Leeds Business Podcast

Running a business can often be compared to riding a rollercoaster. From small beginnings in his kitchen to £1m orders from M&S and winning awards to cashflow problems and crashing back down, today's guest, Greg Fraser has ridden that rollercoaster. Listen to Greg's amazing story and you'll learn so many business lessons.If you're looking for a business and entrepreneurship podcast that will inspire, motivate and educate you, through the personal business journeys and entrepreneurial lessons learnt of Leeds business owners then this is the podcast for you.INTRODUCING GREG FRASERGreg Fraser is a multi-brand founder with a passion for building standout food and gifting businesses that bring joy, spark curiosity and challenge the norm.Greg has launched and grown The Bottled Baking Co and The Doggy Baking Co from scratch while also nurturing Laura's Confectionery and Mon Dessert following an acquisition. From kitchen experiments to nationwide and worldwide listings, Greg Fraser has learnt what it takes to go from idea to shelf, and how to keep evolving in a fast-paced consumer world. He's also learnt the hard way, how the business world can be brutal and how life may not go the way you were expecting it to.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] The genesis of Bottle Baking Co[00:07:00] From hobby to business: The early days and scaling up[00:17:30] The Impact of COVID-19 on Business Growth[00:19:00] Transitioning to Full-Time Entrepreneurship[00:22:00] Challenges of rapid growth and stock management[00:30:00] Scaling production challenges[00:32:00] The excitement of partnering with Marks and Spencer[00:36:00] Financial struggles, cashflow management and the dangers of over-reliance on a single client[00:51:00] The Journey to Liquidation[00:57:00] Reflections on the Business Journey3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSStock management is food manufacture is key; getting hold of, and having enough, stockIf you haven't got a business support network find one, and don't be afraid to ask questionsSomeone always needs to be looking at the longer term strategy3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“The first Christmas orders came through in July” “I took time off for Christmas orders… and never went back”“It was risky borrowing that amount of money. I could buy a house with that!”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorfraser/Shout out: https://www.thebiskery.comDON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/the-square-ball/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/yana-smaglo/

Today's guest runs a 1000 staff, 45 location, £300m turnover business. AND he's a 6th generation family owner.Hear the fascinating story of Howarths Timber, the successes and failures of the business, how you manage such a huge entity and the family-owned aspects that power it. There's also learnings from the failures the company have experienced too.From sawing down trees to AI, this episode is one worth listening to….If you're looking for a business and entrepreneurship podcast that will inspire, motivate and educate you, through the personal business journeys and entrepreneurial lessons learnt of Leeds business owners then this is the podcast for you.INTRODUCING NICK HOWARTHNick Howarth joined the company in 1979 after completing a Management degree at Manchester University. He and his brother became joint chair in 1988 after their father died.The Howarth Timber Group is a 185-year-old Leeds based 7th generation family business with a turnover of £300 million, employs over 1,000 colleagues and is listed within the Sunday Times Best Places to Work Award. Howarth Timber Group import timber, value add process it and distribute it along with related building materials nationwide, operating from 45 locations.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] The history of Howarths Timber[00:07:30] Working in the family business[00:10:00] The development of Howarths into new markets[00:14:00] What is ‘value-add'? And helping the competitors…[00:17:00] The challenges to managing a huge operation[00:20:00] Adapting to market change and the businesses core values[00:30:00] The use of AI and technology in the business[00:35:00] The need for family emotional engagement in a family business[00:43:00] The failures and the lessons learnt3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSEmploy good people and let them understand what they need to do in terms of outputs and performanceLearn to swim in choppy seas when the market goes into a downturnMissed market opportunities (things you didn't do) are also business failures3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“My dad would go into the forests, mark up trees and chop them down”“We've had a number of people with us over 50 years”“85% of our profits are invested back into the business”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://howarth-group.co.uk/ Shout out: https://familybusinessuk.org/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKE OTHER FAMILY BUSINESS EPISODESJames Kempley - Troy Foods - https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/troy-foods/Jamie Bentley, Stephenson Personal Care -

Jordan Appleson left school to go into employment at 17. He then went on to found, and sell, one of the most successful Leeds tech businesses.Listen as a chance conversation sparks a business idea, how a pivot really changed the business, the reasons for an abandoned PE raise and how a cold email turned into a business sale.Along with the undoubted successes there's lots of ‘we didn't do this so well'. There is so much in this episode to learn from. Despite being so successful, today's guest Jordan is open enough to include of the things he didn't get right on his journey so far.If you're looking for a business and entrepreneurship podcast that will inspire, motivate and educate you, through the personal business journeys and entrepreneurial lessons learnt of Leeds business owners then this is the podcast for you.INTRODUCING JORDAN APPLESONJordan Appleson is the Founder & CEO of Hark, which was acquired by S&P500 tech company SolarEdge Inc. Jordan is an expert on Industrial IoT tech for Energy Transition with a background in software and hardware. He is now leading teams and deployments globally.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] Leaving school at 17 and starting work full time[00:15:30] The effect of the Branded3 sale[00:19:00] The initial idea for Hark[00:23:00] The pivot into energy and the difficulties of revenue v focus[00:35:00] Business growth and lessons learnt[00:42:00] The sale of Hark[00:49:00] The investment round that didn't happen[00:55:00] How to build culture post-acquisition5 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• If you're starting up a business it's not a part-time thing. You're either in or out• A ‘low price, high volume' business needs a big sales team around it• 80% of any good business idea is going to be execution• Build the culture early on and recruit to fit that culture• No-one believes in your business as much as you do3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“What on earth do they want with us? Is this a scam?“This guy looked like he could crush me with his thumb”“The deal was done on Christmas Day”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-appleson-3848315b/ Shout out: https://castrooms.com/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/anna-sutton/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/the-square-ball/

