explains.She tells me about a business which trusts, empowers, and supports its workforce – as a result it has happy and engaged employees, and they and the business prosper. She contrasts this with an exploitative approach and gives a three-pronged approach to how we can support more "good" businesses and address the bad ones.We also discuss supporting people in under-invested communities to support and grow businesses and social enterprises; unleashing the power of civil society and how to create a more level playing field for corporate taxation.The book involves powerful and heart-rending stories about modern poverty and new,, fit-for-purpose ideas and solutions.Listen to this interview with Helen Barnard for practical, fit-for-purpose ideas about the power of good business to address modern poverty and inequality today.Timings and links:0 - 3:00 introduction3:00 interview with Helen Barnard of Pro Bono Economics and The Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Find Helen on twitter and get a copy of her book here, or there are lots of non-Amazon options to buy it here.32:20 wrapping up and upcoming events including Off the Shelf and Celluloid Screams.Thanks Helen for such comprehensive and thoughtful interview and thanks as ever to Sheffield Live for broadcasting the show on FM radio today, 21 October 2022  https://web.sheffieldlive.org . Thank-you for listening – please go and buy Helen's book if you can!

It can  be unfair to quote a line from a writer's work out of context.  But the words 'Truths are unpopular. Lies are famous' capture the weird maelstrom of social media posturing, fake news, politicians who'll promise whatever it takes to get elected, and over-friendly corporate messaging we're bombarded by today. The lines come from Akeem Balogun's 'Nothing too Serious,'  published at Written Gallery, and written in a different context. But imaginative fiction can show us future possibilities as well as risks. Akeem's debut short story collection, The Storm, won the Somerset Maugham Award and "shows us the often questionable ways that people deal with extreme crisis and how ordinary human relationships can become distorted in severe conditions."I met Akeem three years ago at the Hallam Enterprise Awards where his reading of a piece from The Storm met with a standing ovation, and the small press he co-founded, Okapi Books, secured a £1000 award for 'best pitch' voted by the audience.So I was delighted to interview him and hear about an exciting event he's curated as part of Sheffield's Off The Shelf Festival – Words, Vision and Sound – on 22 October at Event Central, Fargate, Sheffield."Delight" and the joy of immersion in words, music and visuals will underpin the event, Akeem explains in this interview, which also covers the near-future imaginative writing he specialises in, two new, recently published stories about social care and some of Akeem's thoughts on Sheffield as a writing hub.Enjoy the interview and get yourself tickets for Words, Vision and Sound.0 -3:17 introduction3:17 Akeem Balogun interview31:26 Funding and events for entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs and freelancersFind Akeem at https://www.writtengallery.com/stories/ and get tickets for Words, Vision and Sound here https://offtheshelf.org.uk/event/words-vision-sound/

All this talk about "slashing red tape" and a sudden zeal for deregulation as a magic bullet for growth made me climb aboard my soapbox.This episode starts with a rant and a reminder: regulation per se is no barrier to inclusive growth, and careless deregulation risks encouraging a race to the bottom in business and life. Do we want crappy, rubbish businesses exploiting people and planet for ever-diminishing returns on investment? I don't. Glad I've got that off my chest (and let me know what you think).Then an interview with engineer-turned-air-quality entrepreneur, Kate Barnard, whose business helps cities and governments achieve air quality standards and show they've done so.Air pollution contributes to around 40,000 deaths a year in the UK and more in many other parts of the world. Enjoy The Air sees cities as engineering systems. Kate explains how it catalyses behaviour and policy changes and the importance of "WIIFM" or "What's in it for me?"Also on the show today: lots of exciting events, funding for businesses and social enterprises, and more.Timings:0 - 1:30 Introduction1:30 I have a rant about de-regulation snd why fit-for-purpose regulation is a tool for sustainable growth, not a barrier6:12 Interview with Kate Barnard, Enjoy The Air32:32 Quick recap of last week's episode with Jon Barton, Vertebrate Publishing34:28 Upcoming events including an exhibition at the National Videogame Museum, the Off the Shelf and No Bounds Festivals, Peddler Market,  Black History Month events in partnership with the African Heritage Forum36:30 Reminder of the Fair and Sustainable Economies Fund and Digital Innovation Grant programme (more details here)37:06 More events including Business Sheffield's Networking event and series of free virtual business workshops38:52 Reflections on this week's SCCCC "Winter Pressures Service" launch event – I went along and their work supporting elderly, isolated and vulnerable people and relieving pressure on the NHS is so important – CEO Mark Storey was on the show 6 years ago40:11 How to get in touch (email jamie@sheffieldlive.org ) and wrapping upThanks for listening!

