FastForward

Crisis spawns Necessity. Necessity fuels Innovation. McKinsey & Co have reported that the pandemic response is that Companies are deprioritizing innovation to concentrate on four things: shoring up their core business, pursuing known opportunity spaces, conserving cash and minimizing risk,  However in past crises, companies that invested in innovation delivered superior growth and performance postcrisis.  JFK once observed that the word “crisis” in Chinese is made up of two characters—danger, and opportunity. He may not have been entirely correct on the linguistics, but the sentiment is true enough.  How do companies find creative ways to continue fund their innovative projects?  Dr Vivien Badout, CEO of DRIAD innovation consultancy for deep-tech start-ups and SMEs.  and expert in innovation grant funding joins us to help answer that question    Website  https://www.driad.co/  Youtube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCceXHh0iIjRgPWkZ_Clschg 

Ian Livingstone CBE is calling for schools to embrace games-based learning and digital creativity to help address  the question of the growing skills gap facing employers. Ian has had a hugely successful career built on his passion for games and gamebooks.     He has partnered with the Aspirations Academies Trust. They have teamed up to launch The Livingstone Academy Bournemouth which will be rooted in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM)     Ian share's with us what happens when a game-obsessed entrepreneur meets education thought leaders and how they are preparing to up-skill the next generation.    https://www.livingstone-aspirations.org/

2020 was one of the most challenging many of us will face in our lifetime. Whilst a little different, Christmas typically allows time to reflect and restore our energy levels with family .   Batteries re-charged, how do we look forward to 2021 with positivity?     New Lockdown measures announced last night (5th Jan 2020) means we need to dig deep.   Even as lockdown eases, work patterns  are set to remain blended  with home and socially distanced office working.     What tools and self-care can we deploy to maintain those energy levels for both ourselves and our employees?    Emma-Louise Fusari founder of In-House Health provides employers with anonymised health data of their workforce to design targeted health initiatives and employee wellbeing.    She's taken her wealth of experience in chronic disease management and delivering public health programmes, to get on the front foot of mental and physical wellbeing    She joins us today to share insights today on how to face the challenge of lockdown and eventually  a healthier happier 2021    Show Notes :  BusinessCloud Well-Being Story  https://www.businesscloud.co.uk/opinion/five-gadgets-to-improve-your-wellbeing-in-2021/  Check out In-House Health and Digital Nurse  In-House Health   Is burn out the real virus blog : https://inhousehealth.co.uk/is-burnout-the-real-virus-impacting-tech/    LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedigitalnurse/ Check out the radio show Check Up Tuesday https://www.fabradiointernational.com/fab-radio-schedule/tuesday/inhouse-health-radio-show 

Modern digital marketing is truly a maze. How do we navigate this? There are cutting edge changes in algorithms and fast paced roll out tactics which will make your head spin. Then the strategic copycat nature of the wider social media industry where  TikTok style features pop up as Reels in Instagram and so forth.   Tim Hyde, founder of Social Media Marketing agency, TWH Media to joins us today to help navigate the minefield and shares simple ideas on how to capture your audience attention   A recent survey by Engine has found that people are spending on average 10-30% more online as a result of the pandemic.  There is growth across all ecommerce categories in particular subscription and convenience services, which has seen growth in  revenue  200% and conversion 140%   Tim is one of Manchester's home grown success stories, He started his journey at LADbible at just 18 years old as the 11th staff member. ‘Employee of the Year' at 19,  before joining Social Chain and then launching his own consultancy. He  help us get to grips with the rapidly growing focus on online retail and ecommerce    TWH Media - https://www.timwillhyde.com/ Brands Journal https://brandsjournal.com/the-valuable-role-ecommerce-social-media-marketing-will-play-in-keeping-businesses-afloat-during-lockdown/ Small Business.co.uk https://smallbusiness.co.uk/5-tips-to-maximise-black-friday-sales-during-lockdown-2551604/

If there's one positive to come of this year it's that there's been an eCommerce explosion with 61% of Brits admitting to shopping more online during lockdown. (*Retail Times)  But currently up to 40 per cent of clothing bought online is returned, compared with 5 to 10 per cent of in-store purchases. Fashion prediction platform Dressipi is working to change that. It's working with retailers like John Lewis, River Island and Topshop to help them predict what customers will buy and not return.  Co-founders Donna North and Sarah McVittie join me on this episode to talk about how technology is shaping the future of fashion. Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Donna North and Sarah McVittie co-founders Dressippi  https://dressipi.com/ For more information on personalisation and data in fashion:  https://dressipi.com/how-river-island-used-personalisation-to-deliver-revenue-increase/ https://dressipi.com/closer-look-at-our-data-insight-hub/ Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester  ABOUT FAST FORWARD: Hosted by Tech Manchester's director Patricia Keating, FastForward shares the stories and expertise of business experts and founders at all stages of their business journey. It's crammed full of practical advice on how to take your startup to the next level. 