Today's episode with Tracy Fletcher covers her time in banking and recruitment, with some great advice for YOU when YOU recruit staff, and then we discuss Smart Works Leeds where she is The Chair.Listen not only to what Smart Works Leeds does but, more importantly, how you can support and get involved with this much-needed and highly effective charity.If you're looking for a business and entrepreneurship podcast that will inspire, motivate and educate you, through the personal business journeys and entrepreneurial lessons learnt of Leeds business owners then this is the podcast for you.INTRODUCING TRACY FLETCHERTracy enjoyed a 20-year career in Financial Services, working in senior leadership roles, before launching her own banking recruitment business in 2008. Throughout her Career Tracy has been a huge advocate for women, being both an active signatory of the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and mentoring a number of new business owners and finance professionals. She joined Smart Works initially in 2019 as a volunteer coach, and was appointed Chair in 2023, Following the sale of her recruitment business last year she is working on a number of consultancy assignments, giving herself some much-needed work life balance.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] Starting in banking and the skills learnt[00:04:00] Leaving banking and setting up a recruitment business[00:19:00] Getting the best out of your recruitment consultant[00:23:00] Splitting from a business partner[00:27:00] AI in recruitment[00:30:00] Exiting the business[00:33:00] What is Smart Works and what does it offer?[00:36:00] How Tracy got involved with Smart Works[00:38:00] The benefits of Smart Works[00:44:00] How you can help Smart Works[00:56:00] How to chair an all-female board3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Your team are people. They are not strategic pawns in your chess game• Being in business with somebody is like a marriage• In (any) meeting make sure all voices, especially female ones, are heard4 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“I have a heightened moral compass. And a very strong sense of justice”“I needed to spread my wings and listen to my heart”“Being a banker is marginally more respectable than being a recruiter”“Of 1000 women who came into Smart Works, 630 got a job with a month”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://leeds.smartworks.org.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyfletchercampbellfletcher/https://www.linkedin.com/company/smart-works-leeds/Shout outs:Jo Smedley - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-smedley-371a2335/ Charlotte Hopkinson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-hopkinson-0ba0515/ Amy

Angel Investment. What is it? Who needs it? What should you include in your agnel pitch deck? What are the pitfalls to look out for? And much more.Martin Avison heads up Leeds-based Angels Groups and gives us some insight into the complex world of Angel Investment.INTRODUCING MARTIN AVISONMartin Avison is the founder of angelgroups and Incluziv, with extensive expertise in investment, investor readiness, SME funding, pitching and regional economic development.Martin launched angel groups in the summer of 2015 after identifying a gap in the market to help fund and support SME businesses. He has a wealth of commercial experience gained over many years, which culminated in a Master's Degree centred around angel investment.After years of managing what is now probably the largest angel network in the UK, Martin founded the software business, Incluziv to connect various stakeholders in the high-growtheco-system including other angel networks, Combined Authorities and Universities.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:30] What is an Angel Investor?[00:03:50] What type of business would benefit from Angel investment?[00:06:00] What are the key things businesses should look at when taking investment on?[00:10:00] What are the motivations for Angel investors?[00:15:00] How do angel groups work?[00:18:00] What should go in an angel investment pitch deck?[00:25:00] The questions regularly come up[00:31:00] What do start ups spend their investment on?[00:37:00] A disaster story… and the lessons learnt[00:40:00] Is an Agel Investor just a new boss?5 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSYou don't have to have all the answers when pitchingThere is no formula or equation for valuing a start up company - it's just a gut feelIt's in nobody's interest for an investor to have too big a share of the companyIt's really important for the investors to know what the dilution journey looks likeSpeak to your customers as early as you can3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“The entrepreneurs speak French. Angels speak German. My job is to translate"“I felt like a one-legged man in an ice-kicking contest”“You're doing this for fun??? I go fishing for fun…”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.angelgroups.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-avison/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/angelgroups/UK Business Angels Association - https://ukbaa.org.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itON THE SAME TOPIC YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE EPISODES

How many times have you thought, ‘wouldn't it be cool to run a bar'. Today we talk to someone who's done exactly that…. And owned a brewery too. As you might expect it's not as easy as you might think….He also drops a few truth bombs like ‘As a start up business owner you do roles that you a) haven't been trained for, b) don't like and c) aren't very good at.' Hear also the great free item that will boost your customer satisfaction levels every time.If you're looking for a business and entrepreneurship podcast that will inspire, motivate and educate you, through the personal business journeys and entrepreneurial lessons learnt of Leeds business owners then this is the podcast for you.INTRODUCING JOHN GYNGELLAs the co-founder of North Bar, John has played a pivotal role in defining the craft beer landscape in the United Kingdom.Starting with North Bar in Leeds in 1997 - the UK's original craft beer bar to becoming the driving force in the craft beer revolution after co-founding North Brewing Co.The brewery was born in 2015 and fast became a major player in the craft beer scene, winning numerous awards for its beers, team, design and marketing. Following the headwinds of Covid, the brewery was passed on to another local brewery in a pre-pack administration process.John is now building out the North Bar group from its current eight sites.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] From Town & Country to opening the first North Bar[00:07:00] The hard graft of the early days[00:11:00] Expanding the business and the ‘hard parts'[00:16:00] The North Brewing story[00:26:00] The effects of Covid on the bars and the brewery[00:36:00] How to build a hospitality brand[00:41:00] The North Bar pub crawl as a promotion?3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Youth helps – because you are so clueless, nothing is a problem• As a start-up business owner you do roles that you a) haven't been trained for, b) don't like and c) aren't very good at• Go the extra step – it really does make a difference to how your customers feel4 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“When we talk about KPIs and appraisals and such, it's real turn off for me”“The stats say that the huge majority of businesses fail”“Everything we did during that process we did what we thought was right at the time”“Being nice is free”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://northbar.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gyngell-3b565b144/ Shout out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-slimming-698a4a3/ Buy the book - Unreasonable Hospitality.DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE...