Nearly 20 years ago Jon Barton created a mountain biking guide to the trails he loved to ride in the Peak District. Since then his firm Vertebrate Publishing has grown with its authors and the business scooping multiple accolades and awards, including Small Press of the Year at the 2022 British Book Awards.It publishes beautiful and inspiring outdoor adventure books and guides. Jon joins me for a thoughtful conversation about:how the publishing industry and his business has evolved over nearly two decadeswhat the business did to double turnover without diluting the quality of its bookscollaborating with other independent publishers in Sheffield and the UKthe impact of massive increases in the cost of printingpublishing carbon neutral and carbon negative bookstaking a more robust approach to commissioning and what that meansselling direct vs selling on Amazon and elsewherewhat Sheffield's "Outdoor City" campaign means for the business and Jonnew titles: "We Can't Run Away From This" by Damian Hall,  "Where There's a Hill" by Sabrina Verjee and "Retirement Rebel" which comes out in Octoberwhy he loves being harangued at the crag or in the pub about his booksVertebrate Publishing is a great Sheffield success story. What's the next chapter?  Jon gives open and candid answers about the highs and lows of running a business built on passion for adventure in many forms.Also in the show: new funding and events for businesses and social enterprises.Timings:0-2:45 Introduction2:45 Jon Barton interview (Vertebrate Publishing's website: www.adventurebooks.com)45:49 Funding for businesses and social enterprises – grants of up to £200,000 from the Friends Provident Foundation Fair and Sustainable Economy Fund; the Digital Innovation Grant (DIG) programme in South Yorkshire; the Energy Bill Relief Scheme49:57 An upcoming event: Sheffield Forum Live #4: 12 October 202251:30 Wrapping up with reflections on interest rates, the power of regional radio, the late author Hilary Mantel and how to get in touchThanks for listening.

Today's guest says he's the "world's oldest" digital nomad – until proven otherwise. Malcolm McClean has always loved the work he does, and when he hit 65 years of age he sold everything he owns to embark on a new adventure.Malcolm is an author and consultant to a remarkable social enterprise, PossAbilities Community Interest Company, which has grown from 200 to 600 employees during the time he's been involved. It works with people with learning disabilities and vulnerable people so they can "live the life they choose," providing accommodation, short breaks and many other life-enhancing initiatives.How did Malcolm's friends and family react when he announced his plans? Is it difficult or expensive to be a digital nomad? How does his lifestyle work? What can we learn about scaling-up social enterprises and purpose-driven businesses from PossAbilities? And what tips can Malcolm – who has written five books which have been published worldwide – give us about writing?Listen to find out. Malcolm recorded this interview with me from Stockholm on Tuesday 6th September.Also in this episode: £12,500 Business Productivity Grants, comments on energy price support for businesses and social enterprises, and research into  preferences around salary and work-life balance.Timings and links:0 - 36:36 introduction and interview with Malcolm McClean, Bearhunt, PossAbilities, and School of Curiosity.36:36 businesses eagerly awaiting more details of energy bill support scheme40:36 Business Productivity Grant Programme from Sheffield City Council – up to £12,500 available – how to apply (it's easy to do so but you need to act soon).42:20 new research into employee preferences around salary, benefits and work-life balance.43:28 wrapping up – please get in touch!

Always treat the customer as though they're your mum, says Stephen Tighe, CEO and co-founder of Allegro Opticians.Launched just a few years ago, Allegro now has customers from  America, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and many other parts of the world, after identifying and addressing a profound need for specialist optical care for musicians and performing artists.Stephen, who worked in financial series for 35 years, and wife and business partner Sheryl Doe are both accomplished musicians – optician Sheryl is a cornet, cello and double bass player; Stephen a conductor and brass band player.In this episode Stephen describes how when he and Sheryl first met, at a concert, it not only led to their becoming husband and wife but immediately demonstrated the problems their business solves.Since launching Allegro has gone from two to twenty employees. It has three branches, works with the Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain and the Royal College of Music and has been recognised with awards from the Federation of Small Businesses, as well as being named Dispensing Optician of the year in 2019 and 2021 and Arts and Entertainment Business of the Year in 2019.Stephen covers financing the business, its customer service ethos, the value of mentoring (as mentor and meet) and the importance of giving back. He's a thoughtful guest and it's a masterclass in running a business based on thoroughly understanding your customers and giving them an exemplary experience.Also in the show (after the interview with Stephen) – funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises.Links:Allegro Optical

Sarah Beaumont had held high-level management roles and worked all over the world. But when a chronic condition left her in constant pain she was told she'd never work again. Now she's launched and runs her own business helping other people, and tells her story in today's episode.Diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos syndrome and Fibromyalgia – both long term chronic illnesses – Sarah became bed-bound, saying "there were times I would crawl on my hands and knees just to get to the bathroom.”Heartbreakingly, Sarah then went through a difficult divorce and says she "gained a huge amount of weight because I was so sedentary and I couldn't cook healthy, fresh meals so I ate a lot of junk. I lost my career and I lost my life before illness, I grieved for them for a long time.”But told she would never work again, Sarah could not accept that as her future: “I'm not a quitter and very slowly I have rebuilt my life, one piece at a time. I have lost 100 lbs in weight and I went back to work as a weight loss consultant.”Having fought and won her battle with her chronic illness and weight loss, Sarah felt empowered to use her own experiences to help others. She dreamed of launching her own business to encourage and support people, both with weight loss and in living with a chronic illness. And despite a roadblock on the way, which Sarah explains in this interview, she's done just that.Also in the show today: funding opportunities and events for businesses and social enterprise.Timings:0 - 28:25 interview with Sarah of Sarah Beaumont Inspires.28:25 recap; Sarah is also now volunteering for Samaritans.Fibromyalgia Action UK,  a registered charity, operates as a signpost to information and resources for people who are affected by fibromyalgia, including helplines and support groups. Ehlers-Danlos Support UK is a UK charity that represents and supports people with EDS.30:30 Grants of up to £50,000 for micro and small businesses from Innovate UK. Details.32:10 The Enterprise Development Programme from the Social Investment Business offers grants of up to £30k to relevant organisations. Details.33:05 Grants for startup and growing social enterprises through the Social Enterprise Exchange programme.34:16 Events from the Business and IP Centre South Yorkshire and from Business Sheffield. 35:30 Wrapping up.