In 2012 Jolyon Bennett risked his home to launch his vision: a sustainable mobile phone accessories business. Some nail-biting moments followed but Jolyon's was handed a big break by John Lewis, just weeks before his money ran out.  John Lewis sold 2,000 units in the first week and Juice became the fastest selling brand they had ever launched. Juice is now on a mission to not only ensure his company is manufacturing in a more sustainable way, but he is also rolling out an incentive to help others to do the same - including supermarket giant Tesco.  This year Juice became the first mobile phone accessories manufacturer to completely remove single-use plastic from its packaging. The company also launched completely compostable phone cases and is now working towards bringing their plant-based plugs to market.  Jolyon has been on an incredible journey from leaving school with a backlog of three months detention to leading the call for more sustainable business models. In this episode he shares what he's learned along the way and explains why more CEOs need to make the change to build a better world for all of us.  Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Joylon Bennett founder Juice https://www.juice.co.uk/ Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Sixteen years ago Gayle Carpenter took a risk. She left the security and support of full-time employment as a design director to start her own creative and brand agency.    Just two weeks after launching Sparkloop Gayle found herself pitching to Red Bull UK. She won the contract and still counts Red Bull among her clients today along with some other household names including The Prince's Trust, Prudential, Checkatrade, Homeserve and Asics.   Gayle has kept her vision, kept her team small and focussed, and has offices in London and Bath to maximise business opportunities.  In this episode she shares her personal business journey and the principles of how to create an authentic brand as well as giving her advice for women in leadership roles. Hint: It really is time to ditch the power suits! Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Gayle Carpenter, founder Sparkloop www.sparkloop.com Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Have you ever been hit with expensive transaction fees while using your card abroad? Having been burned on holiday by expensive card transaction charges the founders of Currensea decided there had to be a more convenient product.  The former investment bankers launched their new venture in January 2020, a perfect time, when many of us are planning annual holidays, to launch a product to cut the cost of transactions abroad.  However, just a few months later the world as we know it stopped and the travel industry was grounded.  The founders of Currensea had no choice but to adapt to the shifting landscape. And despite the obvious challenges the fledgling company onboarded 5,000 customers in quarter one alone and has achieved quarter-on-quarter cardholder growth of over 230%.  How have they done it?  Currensea's founders James Lynn and Craig Goulding talk to Trish about their journey so far and discuss why there is never a good time to start a business! Britain in Business report How COVID-19 and Brexit are affecting SMEs and advice on how they can power through this challenging time. Includes insight from Mastercard, Visa's former CEO and the founders of Currensea. https://www.currensea.com/britain-back-in-business/ Host: Patricia Keating Guests: James Lynn and Craig Goulding www.currensea.com Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Most founders have experienced failure, or will do so at some point in their journey. As Samuel Beckett wrote in Westward Ho: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Currently around 60% of new businesses fail within their first few years and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to send business failure rates sky rocketing.  Jan Cavelle built a multimillion pound business from absolutely nothing. She also lost it all when her furniture went into administration in 2017 after 20 years of trading. But she has rebuilt her portfolio and now back on the road to success. Jan talks to Trish about her journey, the advice she now shares with fellow entrepreneurs and why we must all stop viewing failure as a problem.  Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Jan Cavelle https://jancavelle.co.uk/ Scale For Success by Jan Cavelle, released in April 2021 by Bloomsbury. Pre order your copy below:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scale-Success-Insights-Growing-Business/dp/1472985559/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1605550492&refinements=p_27%3AJan+Cavelle&s=books&sr=1-1 Listening Time: 43 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester     

If you want someone at the helm to help navigate your SME through an economic storm, then Catherine Birkett CFO of Go Cardless is certainly someone you would want on board your ship.  She's helped businesses though two recessions, guided a telecoms company though the dot-com crash in 2000 and steered the disruptive technology fintech GoCardless through the highly competitive payments industry. In this episode Catherine shares her approach to navigating the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst an unfamiliar challenge, she believes the approach of scenario planning, keeping a level head, accepting mistakes, engaging stakeholders and keeping an eye on the bottom line is the key to survival.  Listen now to hear some valuable insight on how to guide your scaleup though this economic shock.  Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Catherine Birkett, CFO GoCardless https://gocardless.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-birkett-b897b812/?originalSubdomain=uk Listening Time: 43 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Running a business during a global health crisis is presenting business leaders with huge continuity challenges; making sure staff are safe, securing financial sustainability, assessing the resilience of supply chains and reinforcing crucial systems to support unprecedented levels of remote working.      Restrictions are loosened and then tightened again, making it increasingly difficult to plan for the future. But business can't stand still.     So, as we head into a second national lockdown, what lessons can we take from this pandemic to prepare for the new normal? And how can organisations thrive in a post-crisis world?    John Courtney is a strategy consultant and serial entrepreneur. He's currently the CEO of boardroomadvisors.co.uk and is a non-exec director for five early stage businesses.  He measures his mistakes by his hairline and in this episode he shares what he's learned over his career journey and explains how to create an actionable plan to get out of the Covid-19 crisis by analysing strategy, tactics and actions.  Useful links: Scale-Up Growth Diagnostic - https://boardroomadvisors.co/scale-up-growth-diagnostic/ Essential Guide to Scale-Up Challenges [E-Book] - https://boardroomadvisors.co/the-essential-guide-to-scale-up-challenges/ Business Strategy Toolkit [Free Download] - https://boardroomadvisors.co/business-strategy-toolkit/ Host: Patricia Keating Guest: John Courtney, founder Boardroom Advisors https://boardroomadvisors.co/  Listening Time: 40 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Whether you are looking to expand your team or applying for a new job, there is an expectation that the recruitment process is fair.  But what happens when the final hiring decision is distorted by unconscious bias? Could you be biased without even realising it? Dr Elsa Zegeng is a scientist and entrepreneur who is currently part of the executive team at recruitment startup Jobseekrs. Its primary purpose is to mitigate unconscious bias in the recruitment process and give everyone a chance at all job opportunities; regardless of race, name, ethnicity, gender or other factors.   With more organisations actively looking and taking steps to create a more inclusive workforce, Elsa shares her thoughts on what is already being done and what actions can be taken to make a long-lasting and meaningful change.  Listen now to discover how you can uncover your own unconscious bias.  Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Dr Elsa Zegeng, Jobseekrs https://jobseekrs.co.uk/ Additional links:  https://solidarityintech.co.uk/ https://burncic.org/ https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