Two letters are dominating business at the moment. A and I.But what is it and more importantly, how can it help your business?Today we speak to Jeremy Smith, Founder of Neural Voice about his AI business, how it came about, what it can do and the stresses and strains of raising the funding for it.INTRODUCING JEREMY SMITHJeremy Smith is the founder and CEO of Neural Voice, a company redefining how businesses interact with customers through AI-driven voice technology. With a background in sales and business development, he understands the challenges of customer communication and saw an opportunity to make AI conversations feel more natural, responsive, and engaging.He launched Neural Voice to bridge the gap between automation and human-like interaction, creating a solution that helps businesses scale support, improve customer satisfaction, and provide instant, accessible information. Under his leadership, the company continues to push the boundaries of conversational AI, making it more intuitive and effective for businesses and their customers alike.Jeremy is passionate about technology, business strategy, and the future of AI-driven communication. When he's not leading Neural Voice, he's often exploring the latest trends in AI and innovation, or having real conversations over coffee.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] An idiot's guide to AI[00:06:00] The first, failed, start up[00:10:30] Learnings from the first business[00:14:00] The switch to Neural Voice and the problem it solves[00:19:30] The investment raising journey – what is SEIS and EIS?[00:21:45] The importance of investor feedback after pitches[00:25:00] Refining the business case usage of the product[00:30:00] Navigating the angel investment challenges[00:33:00] Scaling the business efficiently[00:35:00] How to lead, through ‘extreme ownership'[00:41:00] The benefits of Neural Voice4 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Get your recruitment process right, to avoid hiring the wrong person• Selling a product is very different from selling a business idea to get funding• When you are looking for investment make sure you know all about SEIS and EIS• Make sure you learn from investors who say ‘no'3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“Sales is not where you are meant to be – you should be doing what I'm doing”“Let's model the AI on my mum”“02 put me through to 8 different teams”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.neural-voice.ai/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsmithsales/ Shout out: https://thewai.co.uk/ Get the book ‘Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win'DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal -...

From nightclubs to huge corporate events and how a 1970s ice-cream van led to the launch of a premium ice cream brand. Meet today's guest, Dirk Mischendahl, MD of Northern Bloc. As well as the devastation that Covid caused on the business, there's also loads more fascinating tales, and learnings.INTRODUCING DIRK MISCHENDAHLDirk Mischendahl sold his Leeds events and communications agency, Logistik in 2014.He then started Northern Bloc Ice Cream; a disruptor brand which is now sold nationally and internationally, pioneering the vegan ice cream market a product which is now universally seen as the benchmark of what great ice cream looks like. With his wife, Pippa Hale, Dirk established the Northern Art Prize in 2006 to promote artistic talent within Yorkshire and taking this further in 2013 they both established The Tetley Art Gallery and is currently involved in Left Bank, a creative community based venue among various other roles. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] From University to business owner[00:07:00] Lessons learnt from the first business[00:13:00] The decision to exit and the start of Northern Bloc[00:22:00] From a Lifestyle brand to taking on Ben & Jerrys[00:25:30] Moving from retail to B2B via wholesale[00:30:30] External investment, Covid and a change in ownership[00:40:00] How to fail quickly3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Your team can make a thousand mistakes a day, as long as it's not the same one• Be careful who your shareholders are • The one thing that you can't recreate is time. Don't waste it on failing businesses3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“I bought a little 1971 ice cream van from a lady in Keighley called Sunshine Scoops”“Give us a flavour as to the size of the business”“Chocolate has gone up from £3.60 a kilo to £9.16 a kilo”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.northern-bloc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkmischendahl/ Shout out: https://www.jim-fox.com/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/entrepreneur-within/ (as mentioned)https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/business-problems-solved/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/phil-fraser/ ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no...

What happens after the cameras stop rolling when you win The Apprentice?After hearing her story last year (give it a listen If you haven't yet - link below) we caught up with 2024 Apprentice winner, Rachel Woolford, to find out what's been happening in the business since she won, how she spent the £250,000, the ups (and downs) of being a winner and how much is Lord Sugar involved?INTRODUCING RACHEL WOOLFORDRachel Woolford is the owner and founder of boutique gym, North Studio, which has two locations in North Leeds and one in Harrogate. She was the winner of the BBC's The Apprentice in 2024.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] Introducing Rachel Woolford[00:03:00] Development and expansion of the business in the last 12 months[00:08:00] Pros and cons of expanding by buying an existing business[00:12:30] The importance of delegation[00:18:00] Expanding the business offering[00:23:00] The input from, and benefits of, Lord Sugar and his team[00:28:00] Navigating personal challenges post-The Apprentice[00:33:00] The positives and leveraging the opportunities from being on The Apprentice[00:40:00] Watching The Apprentice from the outside, and thoughts on it[00:45:00] How to keep value in your business3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSBeing a cash buyer doesn't necessarily speed the property buying process upIf you're comfortable in your business, you're in the wrong placeGo on The Apprentice but only if you're serious about your business3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“The Apprentice is about who can handle chaos the best”“it took 6-9 months to understand our relationship”“I was given a really cool, horrendously loud Defender to drive for free for a year”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://northstudioleeds.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-woolford-948528216/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/northstudioleeds/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelwoolford/Shout out: https://www.studiosister.co.uk/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKERachel Woolford, first episode - https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/rachel-woolford/Queen of Mean from The Apprentice - https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/linda-plant