What is 'ever-boarding' and why should you use it in your business?Why do over half of sales people not hit their targets, and what can you do to support them better, giving you a huge return on investment if you do it right?And what does Ash Ali mean when he talks about unfair advantages which people can identify and apply?Imagine you spent a long time and invested a lot of money to get the best talent into your company, then gave your new starters a poor experience. In those first few weeks and days, new employees decide whether or not to stay. Their decisions and successes in their roles depend on your process when they join your business, and your ongoing support.Ash is the co-founder of Uhubs, seeking to help sales leaders in B2B tech companies grow faster. If you recruit and employ sales people, he has lots of important advice in this episode – in fact it will be useful to most business leaders.Uhubs itself has pivoted and Ash explains why. And it has secured investment in a couple of funding founds, including from TwinklHive in Sheffield.Ash was the first UK marketing director of Just Eat and is author, with Hasan Kubba, of The Unfair Advantage, winner of Business Book of the Year 2021.He is an enormous advocate of bootstrapping and launching minimum viable products and used the same process to get his book in front of initial readers then an agent and publisher.So lots of practical advice today from Ash, including three essential elements for successful recruitment, retention and ongoing support for salespeople, the best time to seek investment and how to go about it, working with complementary co-founders and more.Also on the programme (after the interview) – two business funding opportunities, including the ReNew Sheffield Call for Projects, and reflections on a lovely article about dry stone walling in the Peak District published by The Sheffield Tribune.Thanks for listening today. Please rate / review / follow / subscribe to the show on your favourite podcast app and get in touch to suggest guests or topics.

When Hellen Stirling-Baker launched Small Stuff in 2016, a mentor told her it would fail because she was so focussed on ethical business. Six years later she runs a thriving online and physical shop, has opened and expanded into larger retail premises, and survived the challenges of the pandemic. Turnover and profits are increasing, says Hellen – and she has not compromised her ethics and values.Hellen is one of over 1,000 leaders of businesses large and small calling for a "Better Business Act." They want the Government to amend legislation to ensure businesses are legally responsible for benefiting workers, customers, communities and the environment while delivering shareholder and stakeholder returns. We cover what that means and this week's Better Business Day, and discuss Hellen's multiple-award-winning, eco-conscious children's store in Crookes, Sheffield. Hellen has tips for entrepreneurs who hope to launch other sustainable (in all senses) businesses. A healthy dose of inspiration and practical advice in this, episode #366 of Business Live.Timings and links:0:00 - 25:48 Introduction and interview with Hellen Stirling-Baker, Small Stuff. Hellen also presents This Sustainable Business podcast.25:48 More about The Better Business Act, the four principles and how to learn more.29:53 Quick recap of some previous episodes with guests who demonstrate ethical business is great business, including Kresse Wesling (Elvis & Kresse), Yasin El Ashrafi (HQ Recording Studios), Jen O'Brien (Music Broth), David Hanney (Alpkit), Louisa Ziane (Toast Ale).32:13 Funding: 15-20 projects can secure up to £1m each through The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund. Power to Change seeks partners for Community Improvement Districts.34:38 Reflections on Positive News magazine, and a good article from economist and Times columnist Ryan Bourne about why we should allow asylum speakers to work (The Entrepreneurs Network has ling called for this too).37:16 Upcoming events, including Record Store Day 2022 (so why not listen to last week's interview with Mark Elliott of Record Collector), Opportunity Sheffield job fairs, Sheffield Digital Festival, Sheffield Forum Live #3, The Festival of Debate.Thanks for listening to the show! Get in touch here and please leave a rating or review so more folk can find it.

It's a Sheffield institution, a fixture in the firmament of music-lovers. Record Collector opened in 1978 and sells vinyl albums and CDs from its double-fronted shop in Broomhill and worldwide from its online store.Vinyl is "back with a bang" says Mark Elliott. He's worked at the store since 1988 give or take a couple of breaks including a stint in New Zealand. UK  vinyl sales have jumped for the 14th consecutive year, according to BPI figures, and nearly a quarter of albums sold are purchased on vinyl.That must be good news for independent record shops? What does it mean for the second-hand trade? And how did Record Collector make it through the last couple of years, an extraordinary tough time to operate any independent retail business?Mark also discusses the phenomenon of Record Store Day,  the legendary story of a Public Enemy signing at the store, and independent businesses competing with internet behemoths.Timings:0 - 2:34 Introduction – this is episode #365 of Business Live.2:34 Interview with Mark Elliott, Record Collector. Its website is here and Discogs listings here.30:08 News from former show guest, Blend Kitchen.32:12 Upcoming events including Sheffield Forum Live #3 in May, The eBay Business Roadshow in April, two new Best of ShAFF events and an extension to ShAFF 2022 Online, Peddler Market, The Festival of Debate, Pollen Inner City Flower Market.Enjoy the show? Follow/subscribe/rate or review it on your favourite podcast platform. We broadcast most Friday mornings at 9am on Sheffield Live 93.2FM and online, with podcasts here and on most podcast outlets. Thanks for listening!