In 2012, Mark Wright  landed in UK from his native Australia with a passion for business and just £172. Fast forward to today and Mark is now an award-winning, influential entrepreneur and self-taught digital marketing specialist.  Viewers of the BBC TV show The Apprentice will remember him as the 2014 winner. He secured the £250,000 investment and Lord Sugar as a business partner to found the hugely successful digital marketing agency, Climb Online. The company now boasts a multi million pound turnover.  But the road to success hasn't all been smooth. In the early days long hours and consistent pressure lead to Mark suffering from serious health problems. In this episode he share his tips to handle startup stress and why alongside hard graft and laser focus it's so important to schedule time out from work.   This was scheduled to be our 105th episode but we liked it so much we decided to bump it up to number 104! Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Mark Wright, founder Climb Online https://climb-online.co.uk/ Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

According to a recent report by O2, the Covid-19 lockdown gave rise to around 200,000 new businesses. We know that crises give rise to unique conditions that fuel innovators to create rapid, impactful solutions. That is certainly true of Valerie and Noel Moran. The couple founded Prepaid Financial Services in 2008, during the height of the last recession. At the time no one believed it would work. But with bootstrapping, hard graft and a ton of belief they proved the naysayers wrong. In 2019, PFS was sold for 327 million euros. Following the deal Valerie became the first black woman to be listed in the Sunday Times rich list. In this episode Valerie and Noel talk to Trish about how they built the company from nothing, the importance of promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace and how they are now giving back by supporting youth charities in their local community and in Valerie's native Zimbabwe. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Noel and Valerie Moran founders https://prepaidfinancialservices.com/en/ Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester   

When looking for furniture for her first apartment Deirdre McGettrick found it hard to look for specific items. Like so many founders she thought there had to be a better way.  So, in Deirdre left the corporate world behind to enter the highly competitive £25 billion furniture and homewares market and Ufurnish.com was born.  The business is now a team of 13, is partnered with more than 100 retailers including John Lewis and Dunhelm and has just raised £1.8 million in investment.   Covid-19 has also had a positive effect on furniture sales with more people spending time in their homes. In this podcast Deirdre shares her startup journey; from launching the business and having to rebrand to making key hires and why she is passionate about helping people to make their house into a sanctuary. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Deirdre McGettrick, founder www.ufurnish.com Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

SMEs are the engine of the economy. They account for the majority of businesses worldwide and are important contributors to job creation. In a post-Covid world SMEs are fundamental to getting the economy back on track.  OakNorth is a multi-billion dollar global fintech focused on unlocking the potential in SME lending. It understands the importance of supporting small and medium businesses through the pandemic. The bank itself has seen stratospheric growth from its inception in 2013.   In this episode OakNorth's Chief Information Officer explains how the fintech are leading the way by approving more than £60 million in new loans since lockdown began in March and how Covid-19 will shake up the financial sector. Sean also takes us on his own personal journey from jazz student to developer to the Vice President of Goldman Sachs - all within five years! If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Sean Hunter, CIO OakNorth https://www.oaknorth.co.uk/ Listening Time: 30 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester  Update Description

For this special 100th episode of FastForward we speak to Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council. We have heard stories from many visionary entrepreneurs and leaders on this podcast, but what does it take to lead an entire city? And just how do you take a city that's in economic collapse and transform it into the most livable city in the UK? (Economist Global Livability Index 2019) Sir Richard was elected to leader of Manchester City Council in 1996, a date now etched in the city's history following the IRA bombing. Over the last 24 years he's overseen rebuilding and regeneration projects and helped to cement the city's reputation as a global economic player. In this episode Sir Richard takes us on a journey though the past two decades, looking over some of his highlights and the many challenges he's faced and is continuing to encounter, particularly the impact of Covid-19. And with the transformation of Manchester still a work in progress Sir Richard explains why he wants future generations to say that the city is still not good enough. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council  https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/who-we-are/leaders/sir-richard-leese/ Listening Time: 60 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Business opportunities can appear anywhere at any time. But it's one thing to spot an opportunity and another to take advantage of it and work to turn it into a success.   When the government announced the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme in August 2020, Michael Lawes and Jordan Ryan Madeley, founders of Sancus Group, saw an opportunity to use their already-developed platform to make a positive difference.  Seizing an opportunity got this small startup noticed by none other than the Chancellor of the Exchequer, within days they had built the Eat Out to Help Out app that was topping the app store, above Twitter and Uber, and was being used by hundreds of thousands of people across the UK.   But, after the national press ran the story, the app was overwhelmed with the number of users. Undeterred, Sancus Group worked around the clock and pulled in a few favours to get the app back up and running. In this episode, Michael and Jordan share what the experience has taught them and how seizing one opportunity can pave the way for many more.  If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Michael Lawes and Jordan Ryan Madeley, Sancus Group https://sancusinsights.com/ Listening Time: 35 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