Matt Cheshire, CEO of the Needs Group offers a VIP concierge service to the rich and famous. Matt has over 25 years of experience providing quality services to a variety of clients. Matt tells us how he got into this fascinating niche sector, how he deals with people who never get told no, the ups and downs caused by Covid and the importance of pampered pooches to the business.INTRODUCING MATT CHESHIREMatt has worked in the entertainment and private aviation industry for the past 26 years in a variety of roles, with most of it spent working for some of the world's biggest Music, Sports and TV personalities providing them with VIP concierge services that are now mirrored in Artist Needs.The company has expanded into four different facets that form The Needs Group; specialists in artist services, private aviation, event furniture hire and VIP concierge services.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] Introducing the Needs Group[00:06:30] From Sound Engineer to side hustle to Business Owner[00:14:00] How the aviation division began and then furniture[00:18:00] Growing a business by organic growth alone[00:24:00] The (very interesting) impact of Covid[00:31:00] the importance of third party suppliers[00:37:00] How to manage expectations[00:40:00] The power in being personable[00:40:00] Fuck ups, weird requests and a regret3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You have to be constantly thinking and evolving• We are only as good as our last job• Be honest with clients to ensure that expectations are properly managed4 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“We've now got seven Premier League clubs we do all the player movement for”“Our long term gain has been phenomenal because we have built phenomenal amounts of trust”“There's a huge element of luck, a huge element of trust and a huge element of loyalty”“The music side dried up, and the aviation side went bonkers”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: http://www.theneedsgroup.com/ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcheshire DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/the-square-ball/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/yana-smaglo/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/phil-fraser/ ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra...

This week we speak to Graeme Hall, Executive Chairman of Brandon Medical.Graeme shares with us a great template for turning around a failing business, navigating selling into the NHS, the importance of company culture and values and also gives a simple, but really useful guide on how to start exporting.INTRODUCING GRAEME HALLGraeme is Executive Chairman of Brandon Medical and Co-Owner with his brother Adrian. He also serves as a Director of Medilink North of England, a professional association dedicated to growing the Healthcare Technology sector and is Chairman of the Hospital Turnkey Suppliers Association. Graeme was awarded ‘Director of the Year' by the Institute of Directors in 2010 for his role in the development of Brandon Medical into a well-respected medical technology business.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] From engineer to entrepreneur and acquisition[00:05:00] Turning the acquisition around one problem at a time[00:11:00] The problems that dealing with the NHS brings[00:15:00] Developing the business, and a few false dawns[00:20:00] The difficulty in consistent culture in an international company[00:25:00] The value of awards in business[00:30:00] Exiting the business; the thinking behind exiting, the planning and the execution[00:41:00] A practical guide to exporting3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Rather than start a business, buy one that has at least an office and basic staff and a product• If there's big barriers to entry it stops other companies taking business away from you• Not all businesses are sellable and not all businesses are inter-generational3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“We borrowed money to buy the business. 10 weeks later we'd repaid the loan”“One of our values is friendliness – we don't have to be friends with people we work with but we have to be good colleagues”“Competitors are a great source of market information and education”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.brandon-medical.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graeme-hall-257078a/ Shout out: https://www.medilinkuk.com/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/the-square-ball/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/yana-smaglo/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/phil-fraser/...

Mark Roberts is an entrepreneur, investor, innovation coach and now a published author. Listen as Mark explains the unique trigger that made him quit corporate life to launch his start up, how appearing on This Morning created huge problems for his business and a secret fact you never knew about Pringles. There's also a brilliant ‘How to' if you're looking to scale your start up.INTRODUCING MARK ROBERTSMark co-founded Beer Hawk in 2012, which he scaled from two mates in a shed, to a team of over 170 beery enthusiasts on a mission to inspire customers to find their next favourite beer.He's won numerous business awards including Great British Entrepreneur of the Year, and Business Person of the Year at the SME National Business Awards.As well as being the author of The Entrepreneur Within, he's also Chair of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Trustee and Chair of the Finance & Resources Committee for Red Kite Learning Trust, Operational Partner for Praetura Ventures VC, Non-Executive Director of Ocula Technologies AI and an active angel investor.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] Mark's early career[00:04:00] The trigger to launch the business and the first few years[00:14:00] Angel investment and the growth of the business[00:20:00] The missteps and mistakes[00:23:00] The unexpected exit[00:32:00] Becoming an intrapreneur, Covid and the LEP[00:40:00] the book ‘The Entrepreneur within' and the F.O.R.G.E methodology3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSDo not underestimate the power of naivety and optimismWatch out for the Innovation paradoxThe more original the idea the easier it its to cut through3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“We had a list of thousands of friends and family…. And very few bought from us”“Would you consider stepping out and becoming an intrapreneur?”“It was one of the most well-funded start-ups you could get”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://markroberts.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdroberts/Shout out: https://www.leedsangels.co.ukBuy the book - The Entrepreneur WithinDON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/tsb-the-square-ball/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/mark-costello/ - also beer related !

What would you do if you had 15 minutes to get out of your home? Listen to the amazing story of Ukrainian refugee, Yana Smaglo. Yana discusses the business she built, and had to leave behind, in Ukraine, how she set up a new business in the UK and how she ended up on Dragons Den, getting four offers and winning investment from Stephen Bartlett and Deborah Meaden. Yana also shares her experiences of understanding ‘Yorkshire English' !INTRODUCING YANA SMAGLOYana Smaglo left the town of Kyiv in Ukraine the very first day the war started, being woken in the night by the first bombing raid that hit the city. She travelled through Poland and Germany to finally reach the UK and was initially housed through the UK Government refugee scheme and was based in Huddersfield. After appealing for help through the Yorkshire Post, a team of local businesses came together to support her, and she founded the wholesale Ukrainian fashion business Nenya – meaning motherland. Nenya supports the fashion industry back in Ukraine, enabling people in her home country to still support themselves, and provide a livelihood. It now retails in over 120 countries and has enabled Yana to fully support herself living in the UK. In 2025 Yana hopes to expand the company into the retail market and is currently looking for business partners to support this.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] Hello from Kyiv[00:03:00] Transition from finance to fashion[00:06:00] Selling to friends and family[00:09:30] The early challenges and business lessons[00:13:00] Try to break your business[00:17:00] Half an hour to get out of Kiev[00:27:00] From Poland to Huddersfield and the language barrier of Yorkshire[00:30:00] Launching Nenya and how it grew[00:46:00] Appearing on Dragons Den3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• If you are encountering problems, this allows you develop as a manager finding solutions• Try to break your own business• Pitching to the Dragons is just like a normal meeting selling your products or services 3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“I had 15 minutes to leave my flat in Kiev as the bombs started falling”“I thought I could speak English until I came to Huddersfield”“Getting investors on board is like getting married”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Watch Yana's episode on Dragons Den at https://youtu.be/4Pr_uBiEewQ.Website: https://www.nenya.online/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-smaglo-188798155/Shout out: Claire Strachan https://www.linkedin.com/in/cstracs/ Antonia Kinlan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniakinlan/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who...