Diane Evans, whose father was Ukrainian, tracked down her relatives near Lviv in Western Ukraine just two-and-a-half years ago.  Since then she's met them for the first time and been in frequent contact.When Russian forces invaded Ukraine she wanted to help the Ukrainian people and refugees fleeing the war. Over just two days her business, Evans Lee, collected over £100,000-worth of donations of medicines and bandages, bottled water, canned food, toiletries, baby milk and food, and good quality clothing.Then with the help of volunteers and businesses which gave the use of warehouses, vehicles, staff time and more, Diane organised, boxed and packed the donations. The goods have been transported to the Polish border and distributed to Ukrainian refugees.Diane joins me to discuss how she searched for and found her family members in Ukraine; the donation drive and being overwhelmed by the generosity of people and businesses; other ways to support the Ukrainian people, including by  offering accommodation; and the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal and The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, which is working with accredited and registered Ukrainian charities to provide medicines, food and critical services.We also talk a little about housing and running a family business – Evans Lee has been established for 9 years – with Diane's top tips about the "small little bits that make a difference."Also in this, episode 364 of Business Live: if you're an extraordinary business leader, creating social change, then a £10,000 award from the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize could be a game-changer for you. We have details about how to apply (deadline 8 April).Timings and links:0 - 29:45 Interview with Diane Evans, Evans Lee. 30:45 Good news from former Business Live show guest, Natterhub31:35 Employment law changes from April, in brief. Frequent guest Jay Bhayani of Bhayani Law has a blog with more details.33:08 Details of the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize. Plus a shout-out for an interview with Nicole Helwig of Cambridge Social Ventures on Heidi Fisher's Make an Impact podcast (which I edit).35:54 Wrapping up, including a signpost for Sheffield Live's interviews with journalists and people in Ukraine, and its list of ways to support Ukraine. Plus congratulations to The Sheffield Tribune as it celebrates its first anniversary of "a different kind of local journalism." And how to get in touch if you want to suggest a topic or put yourself forward to be on this radio show and podcast.

It's crucial to prioritise when you launch a Minimum Viable Product. How? And how do you progress from MVP to uptake in more than 60 countries worldwide?Caroline Allams and Manjit Sareen launched Natterhub, an educational social media platform which prepares primary school children to thrive online, in April 2020. Their platform teaches children to be safe and kind digital citizens and is an experiential learning environment where pupils learn about their relationship with screens.This interview with Caroline was originally recorded and broadcast in July 2021. It proved so helpful to many listeners, we included it in episode #363 of Business Live on 18 March 2022.Caroline also covers media literacy, finding and working with a complementary co-founder (I have also interviewed Caroline's co-founder, Manjit Sareen) and building a culture where you and your team can ask questions. Also on today's episode: Olha Peredera, a Ukrainian journalist and IT worker in Konotop, Ukraine, has spoken with Sheffield Live! about how the war has affected her and her family. Watch Sheffield Live's interview here.Timings and links:0 - 2:35 Introduction.2:35 Caroline Allams, Natterhub.42:01 Wrapping up.

Who are we talking with when we meet someone on a dating app or social media platform? A real person or a fantasy construct? How do we know a person's profile is genuine and what they're telling us is true?With romance fraud rocketing, scammers and criminals are using dating apps and social media platforms to reel in their victims. But a new, British dating app uses robust ID verification to ensure users are who they say they are, and Jessica Zeun joined me today to explain how Fluttr works.It's based on three pillars, "safety, authenticity and efficiency" and Jessica tells us the app's founders saw "so much terrible stuff happening in dating apps" which they sought to fix – but at the same time it needs to be fun.She covers the user experience, how the founders raised their startup-costs and plans to roll-out the app beyond the UK. And as a long-term expert on social media Jessica gave her perspective on platforms – plus tips for anyone moving, like she has, from building products for other people to building their own.Also on the show: funding opportunities and events for businesses and social enterprises. This is episode 362 of Business Live – hope you enjoy it!0 - 25:53 Jessica Zeun, Fluttr25:53 Funding! Act fast if you want to apply to the Digital Innovation Grant (DIG) programme which supports Small and Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Yorkshire to develop their use of digital technology. Plus travel sector and hospitality, accommodation and leisure grants (Sheffield), details here. 29:41 Events: The Sheffield Universities Managing Directors Club on 10 March covers funding to innovate and grow your business. Details and booking.The SME Business Breakfast event on 29 March: details and booking.Thanks for listening!

Remember going to shops and popping your change into a charity collection box next to the till? The problem for charities is this has become a memory, not a habit, as we move to a cashless society.And it means an £80m shortfall in fundraising every year for charities which used to collect spare change.But Sean Donnelly's business Ripples, a social enterprise, wants to fix this and help small acts of generosity ripple outward to make a huge impact. Ripples uses Open Banking and its own clever, flexible and secure design to make a positive difference. It seeks to enable small penny donations and ultimately raise millions for charities, schools and important causes around the world. Sean  had to "kiss a lot of frogs" on the journey to secure seed funding for Ripples (which launched as Roundups and has just refreshed its branding). So he's got lots to say which will help other entrepreneurs prepare for seed investment rounds and finding angel investors.We also cover effective altruism, seeking to maximise the impact of money donated or invested into doing good, plus the value of networks and ecosystems for startups in tech, finding a co-founder and the lessons Sean learned from earlier businesses he launched.Timings:0 - 3:17 Introduction.3:17 Interview with Sean Donnelly, co-founder, Ripples (which has secured investment from Sheffield-based business accelerator, TwinklHive).33:30 What books have informed, inspired or challenged you, or given you tools you've found useful? Let me know. Sean and I talked a little about William MacAskill's "Doing Good Better – Effective Altruism and a Radical New Way to Make a Difference." Worth reading. Do you have book recommendations? Get in touch.35:28 Upcoming events including Tramlines, the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival and the Outdoor City.36:29 Funding! Travel sector and hospitality, accommodation and leisure grants (Sheffield), details here. And the Digital Innovation Grant (DIG) programme supports Small and Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Yorkshire to develop their use of digital technology.38:09 Wrapping up.