If there was ever proof of the power of a positive mindset, Susan Morrice is it. She's been on an incredible journey that's taken her from Belfast to Belize, where she became the first person to discover oil, proving all the major oil industries wrong. They'd even spent $400 million in the process.  How did she do it? With the power of mindset. The belief that there was oil to be discovered and all that was needed to hit the jackpot was a different approach.  Susan used the ‘whole mind' way of thinking to build her businesses Belize Natural Energy and created the private aviation company in XJet. A visionary and pioneer in the field of natural and sustainable energy she now travels the world sharing her experience and championing the Educo Holistic Model.  She shares her journey with Trish and explains why it's important for entrepreneurs to be cheerleaders for each other. Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Susan Morrice, geologist, explorer, entrepreneur http://www.susanmorrice.com http://www.belizenaturalenergy.bz Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Rachel Morgan Trimmer is an incredibly successful entrepreneur. She's been in business for more than 15 years, built a global travel company and is a specialist career coach. Yet sometimes just getting though each day can be tough.   Rachel is a high functioning autistic and has ADHD. For years she went through life believing she was not normal and suffered severe and complex mental health issues as a result.   Now, Rachel views her neurodiversity as her superpower – because seeing the world in a different way to others is a help rather than a hindrance. Stats show that workplaces that employ neurodiverse people are 50% more productive than those that don't. Through her coaching business Sparkle Class Rachel is using her experiences to help her clients – whether neurodiverse or neurotypical.   In this candid interview Rachel shares her experiences and struggles with Trish as well as the tools and techniques she's learned to deal with her differences.  Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Rachel Morgan Trimmer, founder Sparkle Class www.sparkleclass.com Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

The failure rate of new businesses is perhaps an odd topic to be talking about on a podcast dedicated to supporting startup businesses, but it's a figure that needs to be highlighted and the reasons for it understood. Currently 80 percent of SMEs fail. If you're in the top 20 per cent and survive your first year the chances of your business celebrating its 5th birthday are around 50-50. Australian entrepreneur and business coach Tristan Wright has grown a kitchen-table startup to a seven-figure turnover, but it wasn't plain sailing. After he left his job in engineering to concentrate fully on his small business the Australian dollar plummeted leaving him $200,000 in debt. His marriage also broke down at the same time. He admits he dropped the ball. Tristan joins Trish from Australia to share how he picked himself up and rebuilt both his business and his life and the valuable lessons he learned along the way. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Tristan Wright, founder Evolve to Grow https://www.evolvetogrow.com.au/ Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Accessing funding for your startup business isn't easy. If you're a white, university-educated male, your path to entrepreneurship is significantly less bumpy than if you're a woman.  Currently, female-led businesses receive one per cent of all investment. Just one penny in every pound is invested in new businesses run by women - and there are even greater roadblocks to overcome if you're a woman of black or ethnic origin.  A 2013 report by Warwick Business school found that black-owned businesses were more likely to be rejected for an overdraft and charged higher interest rates than  white-owned counterparts.  BuildHer is trying to change that. The crowdfunding platform was set up for women of black origin to be able to access the funds they need to start a business, project or innovation. CEO DamiLola Soyoye chats to Trish about why she's passionate about building a platform to help women of ethnic or black origin shine and see their ideas flourish into successful businesses. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: DamiLola Soyoye , founder BuildHer www.buildher.co.uk  YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCMObStR_owIg6FWlYxPGo9w Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

If you've ever organised a group event, whether a family or corporate event you will understand how frustrating it can be to chase people for payments and you may even be left out of pocket. When Amy Whitell lost £80 after organising a baby shower, she decided there had to be a better way.  In May 2019 Amy quit her executive role at education publisher Twinkl to launch group payment app Collctiv, along with her co-founder Pete Casson.  As we move into an increasingly cashless society the app aims to take the hassle out of collecting money and can even collect payments in advance.  The business has recently closed a £140,000 funding round. Amy chats to Trish about the journey to date, understanding the world of fintech, the art of pitching and how the business had an upsurge during the Covid lockdown even though group get togethers were illegal. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Amy Whitell, co founder Collctiv https://collctiv.com/ Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Is your child or children getting the education they need to survive in the 21st century? The world is changing fast, at this rate the jobs required in just five years don't even exist yet in today's job market .  How do we equip the next generation with the right skills to be able to adapt and thrive?   Elizabeth Tweedale is passionate about challenging stereotypes. At school she captained the cheerleading squad and lead the computer science club.  Today, Elizabeth is CEO and founder of Cypher, a coding company for kids. Its mission is to empower children to confidently navigate the changing world around us by understanding the language of code.   Cypher has recently closed a funding round of £225k in investment following a period of growth in which it has pivoted to online classes. In this episode Elizabeth shares her predictions for how future generations will create their own jobs, learnings from her own entrepreneurial journey, and tips for budding entrepreneurs. If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Elizabeth Tweedale, founder Cypher Coders www.cyphercoders.com Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

After launching her travel business, Tripptee in January 2020, Tanya Nichol jetted of on the holiday of a lifetime. But Covid-19 struck and five days in Cameroon turned into five months and counting.  But the experience has been life changing for Tanya, both personally and professionally. She's learned to adapt to a new culture and focused on how her business can adapt to best meet the needs of travellers now.  In this podcast she shares her experiences and the lessons it's taught her; from running an online platform with limited electricity and internet connection to finding love when it was least expected.  If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Tanya Nichol, founder TrippTee https://tripptee.com/ Listening Time: 30 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