Do you have one of these common Business Problems? And looking for a solution?Welcome to the latest bonus episode of the Leeds Business Podcast, featuring our most recent Business Surgery problems.If you're a Business Owner, have a listen; you've probably experienced at least one, or more, of these problems..... and now you have a potential solution.This month's round up features the following business problems;"I'm struggling with giving feedback to my team. Any suggestions?" - Mike Bates, Former Counter-Terrorism Officer"I'm think of starting a podcast. What do I need to consider?" Dan & Michael, The Square Ball"We're coming up to annual appraisal time. Any advice?" Anna Sutton, Data Refinery"I need to up my business sales. How do I even start putting a marketing plan together?" Dan Murray, Leeds-ListYou can hear each of the full episodes of the above guests at;https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/episode/leeds-listhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/episode/anna-suttonhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/episode/mike-bateshttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/episode/the-square-ballPREVIOUS BUSINESS SURGERY COMPILATIONSBusiness Surgery Compilation No 1 - https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/business-problems-solved/Business Surgery Compilation No 2 - https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/episode/4-business-problems-solvedVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify, a clear target in mind, a roadmap to success, and a renewed enthusiasm and confidence for the challenges ahead.Want to work with Phil to help you? See

The second most popular episode to date, featuring Daniel Priestley.On April 23rd 2024 I wrote a post on Linked in, titled ‘I hate Daniel Priestley'. See https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philfraser_i-hate-daniel-priestley-im-sueing-activity-7185564354442854400-nVXA/.The post went viral! Off the back of it Daniel agreed to be a guest on the podcast.Before you start listening to this week's episode make sure you have a pen and paper ready. Daniel Priestly delivers a masterclass in Entrepreneurship and business ownership, with tons and tons of brilliant ideas and advice.Note you can get Get 14 days for free and 20% off your first 3 months at ScoreApp via https://share.scoreapp.com/9aa33263.INTRODUCING DANIEL PRIESTLEYDaniel Priestley is the Founder of Dent Global and ScoreApp. he has founded multiple 7 & 8 figure ventures, been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year and is the author of six entrepreneurship books, including Key Person of Influence, Oversubscribed and Entrepreneur Revolution. He regularly speaks at conferences and have been a business coach to several fast growth (Inc5000) entrepreneurs and celebrities.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:03:30] Introducing Daniel Priestley[00:05:30] The number one thing all business owners need to decide[00:08:00] Introducing the CAOS Theory[00:11:00] How to build an audience[00:15:30] How to create, and the benefits of, a Wait List[00:21:30] The CAPSTONE Pitch structure[00:27:30] Can anyone be an entrepreneur?[00:32:00] What is a Key Person of Influence?[00:37:00] How to be a Key Person of Influence; using the 5 Ps[00:41:30] Your book should be a sales person or why you should your book away as a gift[00:45:00] What is a product eco-system? And why you should have one. Listen to live example.[00:53:30] How to create a scorecard campaign[00:59:30] Lifestyle businesses v performance businessesKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Develop an audience then a product/offer• Entrepreneurship is sexy from a distance but up close its rough going• The door to success doesn't have a handle; you have to kick the door down• The only way to get cut-through is the founder talking about the business• Use the 5Ps to raise your position as a Key Person of Influence• Assessment-based selling can be used in any businessTHE BEST MOMENTS“If you gave me millions of dollars to launch a business I'd leave it on the shelf”“People don't want to do the stuff that's not sexy”“I only build stuff if thousands of people want it”“People like people more than brands”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://danielpriestley.com/ https://share.scoreapp.com/9aa33263https://www.dent.global/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpriestley/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal - Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from itYOU MAY ALSO LIKE

The most popular Leeds Business Podcast episode ever.For many, turning a hobby that they love into a paying business is the ultimate dream. This week I speak to Dan Moylan & Michael Normanton of The Square Ball, who've made that dream come true.Listen how they describe how personal financial problems demanded that it became a paying success, the multiple revenue streams that power the business, the impact promotion had on the business and the growing pains, including the effect on the business two major personnel leaving. And of course, the madness of Leeds United.INTRODUCING DAN & MICHAELDan Moylan and Michael Normanton are co-owners of The Square Ball. Dan Moylan is a former nightclub and radio DJ having worked previously at Metro Radio and GHR North. Michael Normanton previously worked at ITV selling advertising before working full time on The Square Ball.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:00] How Dan and Michael found their way to The Square Ball[00:08:45] The finances in the early days and quitting jobs for the business[00:16:00] Burnout and debt and the necessity to make it work, and bringing staff in full time[00:22:00] The importance of Leeds United getting promoted[00:24:40] The importance of Covid in the development of the podcast[00:28:00] The various revenue streams of the business[00:31:30] The effect of Leeds United's performance on revenue[00:34:00] The growing pains of becoming a ‘grown up' business and major [00:37:00] The issues caused by two main personnel leaving the business (and the solutions)[00:49:30] Business Surgery[00:59:00] The business strategy going forward[01:04:00] Is making a hobby into a business a problem?7 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• It's important to keep reinvesting profits to develop the product• Audio advertising rates are 7/8 times higher than video• The more the business grows, the more demands it places on you• There's always ‘fuxxing' something• If you can't not be there, you've got a job not a business• They can't all be 10/10. As long as they're 7/10, or more, most of the time, that's OK• The key to growing a podcast is to think of your listeners in 3 categories; gold, silver and bronze6 COMMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“The original idea was that the podcast would get people interested in the fanzine. That's now flipped.”“I'm getting made redundant. Give this a go or get a proper job”“It's fine doing it part-time until ‘life' gets in the way'“I was under so much pressure financially and professionally”“Going down might be one of the best things that happens to your business”“Authenticity is key”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.thesquareball.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-moylan-0990b62a1/ Shout out: https://levisolicitors.co.uk/thesquareball/ 10% offDON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST...