There's a game Natalie Doherty likes to play when she meets young people on one of the Source Skills Academy's programmes.They have this image indoctrinated into them about the type of person who is a Director of Quality, Curriculum and Innovation, she says. And they're often shocked by her career journey from dance to director – but hearing it makes the idea of a senior job more accessible to them.Doherty, whose father wanted her to be an accountant, "wasn't the conventional student" at school, she says. After studying dance and sport she began a career as a dancer which took her all over the world. Her career developed into running major sport and cultural events before she "broke into education" and she's worked in both a formal and community context in the education sector for 15 years. Today we discuss:Does education prepare people adequately for the workplace?Confounding the expectations that society, schools, families often make of people.Transferable skills from dance and sport which helped Natalie overcome brick walls and be resilient in the face of knocks on her career journey.What those brick walls and knocks were.How the Source's traineeship programmes help young people develop and, crucially, apply their skills.Also on today's show: Aneeka Zarar says she has transformed her life thanks to The Source Skills Academy's Traineeship programme. Aneeka, 18, now has a full-time job she loves at Yorkshire Accommodation Bureau Ltd in Rotherham. She and her manager Laura Else talk about how the experience worked for Aneeka and the business.Timings and links:0 - 3:18 introduction,3:18 interview with Natalie Doherty, Director of Quality, Curriculum and Innovation, the Source Skills Academy,30:40 Aneeka Zarar and Laura Else, Yorkshire Accommodation Bureau,43:27 If you run a business in Yorkshire and the Humber which sells online, the ten free of charge Digitise Your Exports (DYE) events could help you to increase their online sales. Details.46:01 Wrapping up.

"We're not just hashtagging, we're actually doing something about it. I hope that gives anyone listening with a mental health problem strength: you don't have to be shut down, you don't have to be defined, you can take control."Kat Morley is the founder of Insight PR and Media. After studying journalism and winning awards for her coverage of wrestling, while living with her own mental health issues including PTSD and BPD, Kat launched the  #WeGetThat Campaign on social media, hit a crowdfunding target and launched her agency. She has made "bridging the gap between mental health and sustainable, productive employment" integral to her business. Her five-person firm has a dedicated mental health and wellbeing programme, and Kat shares the four elements of this with advice other small businesses can use. She also gives tips on crowdfunding, branding and winning attention for campaigns or businesses.Also on today's show: co-operatives are the UK"s best-kept business secret but tick all the boxes when it comes to building a better society, says Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK. With infectious enthusiasm and a stack of examples, Rose shows how co-operatives are thriving in all sorts of sectors.Rose has crucial advice too for new co-operatives about what to include in  your governing documents and tells us about the Ownership Hub, a partnership between the Employee Ownership Association (EOA) and Co-operatives UK. It has launched its first development hub, in the Sheffield City Region.Timings and links:0 - 3:17 introduction3:17 interview with Kat Morley, Insight PR and Media33:53 interview with Rose Marley54:06 wrapping upThanks for listening to the show.

News matters to local communities. How can we generate the most possible resource available for local news and then produce the best possible local newspaper with that resource?This is the starting point for Social Spider, which publishes five local newspapers. David Floyd, MD of the 2003-established social enterprise, joins us to explain Social Spider's purpose-driven, sustainable approach to “fill the gap left by the retreat and decline of corporate local news."How? David explains, covering Social Spider's social, editorial and commercial models, its approach to quality journalism and revenue generation, how its newspapers are embedded within their communities – and why local news is a brilliant opportunity for social enterprises.With a staff team of 17 Social Spider is increasing reader membership numbers, advertising income, and impact. Having fantastic, high-quality content is only one part of making the model work, he says. David's observations on journalism and the media today, building communities, commercial and social models and initiatives like the Local Democracy Service are well worth your time.David's also a fellow of the Finance Innovation Lab which seeks new approaches to finance and investment which works for communities – his focus has been social investment. So I asked his view on how to encourage more or better social investment into social enterprises.Also in today's show: new funding opportunities for businesses and social enterprises, upcoming events, some book recommendations, and a round-up of other episodes covering the media. Enjoy the show! Timings and links:0 - 3:18 Introduction and some book recommendations: Iain Broome's A for Angelica, John Le Carré's Silverview.3:18 Interview with David Floyd. More about Social Spider here (http://socialspider.com), find David on Twitter, and read his blog here https://startspreadingnews.medium.com45:34 Reflections and summary of other episodes covering the media – eg interview with journalists Michelle Rawlins, Sam Walby and Bird Lovegod, Minreet Kaur, David Walsh. And another book recommendation, Rutger Bregman's Humankind.49:49 Funding updates – details of grants for businesses and social enterprises including the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, Low Carbon Business Support and Business Productivity Grants. More here. And the Cultural Recovery Fund.51:38 Events: Sheffield Beer Week, Indie Beer Fest, Sheffield Adventure Film Festival. 'Meet the Locals', and 'Celestial Bodies', at Sheffield's Fronteer Gallery. Details and register for the Private View. Plus events from Business Sheffield and the Business & IP Centre.