'Always take your opportunities because you never know where they might lead.' - Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia.  Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia is the former CEO of Virgin Money. She started her career as an accountant, but her life took a different path after being introduced to Sir Richard Branson. After 11 years at Virgin Money everything changed. The company was acquired by Clydesdale Bank and Dame Jayne-Anne found herself unemployed for the first time in her life. But it presented Dame Jayne-Anne with an opportunity to start her own business and she got to work building a digital bank. Snoop launched in April of this year, in the middle of a global pandemic, and closed a £3.2 million funding round within its first week.    In this podcast Dame Jayne-Anne shares her career journey and the lessons she's learned along the way. She also chats to Patricia about how banking is evolving and explains the key to securing investment - and it involves kissing a lot of frogs! If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, founder Snoop https://snoop.app/ Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Facebook: Tech Manchester 

Is your business really harnessing the power of LinkedIn? With 25% increase in user activity on LinkedIn in the first quarter of 2020, there is no doubt that there is more interest in Linkedin as a platform for business than ever, not just for recruiting top talent, but to network, connect and sell.  Louise Brogan has been teaching entrepreneurs how to use LinkedIn to get leads and win business for more than seven years through her consultancy Social Bee to help others with their social media.    In this podcast Louise reveals the magic behind creating a stand-out LinkedIn profile that will have customers and clients reaching out to work with you.  Download Louise's FREE guide to using LinkedIn: www.socialbeeni.com/download If you enjoyed this podcast feel free to leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/fastforward Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Louise Brogan, founder Social Bee Links www.socialbeeni.com,  www.linkedin.com/in/louisebrogan Listening Time: 45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

We're in the middle of a global pandemic and while many businesses have battened down the hatches my guest on this episode launched a Seedr crowdfunding campaign, which has now exceeded its £200,000 target! Like so many brilliant ideas for a new business the inspiration for Doordeck came from a deeply personal experience. In trying to find a solution to help a wheelchair-bound friend let visitors into his apartment without the need to go to the keypad each time, two friends had their light bulb moment.  Doordeck lets you unlock your office from your phone and it's being used in hundreds of buildings, including offices, schools, airports, and gyms across 10 countries, including the USA, and Russia.   CEO William Bainborough joins Patricia to share more about the business, how he launched a successful crowdfunding campaign in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis and why entrepreneurs should eat humble pie and surround themselves with people far more talented and intelligent then they are.  Host: Patricia Keating Guest: William Bainborough co-founder Doordeck www.doordeck.com Listening Time: 46 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

Founders put a great deal of hard work and effort into pitching to potential angel investors. But once a deal is secured the work doesn't stop. Many angels are involved in the functioning of the startup in some capacity, therefore a strong relationship can help the business grow and thrive. Angel investor Richard Law and Ben Davies, founder of data validation platform Vypr both understand the importance of a productive working relationship. In this podcast, recorded prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, they share their insights into what makes a winning investment partnership for both angel and entrepreneur. Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Richard Law, angel investor and chairman of Vypr and Ben Davies, founder of Vypr https://vyprclients.com/ Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

What will the car of the future look like? The automotive industry is currently experiencing a technological revolution. Vehicle manufacturers are focused on delivering electric, autonomous, connected cars and all with a completely new architecture.  Tamanna Haque, a senior data scientist at Jaguar Land Rover is at the cutting edge of the changes taking place within the automotive industry. But as a woman in the industry she is in the minority. Just 12 percent of the current engineering workforce in the UK are female, something Tamanna is passionate about changing.   Tamanna joins Trish on the podcast to mark this year's International Women in Engineering Day (June 23rd). She shares her career journey and discusses why more women need to consider a career in engineering to help shape and change the world we live in. Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Tamanna Haque, Senior Data Scientist at Jaguar Land Rover  Listening Time: 30 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

What if socks could change the world?  In 2015 Josh Turner posed that question to his friends in a pub. Proving the answer has changed the course of his life. Stand4Socks was formed to be a force for good.  For every pair of socks sold online the company donates a specially engineered antibacterial pair to someone in need. Stand4Socks has now donated more than 50,000 pairs of socks to homeless shelters across the UK.   Recently Josh appeared on Dragons Den in the hope of securing some funding for Stand4Socks and his athleisure socks STRIDIES. He didn't receive any funding but did get some really positive feedback from the Dragons.   Josh joins Trish to talk about that experience and his entrepreneurial journey to date - he's been forming and running businesses since he was 12 years old! He'll share his tips on how to build a sustainable and commercially viable social enterprise and of course to answer the question of whether socks really can change the world! Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Josh Turner, founder Stand4Socks - www.stand4socks.com Listening Time: 36 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

What makes an angel investor part with their hard-earned cash and take a punt on a new business?  Angel investing in startups is accelerating helped by high-profile success stories like Uber, WhatsApp and Facebook.  Angels enjoy the process of investing in and supporting businesses and they often invest in businesses that will make a social impact. But it is important to remember that an angel is also looking for a return on their investment Elizabeth Gooch MBE founded global tech firm EG Solutions in 1988. The organisation was turning over £11 million when it was bought out in 2017.  She is now using her experience at the Tech Growth Factory to help turn young companies into thriving businesses and help founders to achieve their dreams. In this episode Elizabeth shares her insight on what it means to become an angel investor and what she looks for when considering investing in an early stage business. A must listen for investors and founders alike! Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Elizabeth Gooch MBE, https://www.linkedin.com/in/techinvestor/?originalSubdomain=uk Listening Time: 60 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