Dinosaurs, Bear Hunts and Monopoly. This week we have a slightly different episode as we speak to Andrew Cooper, Chief Exec of LeedsBID. LeedsBID has recently been voted in for a third term after a resounding endorsement from businesses in Leeds city centre - its Chapter 3 to run from April 2025-March 2030 will see the BID invest £18.2m back into the city centre through an array of projects, events and activities.Have a listen as we discuss what LeedsBID is, what it does and how you benefit from it. We also discuss ESG, CSR and ASBs amongst other three letter acronyms and where did the Dinosaurs, Bear Hunts and Monopoly come from?The business surgery answers the question; “I'm keen to develop my management team's skillset. What areas do I need to look at in terms of leadership training?”INTRODUCING ANDREW COOPERAndrew is Chief Executive of LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District). Andrew is responsible for leading the work of LeedsBID as it invests over £14m in its current 5-year term through an aspirational and exciting project plan to transform Leeds city centre, bringing commercial benefit to levy paying businesses and enhancing the experience of all city users. Prior to arriving in Leeds, he was Chief Executive of the Bath BID for eight years and credited with putting Bath on the map through a host of high-profile business events, including Bath in Fashion and the Great Bath Feast, which both won awards. Andrew also helped secure over £4m of economic investment in the UNESCO World Heritage city.Andrew also served as the inaugural chair of the BID Foundation, is a High Street Task Force expert and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Place Management.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] What is Leeds BID[00:01:10] Boots, Town Partnerships and Bath[00:05:00] Getting kids into the workplace[00:09:00] ESG and CSR explained[00:14:30] BIDs, their funding and their position in the political spectrum[00:07:00] 'Managing' city centres[00:23:00] All about Leeds BID and the pandemic[00:31:00] Dinosaurs and Monopoly[00:38:30] How to create a culture in your business[00:44:00] Business Surgery[00:50:00] How to get involved with Leeds BIDVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Websites: https://www.leedsbid.co.uk/ https://leedsinternationalfestival.com/ https://welcometoleeds.co.uk/ Training at LeedsBID - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/training-at-leedsbid-15782347473 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-cooper-59751029/Shout out: http://www.mysolomon.co.uk/ This is a test to see if anyone reads shownotes. If you read this drop me an email to phil@leedsbusinesspodcast.com and you'll get a shout out on the next episode.DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKE (and also mentioned in the episode)

This week we speak to Jamie Roberts Chief Investment Officer at YFM Equity Partners.I took the opportunity to ask Jamie everything we all need to know about taking Private Equity in your business.Even if you're not looking at inward investment right now, there's tons of great stuff in here including what PE houses look for, where the power really lies and the importance of doing your ow due diligence on any potential PE partner.For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING JAMIE ROBERTSJamie Roberts joined YFM in 2012 and is Chief Investment Officer and sits on the Board and Investment Committee. Jamie leads all the Investment and Portfolio activity across the UK. Since joining YFM Jamie has directly led and supported dozens of investments across all YFM funds. Jamie is passionate about social inclusion having led YFM's first internship programme and works with a charity that focuses on less advantaged students to show them the opportunities that are available to them outside of their immediate network.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:30] What is ‘private equity'?[00:02:45] How would a company benefit from private equity?[00:07:00] Where strategic input from private equity comes from[00:12:00] The downsides of a company taking private equity[00:17:00] How to choose the right PE company for your business[00:22:00] What private equity money can be used for[00:27:00] What PE houses look for in a business pitch[00:30:00] Successes and failures in private equity[00:38:00] How to find the right type of investor in your business[00:42:00] Do PE houses chase businesses or is it the other way round?3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Private equity is not for everyone• Management teams should do full DD on their potential PE partner• There is a lot of investment money out there3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“It's really weird how little time management teams spend on choosing the right equity partner”“Management teams, have the power, not the funders”“Why cant we just talk about mazing businesses… not the bad stories”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-roberts-446baa6/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/zandra-moore/ (invested in by YFM)https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/adam-oldfield/ (invested in by YFM)

Have you got one of these Business Problems?Welcome to the monthly, bonus episode of the Leeds Business Podcast, featuring the latest Business Surgery problems.If you're a Business Owner, have a listen; you've probably experienced at least one, or more, of these problems..... and now you have a potential solution.This month's round up features the following business problems;[00:00:30] "I'm constantly battling problems in my business. Can you recommend a system or process to solve them?” - with Kate Ball, Mini -First Aid [00:04:00] ​"I have fallen out of love with my business. What can I do?" - with George Fairhall, WAC[00:08:00] "Our team is growing and I'm recruiting. Any tips on writing job descriptions and roles & responsibility documents?” - with Adam Oldfield, Force 24[00:13:00] "One of my key members of staff is causing a bad atmosphere in the team. She's too important to sack. What can I do?" - ​with George Halston, Halston GroupTHE FULL EPISODE OF EACH GUEST IN THIS COMPILATION CAN BE FOUND AThttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/kate-ball/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/george-fairhall/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/adam-oldfield/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/georgia-halston/Business Surgery Compilation No 1 - https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/business-problems-solved/WANT YOUR BUSINESS PROBLEM SOLVING?Email: phil@leedsbusinesspodcast.com with your problem and Phil and future guest will suggest a solution for youVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify, a clear target in mind, a roadmap to success, and a renewed enthusiasm and confidence for the challenges ahead.Want to work with Phil to help you? See