Episode 356 of Business Live features Mike Lawrence, workplace health and wellbeing consultant. This interview was originally recorded on 17 December 2020 and is re-broadcast this week.Working from home means many entrepreneurs and employees feel isolated; others experience overwhelm and burnout, or never stop working. Mike has strategies to protect and support you and your colleagues' health and wellbeing. Mike "could talk for a week about some of the challenges I've had to overcome." As a young man he had to move to London to access employment opportunities: covert racism in Sheffield proved an enormous barrier. Has that changed? Mike now works with many corporate firms and large organisations, enabling them to address discrimination, bias and barriers to inclusivity. He describes initiatives and action, underway and needed, to create a level playing field for all. Mike also describes how he found mentors, how he rebuilt his own confidence after a challenging period, the impact of Viktor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning,  and gives realistic, practical advice for business leaders about listening, asking questions and building trust.Find Mike Lawrence Health and Wellbeing online. And here's the book mentioned in the interview.

Manjit Sareen is CEO and co-founder of Natterhub and a serial entrepreneur. Since her co-founder Caroline Allams was on the show earlier this year the business, which teaches children to be safe and savvy online, has announced a high-impact collaboration with Microsoft.Manjit explains how Natterhub offers an innovative, immersive and safe environment for children and how it has developed since launching last year.  Although Manjit and Caroline had been working on the product for several years the onset of the pandemic pushed them to launch earlier than originally planned in 2020 – she tells me why.Natterhub was the first start-up company to join TwinklHive, which invested into the business too. It has won customers in more than 60 schools and is poised for explosive global growth thanks to a new integration with Microsoft means for Natterhub. Manjit describes how this came about.For serial entrepreneur Manjit, developing, launching and growing Natterhub is an exciting and new chapter in an extraordinary business career. But the idea behind Natterhub had nearly been shelved just before she and co-founder Caroline became business partners. A serendipitously-overheard conversation led to their partnership and a world-leading business.This week Natterhub scooped the Gold award in the Digital Education Awards, yet another accolade for the 9-person, lean firm named one of the top SaaS (software as a service) companies in the UK by TechRound earlier this year.We also explore some of Manjit's earlier entrepreneurial experiences and she has advice for entrepreneurs on how to secure investment and the value of an experienced CFO to your team. And Manjit is running a new fundraise for the firm and always open to new partnerships; she tells folk what she's looking for and how to reach her.Finally we return to some of Natterhub's functionality and recent initiatives such as a youth board and  its Rate My YouTuber web page, which reviews the content of popular YouTubers, to help parents make informed decisions about the content their children are viewing online.Timings:0 - 38:27 Introduction then interview with Manjit Sareen, Natterhub.38:27 Funding updates: the overseas trade show fund from the UK Tradeshow Programme (UKTP) – uo to 40% / £4000 grants to exhibit at approved events; the British Design Fund – £100,000 to £200,000 investments into eligible businesses.40:30 Upcoming online events from Sheffield Adventure Film Festival ShAff Online and wrapping up.This is episode 355 of Business Live. Love the show? Please leave a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice – thank-you!

What holds people back from using their creativity in the workplace? Why have "closet creatives" stopped expressing their creative side in day-to-day life? And what are the impacts on health, wellbeing, problem solving and productivity when you rediscover your creative voice?Emily Moncuit helps people find their creative voice through the art of sketching and drawing.She's been working with global corporates, running lunchtime sessions for their employees with profound impacts on feeling good, building connections, productivity and the ability to apply their thinking to solve challenges, which we explore in this conversation.And she's launched Emily's Notebook, her sketchbook community crammed with free resources to help people build a sketchbook habit and build their creative confidence. It also offers courses and Emily's " Sketch from Scratch Kits." Too often we've disconnected creativity from the workplace, and suppressed it in our day to day lives because of negative experiences. "Creativity has sometimes been linked to the thing that you do as the by-product of your life," says Emily – and we discuss whether it's really the "taboo" some people think.Last time Emily was on Business Live she worked for the CBI, now she runs a startup. Whatever the size of your business or social enterprise, I think you'll find Emily's points about the psychology of creativity fascinating.Also in the show today: FIVE funding and grant opportunities for businesses and social enterprises, and an upcoming event where you can meet a co-founder.Timings and links:0 - 2:15 introduction,2:15 Interview with Emily Moncuit. Check out www.emilysnotebook.co.uk which is packed with free tips, and Emily's Sketch from Scratch Kits – a wonderful gift to yourself or a loved one? We also discuss Sir Ken Robinson's famous Ted Talk.25:51 Funding and grant opportunities:  New Low-Carbon Business Support Project | The Co-op Carbon Innovation Fund (for social enterprises and charities across the UK) | Grants of up to £24,999 in the South Yorkshire Business Productivity Programme | The Digital Innovation Grant programme for SMEs in South Yorkshire | The Social Enterprise Support Fund.30:29 Startup Meetup next week – you can meet a co-founder.31:30 What's coming up on the show, how to get in touch, and wrapping up.