If a business is to thrive and grow it must adapt. That is even more important in the current Covid-19 climate.    Most working parents understand the difficulty of juggling the demands of the office alongside the needs of your children. Even more so now with families trying to manage and adapt to working from home while homeschooling children.  Student Nannies solves the gaps in childcare that are difficult to fill. It was started by  journalist Tracey Blake in 2017 after a chance meeting with two students while waiting for a train. Tracey joins Trish to share her startup journey; how she turned an idea into a reality, developed a platform, raised funding and how Student Nannies has now pivoted to adapt to suit the COVID-19 way of working.  Host: Patricia Keating Guest: Tracey Blake founder and CEO Student Nannies https://studentnannies.com/ Listening Time: 30 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

We all understand the power of a good night's sleep and conversely the detrimental effect that a lack of sleep can have on our everyday lives.  When you're in the early stages of growing a business it's natural to want to put in all the hours - to pull an all nighter to finish that big pitch or get a website up and running - but if you don't schedule time to rest and sleep it could ultimately lead to long-lasting damage to your health.  Aidan Kearney began his career in the police force in the Republic of Ireland. His passion for helping people, along with his background in psychology, led him to work with world renowned Professor Steve Peters, creator of the groundbreaking Chimp Paradox before he launched his own performance psychology consultancy, Malleable Mind. In this podcast, recorded before the coronavirus lockdown, Aidan shares his top tips and habits to help unlock the power of your mind to ultimately reach your full potential. Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Aidan Kearney, founder Malleable Mind https://malleablemind.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-kearney-a7684aa1/ Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

When was the last time you evaluated your sleeping surface? While a good mattress does not guarantee you a perfect night's sleep it can help. In today's current crisis stress affects us all and no doubt impacts our sleep. We know sleep and rest are vital for maintaining good mental health. Manchester startup Levitex has invented a completely new type of foam technology for pillows and mattresses, which according to the company offer a ‘gravity defying' night's sleep. Levitex has also worked with Olympic and Paralympic athletes to help aid rest and recuperation after a training session.   The business has raised funding on Kickstarter and reached its £10,000 target in just four days. We needed to find out more! Levitex founder James Leinhardt joins Trish to chat about the business and how he is weathering the current economic uncertainty.  Host: Patricia Keating Guests: James Leinhardt, founder Levitex Foams http://www.levitex.co.uk/ Listening Time: 50 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

We are living in interesting and difficult times. Everyone's personal and business life has been turned upside down by COVID-19 pandemic to varying degrees.   We don't yet know the full impact of this crisis. But its already been devastating to large numbers of people around the world and has had a significant impact on many businesses and supply chains. All of us are learning to adapt to a new way of living and working.   On the other side of the coin, studies have shown that more innovation happens during economically challenging periods.  We've already seen alcohol manufacturers making hand sanitizer and Mercedes  & McLaren Formula One teams using its engineering expertise to make ventilators.  Tony Banta is a systems engineer, innovation consultant, and host of the Client Whisperer Show. Beginning his career as a self-taught software developer, Tony quickly realized that the best code could never solve broader leadership issues within organisations. Today Tony works with other client-businesses to maximise client results, increase client retention, and streamline the client fulfillment experience. Tony's writing has been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, and Recruiter Magazine to name a few. He shares his advice for how businesses can navigate through these turbulent times and emerge  stronger than ever. For more details on some of the topics discussed:  https://getclientprofit.com/efficiency-summit https://legendaryclientleaders.com For more information on Tony and his work, visit clientwhisperer.show 

Covid-19 is throwing up an array of problems for all of us. The way in which we live and work has changed beyond recognition and the lockdown and isolation policies mean that many businesses have been forced to shut or downsize.  In Greater Manchester, 87% of companies say they have been negatively effected by Covid-19. Retail, hospitality and leisure has been hit especially hard.  But some sectors are experiencing huge growth. However, social distancing is making recruitment difficult with much of it being managed online.  In Greater Manchester, Employ GM are connecting employers who have urgent temporary vacancies with residents across Greater Manchester, who are available to start working straight away. The programme is supported by GC Business Growth Hub.  Trish is joined by Business Growth Hub director Richard Jeffery and Naomi Ilagoswa head of Employ GM to discuss how they are supporting businesses that are facing cash flow problems, staffing issues, interruptions with supply chains and the uncertainty over the future. They also discuss whether Covid-19 is an opportunity to change the way we work forever. 

The government has introduced measures to help SMEs through the lock down measures in place due to Covid-19, but is it enough and where else can early stage founders turn for support in this extremely uncertain time?  The UK Business Angels Association is backing a campaign for action to save startups so that we don't lose a generation of fledging businesses to Covid-19.   Trish co-hosts this episode with UKBAA CEO Jenny Tooth OBE to explore what more can be done to help the next generation of businesses to survive.   They're joined by angel investor Nick Bate to find out how he is helping startups, what other angels are doing to save small businesses and how other potential investors can get involved. Hosts: Patricia Keating and Jenny Tooth OBE Guests: Nick Bate https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-bate-5626b1/ Listening Time:  35 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

Business resilience is currently being tested to its limit. Covod-19 is taking a heavy toll on thousands of businesses, especially in the hospitality sector.  Many have closed their doors indefinitely and furloughed their staff. But a few companies are pivoting to provide essential supplies to the frontline.   Responding to calls from police officers on the ground Didsbury Gin made the switch from spirits to hand sanitizer. It has now made more than one million bottles to help keep key workers safe.  Liam Manton co-founded Didsbury Gin in 2017 and the company experienced meteoric growth. Like many other businesses Didsbury Gin is now carving a path through these exceptionally chopping waters.  Liam speaks to Trish about how the company have pivoted, their plans for global expansion and the support available for businesses during Covid-19. Just ignore the fact he's recording the podcast covered in crisps. 