Royal British Legion Industries is a charity supporting the Armed Forces and its veterans, people with disabilities and people who are unemployed.Michelle Ferguson runs its two social enterprises, Britain's Bravest Manufacturing Company and Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company.The firms make road and rail signs, the RBLI's much-loved Tommy figures, and even offer ecommerce fulfilment services.Michelle tells me more about what Britain's and Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Companies make, who their customers are, and how the social enterprises support injured veterans, and people with disabilities and health conditions.We discuss why some veterans may struggle to find employment, or with other challenges;  and what more we can all do to support disadvantaged groups through positive business choices.And Michelle has some essential advice for employers – if you want support to ex-service personnel, and you recruit via a process including interviews, you must be aware of this.Also in the show today: a funding opportunity and an event for social entrepreneurs.Timings:0 - 35:25 Michelle Ferguson, Royal British Legion Industries' interim director of social enterprises35:25 Social entrepreneurs in England, take a look at the new Social Enterprise Support Fund –£16.3m is available to help rebuild trading income36:20 Details of The Time is Now! - A Social Enterprise Exchange / Sheffield Social Enterprise Network Conference on 18 November37:35 Wrapping up

Social media is more than the platforms whose name changes are headline news. Sheffield Forum launched in 2002, and by last year received over 245,000 visitors per month.People love to discuss local news, seek and give advice and recommendations, and engage in friendly or robust debate on Sheffield Forum. Some users have even met their life partner through the Forum; many have forged enduring friendships and relationships.But when its founder announced in 2020 that, after 18 years, Sheffield Forum was for sale, many users feared the end was nigh for their much-loved community.Chris Sellars and Beca Allsopp joined me today. The new stewards of Sheffield Forum after Chris' investment and joint venture vehicle, Bulldozer, acquired it last year, they've allayed users' fears while bringing new ideas. We discuss:why Bulldozer took ownership of a much-loved community and their plans,the first Sheffield Forum: Live – "bringing stories worth sharing to our Sheffield community and celebrate the talent in this city," it features talks covering music, science, art, faith, poetry and should be fascinating,Bulldozer's mission and aims as an investment and joint venture vehicle,practical tips for people seeking an investor or JV partner,Beca's Psychology Masters – which proved rather timely in its subject.Enjoy today's episode, number 352 of the show, and check out Sheffield Forum, Bulldozer, and the Sheffield Forum:Live event.

What are NFTs – Non-Fungible Tokens – and how can creators, creatives and artists start to sell NFTs of their work?Earlier this year Joe Horner, the award-winning Sheffield-based photographer, hit rock bottom in his business because of the impact of Covid. But a lack of bookings gave Joe the time to investigate the burgeoning world of NFTs. It has changed his life.NFTs boomed in 2021: Christies sold an NFT of an artwork for over $60m earlier this year, but what are they? And how can artists and creatives make and sell NFTs of their work – and even enjoy future royalties when they are sold again?Joe gives a huge amount of practical detail in this interview about what he's learned about minting and selling his work, how to value it, finding an audience, and the effect on the rest of his day-to-day career as a photographer and acclaimed artist.It wasn't a get-rich quick scheme, and Joe's clearly committed to his work and his art, but it has been transformative: "It's been life-changing...it's quite insane...what I made in a year last year I made in a week."He covers cryptowallets, platforms to trade NFTs, the best time of day to share new work for sale, the importance of a dedicated Twitter account and much more. If you're an artist or creator investigating NFTs, Joe's interview (which of course is NOT investment advice) is gold.Timings:0:00 Introduction and what are NFTs?2:20 Joe Horner interview – find Joe's Instagram here, LinkedIn page here and Flowerblocks Twitter account here39:20 Forthcoming events: The Business & IP Centre Sheffield's Start-up Day 2021 and Sheffield Forum's first Sheffield Forum: Live43:10 This week's Budget and Spending Review45:33 Sheffield named Greenest City in UK, wrapping upEnjoyed the show and this interview? Please leave a review or rating on your podcast platform of choice so more people can discover it – thanks!

Fancy a career where your skills will be in huge demand? No, not driving a lorry – working in one of Yorkshire's oldest and rarest traditional crafts.Stone masons, milliners and even boggart-makers are now sought-after more than ever. These and other heritage crafts offer health and wellbeing benefits and fantastic career opportunities, according to today's guest Richard Godley.Richard wears several hats, including for the WEA (Workers' Educational Association) which is behind a free Heritage Skills Weekend at Sheffield's Woodland Gallery. Richard tells us more about the weekend in this, episode 350 of Business Live. He also covers:why we should "conserve, not preserve" heritage,the WEA's activities and coursesthe National Emergency Services Museumwhat a boggart-maker actually does.Timings:0 - 2:16 Introduction2:16 interview with Richard Godley22:00 Key findings from the new State of Social Enterprise Survey 2021, available in full here24:20 Launch of TEAM SY – Tech Ecosystem Accelereration and Market-making South Yorkshire, working to "join up" the tech ecosystem so that tech and digital entrepreneurs are embedded in a thriving environment26:50 The SME Climate Commitment. More here.27:27 £10,000 of match-funding available for community businesses which are crowdfunding, via Crowdfunder and Power to Change. More in their 22 October webinar.29:07 Wrapping up, a few other updates and praise for the wonderful novel, Piranesi.

Element Society is a youth-led charity with an enterprise mindset, says CEO Chris Hill.It has run over 200 projects since launching in 2013: "young people become role models to their peers and we train them to deliver projects." Over 5,000 young  people have changed their lives and their communities by working with Element. People attending Specialist schools don't always get the same opportunities as people at other schools, so Element has been running a Learning through Nature programme. It has extensive benefits to participants, as Chris explains, and involves working with The National Trust – "they can add something pretty special to this programme" – and SEND schools.Projects, trading, winning contracts, even selling pizza: it's all about bringing in unrestricted income and avoiding "mission drift." Has Element ever been in danger of diluting its mission to secure funding?  How does it measure its impact? How did it secure a city-centre base from Yorkshire Building Society? And what are its criteria for working with partners and building relationships? Chris explains in this, episode 349 of Business Live.Chris would love to hear from listeners if you can offer employment placements or training opportunities. Check out Element Society here.Also in this episode:28:33 Create Sheffield launches online programme to discuss "Why Creativity Matters NOW" Details.30:01 Yorkshire has fastest-growing digital industry in UK.31:08 Previous guest Yasin El Ashrafi of music social enterprise HQ CAN named joint national winner in O2 Everyday Heroes Award.32:29 Awards: The Sheffield Business Awards are open for entries. The deadline is 1 November. Enter here. Meanwhile the Star Small Business Award winners have been revealed 34:20 Sheffield Women in Tech's next event, 19 October is "Mind the Gap: Negotiating Your Pay - the ShfWIT guide" – details.

What is a "micro-budget" film? Ben Wilkinson is the founder and director of the Spirit of Independence Film Festival, taking place on 2 October.Now in its third year the festival celebrates films across genres from all over the world. It showcases talent, demonstrates excellence in film-making, entertains viewers, and is a brilliant industry get-together for grassroutes film making.And Ben gives his definition of a micro-budget film: a maximum of £150,000 for a feature film, and £1,000 for a short. The festival will inspire others too: some incredible films are being screened this year as Ben describes.Joe Palmer, who runs video production firm Open House Pictures, is helping to grow and publicise the festival. He tells us what he's most excited by and gives an update on how his business has developed since his last appearance on this programme.The festival includes a talk: No Money? No Problem! How To Break Into The Industry When You Have No Money, and in this episode Ben and Joe both give their top tips and advice based on their experiences.Also in the show: events, funding and more.Timings:0 - 28:35 Interview with Ben and Joe. Check out the Spirit of Independence Film Festival programme and book tickets. Take a look at Open House Pictures too.28:35 Sheffield Business Awards are back! Entry deadline 29 October. Details here.29:54 Update from the Business & IP Centre Sheffield.31:18 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards – £50,000 of funding. Details.32:29 October is anti-slavery month and businesses are being asked to support the survivors of modern slavery in Sheffield. You can donate new items for care packages and purchase items from the online wish list, here .34:00 Social Enterprises Futures, a month-long digital festival.34:52 So called "environmental" companies outperform others – but I have a problem with a definition.35:55 Business Sheffield's programme of free workshops, webinars and virtual one-to-one sessions.37:05 Wrapping up.Thanks for listening to the show – and thanks Ben and Joe for coming on air.

Leon Smith is Chief Customer Officer at educational publisher Twinkl. The Sheffield-based firm employs over a thousand people and has produced specialist resources to support schools and educators in welcoming pupils arriving from overseas for many years.Now, in response to growing demand, the EdTech giant has launched a curated collection of these (and new) resources, many of which are free to access, to provide guidance on how educators can support and welcome students whose first language is not English. There are also packs to help parents and educators explain current affairs and  upsetting news stories to children and young people.Leon, a former teacher, tells me more about the range of resources and the impact they are designed to have. Plus she updates us on recent developments at Twinkl – and what her role as chief customer officer involves. We delve into user experience and marketing too.Also in this episode: details of three fantastic grant funding opportunities:£50,000 grants and mentoring, coaching and business support in the Women in Innovation Awards. Deadline 13 October.Grants of up to £10,000 through the South Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Mayoral Community Fund – but be quick, the closing date is 9am on Monday 13 September. Details.Innovate UK's Healthy ageing challenge – more about this on the UKRI website; closing date 17 November 2021.And some events: a couple of years ago I visited the Megatron, part of a network of underground river tunnels and Victorian storm drains beneath Sheffield City Centre. This watery cavern is an engineering marvel. Public tours have resumed so grab your chance. Plus the free People Communities Together festival.Timings:0:00 - 16:39 Leon Smith, Twinkl.16:39 New research demonstrates managers are focusing more on output than hours worked – and this improves recruitment and retention.  It's from the Working Families Benchmark Report.19:30 Grants and funding: Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards | South Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Mayoral Community Fund | Innovate UK's Healthy ageing challenge.24:41 How to visit the Megatron in Sheffield on the 12, 19 or 26 September | People Communities Together Festival

When shoemaker Hewlett & Co started working with Amanda Perry, the Louth-based firm made around £2,000 per month in online sales. "We knew there was something there and quite quickly took them to £150,000 months," says Amanda, founder of digital marketing agency Soup and the E-com Growth Hub.It's a remarkable tale in an episode crammed with them – Amanda says many businesses have increased sales by a factor of 25 through working with her team, and Soup itself has grown dramatically too.Soup specialises in results-driven performance marketing for e-commerce brands. The E-com Growth Hub is a community and learning platform for small product business owners. Both are getting dramatic results for clients and members."Rollercoaster" is overused in the business world, but Amanda's journey is certainly that. From indie-retail expansion to bankruptcy, baking to e-commerce and now making a big mark in growth marketing – her story is one of bounce-backability.Amanda is frank and open in this interview about the impact of liquidating her cupcake business, Fancie, and becoming personally bankrupt back in 2014. It hurt a lot of people and she's tried hard to right a lot of wrongs, she tells me. And of course it led her to dark times – she hit absolute rock-bottom.But she fought back and rediscovered her purpose. And in this episode (number 346!) she covers what she learned from the experience, her wilderness years, a turning point and how she came to set up Soup. This is powerful, hard-won stuff, so take note so you can avoid what Amanda describes.Amanda gives us plenty of implementable tips too. Listen for advice about social media, influencer, SMS and email marketing, why you need to think about customer acquisition cost and customer lifetime value, and lots more. It's a corker of an episode – or should I say, a rollercoaster!Links: SOUP | The E-com Growth Hub | Amanda's website