Are you worried about the future of your business?   These are difficult and challenging times for every business owner and business leader.   The lockdown, the fear, and the uncertainty means your well laid out plans for the year have just gone out the window.  On top of that, you're having to manage everyone else's fears and expectations whilst putting on a brave face about your own.   And what can you tell them when you're not certain yourself?  These are the words of Richard McMullan, founder of Entrepriseur. He's currently helping companies to strategise to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses and re-position it to thrive, not just survive. With our lives totally out of whack you may be finding it hard to switch off. Did you know that having four hours sleep compared to eight hours reduces your ability to make memories by up to 40%. Richard also shares his tips on how to look after yourself, balance work and family life, reduce stress and improve your quality of sleep. Start here to improve your cashflow: http://entrepriseur.com/free-guide-to-improving-your-cashflow Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Richard McMullan, founder Entrepriseur https://entrepriseur.com/ Listening Time:  30 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/  

Small businesses are the life blood of the UK's economy, but how do you sustain SMEs in a crisis? Covid-19 has dramatically changed the global landscape and there is a huge amount of uncertainty for business large and small. For founders, the biggest challenge is keeping their teams safe while somehow trying to continue building momentum against this market adversity while ensuring there is enough cash in the bank to sustain their company for growth.  Throughout April we are dedicating the podcast to angel investment and this first episode answers some of the concerns that founders have in the current climate. Trish is joined by Jenny Tooth OBE, CEO of the UK Business Angels Association, the trade body for angel and early stage investing, representing over 15,000 investors around the UK. Jenny answers many of your questions around raising finance, the loan schemes available to businesses and how angels can help startups. She also provides a wealth of advice for entrepreneurs and investors at this extremely challenging time. Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Jenny Tooth OBE, CEO of the UK Business Angels Association https://www.ukbaa.org.uk/ Listening Time:  60 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

Have you ever lived with the weight of a secret? Amy Stanning did just that. She spent 50 years of her life pretending to be something she wasn't.  At just 12 years old Amy knew she was different. But, she suppressed that feeling for decades. Finally in 2009, she took the brave step to become her authentic self.  In this final episode of our Amazing Women series, Amy shares her journey, how it affected her personally and professionally and how she is now helping other businesses to become fully inclusive.  Key topics:  - What is colleague inclusion?  - How organisations can be positive agents for change. - The policies organisations can adopt to make truly inclusive spaces. - Why your organisation should look at next practise rather than best practise. - How colleague inclusion improves business performance.  - Advice for businesses wanting to improve their inclusion policies.  Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Amy Stanning, Consultant AS Associates Listening Time:  60 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

When we recorded this podcast in February graphs documenting toilet roll usage was something we found amusing. Now we may all need Marion's formula! In 2012 Marion Gamel left her high-flying corporate job at Google to press the reset button. In the previous seven years she had been one of the founding members of the firm's European marketing team and headed up Google's marketing operations in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Middle East & Africa. But years of prioritising work had taken their toll, Marion experienced burn out and the time had come to step off the corporate ladder. Rather than hamper her career the pause allowed Marion to reflect and rejoin the corporate world with a renewed sense of purpose. Now a certified Executive Coach (WABC), mentor, digital advisor and non-executive director, Marion shares her impressive career journey and explains why taking time out is overlooked. However, when you find yourself making graphs about toilet roll you know that perhaps the time has come to go back to work!   Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Marion Gamel, executive coach, www.mariongamel.com Listening Time:  35 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

Have you ever doubted your ability to have a seat at the table? Why do so many of us question why we deserve to be in the room while others take a seat regardless? In her early twenties Dawn Embry was Director of Business Development, working with a number of large clients, including Selfridges. She questioned her seat, not because of her gender, but her age. To overcome her doubts she was forced to find her inner strength. Now Director of Strategy and Performance at the global software services company Mobica, Dawn is passionate about helping other women to find their inner strength. She shares her career journey, her passion for encouraging more women into tech and why now is an exciting time to work in the industry. Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Dawn Embry, Head of strategy and planning, Mobica Listening Time:  35 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

All of this month we're talking to inspirational women, and Fey Ijaware is just that. She's built and empowered a community of community of coders and her story is all the more remarkable after she only discovered coding by accident while at the Coop Group.  Code and Stuff is working towards correcting the diversity imbalance within tech. The organisation creates an empowering space for women and non-binary people and make a career in tech more accessible.   In 2019, Fey was names as one of the 50 most influential, prominent and inspiring black voices in Tech.  Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Fey Ijaware, Code and Stuff https://codeandstuff-manchester.github.io/index.htmlv Host: Patricia Keating Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

This month the FastForward podcast is dedicated to amazing women. In February we lost a phenomenal mathematical mind at the age of 101. Katherine Johnson's precise calculations made space travel possible. With little more than a pencil and a slide rule she plotted the exact trajectories that would let Apollo 11 land on the moon in 1969. Yet, for decades afterwards almost no one knew her name.   We know that there is a gender imbalance in STEM fields and that one way to address this problem is to have visible and positive role models. It's one of the areas the British Science Week, which runs from the 6th - 15th March, is focusing on. The ‘Smashing Stereotypes' campaign encourages STEM employees to share their stories about what they do in their day-to-day work.   Zara Hodgson joins Trish to do just that. She's the universities lead at the National Nuclear Laboratory and shares her career pathway which has allowed her to work on projects which involve exploring the depths of the ocean to outer space.  Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Zara Hodgson, National Nuclear Laboratory https://www.nnl.co.uk/ Listening Time:  42 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

The tech industry in the North West is growing at a stratospheric pace. The region is the largest tech cluster outside of London but its talent pipeline is struggling to keep up with demand.   To help keep up with demand Greater Manchester's Combined Authority have joined up with the Department of Culture Media and Sport to launch an innovative £3 million Fast Track Digital Fund. Its purpose is to accelerate technical learning for Manchester residents to allow them to enter the digital workforce for the first time.    They seek out non-traditional organisations and business partnerships to deliver employer-led training to fill some of those gaps. Out of this the Tech Equity Consortium was born.    Zainab Yazdani, Natalie Bird and Raji Kolluru are benefactors of the fund on the Tech Equity course being delivered by TAP Project, Heroworx, UKFast and Tech Manchester. On this podcast they share their stories and what motivates them to pursue a career in tech. For more information about Tech Equity: https://techmanchester.co.uk/techequity Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Zainab Yazdani, Natalie Bird and Raji Kolluru Listening Time:  35 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

'It's literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.' Napoleon Hill.  It's no secret that having a mentor can make a huge difference to entrepreneurs, business owners and leaders. The most successful people surround themselves with those they learn from. At Tech Manchester we've seen many a mentoring relationship flourish and witnessed the magic that can happen from a fantastic partnership.   So, if you've never had a mentor or are wondering how having one could benefit your business, this is the episode for you.   Trish is joined by Andy Hall and Jeff Bowcock from the GC Business Growth Hub.  Andy is a mentoring relationship specialist, he's brokered 600 mentoring relationships and won several awards including Mentor of the Year Award.   Jeff is a business development manager and works in partnership with Be the Business to deliver a mentoring programme to SME businesses nationwide. Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Andy Hall and Jeff Bowcock, GC Business Growth Hub https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/  Listening Time:  40 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ Find out more about the programmes discussed in this podcast and to start your mentoring journey: Be the Business – Mentoring for Growth (MfG) programme:  (Please note that the social media sites are owned & manged by Be the Business – The enquiry line & email are managed by The Growth Company) Website - https://www.bethebusiness.com/mentoring-for-growth/  LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/bethebusiness/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/bethebusiness  -  @bethebusiness   Enquiries via: btbmentoring@growthco.uk  Telephone enquiries: 0161 359 3050   The Growth Company: Business Growth Hub – Mentoring programme Website - https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/services/leadership-mentoring  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gcbusinessgrowthhub/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/gcbusinessgrowthhub/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/BizGrowthHub  - @BizGrowthHub  Enquiries via: bgh@growthco.uk Telephone enquiries: 0161 359 3050

Profit is the lifeline of small businesses. As your profits increase and become more predictable, your small business has a greater chance of surviving. Every day really does count when it comes to turning and increasing your profit margin and the quicker you can do it the better.   Alex T. Onalaja is co-founder of digital marketing agency TAD360. He's also a mentor, author and has been named in the top 50 inspiring, prominent and influential voices in UK black tech.   Alex found his calling after being turned down for 1000 jobs. Unsurprisingly his mental health suffered but he turned his disappointment into productivity by writing a book focusing on helping people to find their purpose.  He's now an expert at coaching SME's to grow business awareness and maximise profitability. Alex shares his journey with Trish and gives his tips for how to maximise profit in your business.  Key takeaways: - Marketing trends to leverage in 2020: https://thinkadesign.co.uk/top-digital-marketing-trends-to-leverage-in-2020/ - GDPR: https://thinkadesign.co.uk/what-is-gdpr/ - Content is king. Video content especially is important when engaging with your customers. - Make your content voice-search friendly. - Don't overlook mobile speed. People won't hang around waiting for your website to load. Start preparing for 5G now! To order Alex's book: https://alextaiwo.com/product/lost-now-found/ Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Alex T Onalaja co-founder TAD360 https://thinkadesign.co.uk/ Listening Time:  45 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/

February is LGBT+ history month and to celebrate this episode features two people who are helping to give the LGBTQ+ community a voice within their organisation.  We know diversity and inclusion is one of the biggest challenges facing the tech industry, from the talent pipeline to products and services.   It's no secret that when business consist of people from the same backgrounds, they often overlook diverse ideas, perspectives and considerations.   Rob Rawcliffe and Ebony Quow share their experiences of being gay, what impact it has had on their lives and careers and why they feel it's important to talk about their stories. Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Rob Rawcliffe and Ebony Quow Listening Time: 36 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/ More Info: LGBT+ History Month: https://lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk/ How employers can support LGBT+ employees: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/employers/blog/10-ways-support-lgbt-employees/ 

Are you promoting you brand on social media but not seeing the results you like? Maybe it's time to look at some selling strategies to reach your customers more effectively.   Social is, of course, a critical part of any business strategy. 45 million people in the UK are now active on users, that's 67% of the population. It's one of the best ways to connect with people who already love your brand and is also a vital way of reaching those who haven't heard of your business yet.   But how do you use social to effectively generate leads and boost sales?    Alex Brown and Joe Gradwell are co-founders of social media marketing agency Campfire. They've grown audiences from just a handful to millions of users and share their tips on how to get started with social selling.  Key takeaways: - Be clear about what you are trying to achieve. - Keep it short and snappy. Content needs to be shareable and engaging - Understand organic vs paid reach - Keep up with the pace of change on social Host: Patricia Keating Guests: Alex Brown & Joe Gradwell co-founders Campfire https://campfire.co.uk Listening Time: 36 mins Follow Tech Manchester: Twitter: @tecmcr LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/techmanchester/