This week's guest is Dan Murray of LeedsList.comDan tells us about the step from freelancer to business owner with just a ‘back of a fag packet business plan, how not being the same as other media owners causes problems, incoming growth pains and the benefits of the Chamber of Commerce and LeedsBID.The business surgery segment answers the question; "I need to up my business sales. How do I even start putting a marketing plan together?"For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!) INTRODUCING DAN MURRAYStarting his career in tech and then moving to marketing and media, Dan set out to create a new kind of media paradigm, not just another magazine or blog. You Platform are a performance marketing agency melded with its own media outlets that uses live insights to ideate successful strategies and optimise during execution, using art and science to create content that people find valuable, and even fun.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:00] Launching the business[00:07:30] Agency or media owner? And Leeds Lists[00:11:15] The launch of the business, and some ‘mis-steps'[00:19:00] Client offerings and content styles (reword this)[00:22:00] LeedsBID and the Chamber of Commerce[00:28:00] Business growing pains[00:32:00] Business Surgery[00:35:00] Dan's biggest current problem (problems with scaling)[00:39:00] How to….VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://leeds-list.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmurray/Shout out: https://tred.earth/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/tred/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/anna-sutton/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/the-square-ball/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/phil-fraser/ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He...

This week we speak to Anna Sutton, Co-Founder of the Data Refinery.For most of us building then selling one business would be enough. Not with today's guest who, having sold one business, immediately launched a second one. Anna also shares with us the complexities of being the leader rather than the do-er, business growth pains and a chastening fund-raising exercise.The Business Surgery answers the question; "'"We're coming up to annual appraisal time. Any advice?"For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING ANNA SUTTONAnna Sutton co-founded The Data Shed, a Leeds based data engineering consultancy in 2013. Exiting to Hippo Digital in March 2023, Anna is now back in start-up land and in the process of taking her SaaS data integration platform, The Data Refinery, to market. The aim is to provide enterprise level data warehousing, insight and segmentation tools to small/medium sized businesses at a fraction of the cost.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:00] From employment to launching a business whilst pregnant[00:05:00] The birth of the Data Shed[00:12:00] Hiring staff and growing the business[00:16:00] Growth pains and failed fund-raising[00:24:00] Dealing with Covid through a structured team[00:26:00] The importance of business coaching[00:30:00] Leadership rather than being a do-er and scaling a business[00:37:00] Exiting a business and the emotional impact[00:48:00] Launching the Data Refinery[00:52:00] How to define and track key indicators[01:03:00] Business Surgery6 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSTime to revenue and profit is much faster than building a product businessYou have to work with the business coach that is right for YOUThere's a huge difference between starting a company and scaling oneThere's lots of people really love giving advice. If you ask, people will help.You don't need 38 KPIs. You need a simple clear set of numbers that help you get where youYour KPIs are nothing if you have inconsistent data below it are going3 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“We spent a good two or three years figuring out how we were going to make it work"“I cannot do the thing that we are selling"“There was a huge learning curve. I loved it but it was terrifying"VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: http://www.thedatarefinery.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-sutton-the-data-refinery/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-data-refineryShout out: https://livve.uk/

For many, turning a hobby that they love into a paying business is the ultimate dream. This week I speak to Dan Moylan & Michael Normanton of The Square Ball, who've made that dream come true.Listen how they describe how personal financial problems demanded that it became a paying success, the multiple revenue streams that power the business, the impact promotion had on the business and the growing pains, including the effect on the business two major personnel leaving. And of course, the madness of Leeds United.For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING DAN & MICHAELDan Moylan and Michael Normanton are co-owners of The Square Ball. Dan Moylan is a former nightclub and radio dj having worked previously at Metro Radio and GHR North. Michael Normanton previously worked at ITV selling advertising before working full time on The Square Ball.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:00] How Dan and Michael found their way to The Square Ball[00:08:45] The finances in the early days and quitting jobs for the business[00:16:00] Burnout and debt and the necessity to make it work, and bringing staff in full time[00:22:00] The importance of Leeds United getting promoted[00:24:40] The importance of Covid in the development of the podcast[00:28:00] The various revenue streams of the business[00:31:30] The effect of Leeds United's performance on revenue[00:34:00] The growing pains of becoming a ‘grown up' business and major [00:37:00] The issues caused by two main personnel leaving the business (and the solutions)[00:49:30] Business Surgery[00:59:00] The business strategy going forward[01:04:00] Is making a hobby into a business a problem?7 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• It's important to keep reinvesting profits to develop the product• Audio advertising rates are 7/8 times higher than video• The more the business grows, the more demands it places on you• There's always ‘f…in' something• If you can't not be there, you've got a job not a business• They can't all be 10/10. As long as they're 7/10, or more, most of the time, that's OK• The key to growing a podcast is to think of your listeners in 3 categories; gold, silver and bronze6 COMMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“The original idea was that the podcast would get people interested in the fanzine. That's now flipped.”“I'm getting made redundant. Give this a go or get a proper job”“It's fine doing it part-time until ‘life' gets in the way'“I was under so much pressure financially and professionally”“Going down might be one of the best things that happens to your business”“Authenticity is key”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.thesquareball.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-moylan-0990b62a1/ Shout out:

Today we have the most amazing guest in Mike Bates. Ex Covert Counter-terrorism Operations Leader turned entrepreneur, public speaker and venturer.Mike talks about his learnings from 20 years in the Royal Marines and counter-terrorism, what high performance looks like, the benefit of ‘hot debriefs', the power of trust and so, so much more. You have to listen to this episode; it's unlike any other we've done before.The business surgery segment answers the question; "I'm struggling with giving feedback to my team. Any suggestions?"For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING MIKE BATESMike Bates is a human intelligence specialist and a former covert counter-terrorism operations leader, who recently became the fastest Britain to complete ‘Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge' solo.As the first officer in the history of the MOD to pass all relevant requirements to serve at the front line of the UK's counter terror response, Mike's life undercover gave him a powerful and credible perspective on the human psyche. Rooted in his personal experiences of fighting terrorists, tackling mother nature at her most powerful and attaining his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.Today, Mike is a man on a mission to help others to become the best version of themselves. Drawing on his own unique, remarkable experiences he inspires and empowers others to live life without limits. Mike shares his awe-inspiring story to help you live a life without limits.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:03:00] Getting into the Royal Marines and learnings from it[00:06:00] Afghanistan, Iraq and Ireland[00:10:00] What does High performance look like and the benefit of feedback[00:15:00] Business Surgery[00:22:00] Under-cover counter-terrorism and the business lessons from it[00:30:00] Stepping into Civvie Street and giving back[00:40:00] Opening a business and lessons learned[00:45:30] How to build unbreakable self-belief[00:50:30] Next 45 – men's health4 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Without trust you can't have high performance• Feedback is a gift• In competition you win or you learn• You make more money as a small business than scaling to be bigger4 MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR“Nothing good happens alone. You have to work as part of a team”“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”“If we can keep everyone aligned, magic happens”“I was having conversations with fish, the birds, the moon, the stars anything… just to be human again”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk https://www.mikebates.ukhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-bates-4b2a32201https://www.graciebarraroundhay.co.ukhttps://www.nxt45.comShout out: https://randcoffeeroastery.com/...

Business Problems?Welcome to the monthly, bonus episode of the Leeds Business Podcast, featuring the latest Business Surgery problems.If you're a Business Owner, have a listen; you've probably experienced at least one, or more, of these problems..... and now you have a potential solution.This month's round up features the following business problems;[00:00:30] "As a business owner, I've always got too much to do on my to do list. How do I solve this problem?" - with John Damonne, Salvos[00:06:00] ​"I'm currently doing my business planning. How far in advance should I do my strategy?" - with Mark Fitzgerald Cooke, Intelligent Business Partners[00:09:00] "What are the key things that I should put in an Angel Investment pitch deck?" - with Jordan​ Dargue, Lifted Ventures[00:14:30] "When should a company consider bringing in external advisors and/or NEDs?" - ​with James Kempley​, Troy FoodsTHE FULL EPISODE OF EACH GUEST CAN BE FOUND AThttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/salvos/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/lifted-ventures/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/troy-foods/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/mark-fitzgerald-cooke/WANT YOUR BUSINESS PROBLEM SOLVING?Email: phil@leedsbusinesspodcast.com with your problem and Phil and future guest will suggest a solution for youVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify, a clear target in mind, a roadmap to success, and a renewed enthusiasm and confidence for the challenges ahead.Want to work with Phil to help you? See www.philfraser.co.uk.LEEDS BUSINESS PODCASTLeeds, Leeds Business, Business in Leeds, Nous of Fraser, Business Sounding Board, Business Coach, Business Mentor,

This week we speak to Georgia Halston, Group CEO of the Halston Group.Georgia tells us about launching her own business, buying another one to add on to it, how she established her company culture pillars BEFORE she employed any staff, all about ‘green hushing' and some incredible stats about our Very own NHS. The business surgery answers the question; "One of my key members of staff is causing a bad atmosphere in the team. She's too important to sack. What can I do?"For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING GEORGIA HALSTONGeorgia Halston is the Group CEO of Halston Group. The Group consists of Halston B2B, a B2B marketing agency and Sustainability Partnerships, a company bringing about sustainable change within healthcare.Georgia is also co-founder of No Code Lab, a group looking to raise the profile of the no code movement. She has eight years' experience running businesses and 15years in the marketing industry. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01.45] Georgia's early career up[00:04:00] Launching a business[00:09:15] Hiring staff and company culture pillars[00:11:00] The first bump in the road[00:15:00] Acquiring another business[00:24:30] Sustainability Partners[00:30:00] How to tell your green story[00:37:00] Key learnings from your career[00:40:00] Business Surgery[00:44:00] The future of the business6 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSPut your ego aside as the business owner; it's not about youNo-one is irreplaceable in your teamBetter to have a hole in the team than an arsehole in the teamYou're not Chief Executive Officer; you're Chief Energy OfficerLeave the business purchase process to the expertsYour headcount is not a key metric4 BEST MOMENTS“3% of all of the carbon in the UK is from the NHS“The first company I worked with was a $15b, Fortune 500 company“Even before I had staff I wrote down my core principles“Have you ever heard of green-hushing”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk * Website - https://halstongroup.co/* LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgia-halston-7b353128/* Shout outs; https://imagecoltd.com/ https://www.thebiskery.com/ Use code ‘LBP20' for 20% off your orderDON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKE (as...

We ask everything you need to know about selling a business with Mark Fitzgerald-Cooke of Intelligent Business Partners.Even if you're not looking at selling right now, there's tons of great stuff in here to get your house in order in preparation were you to ever do so.For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING MARK FITZGERALD-COOKEMark Fitzgerald Cooke is MD of business broker, Intelligent Business Partners. He has over 30 years helping people buy and sell cars, homes and businesses in the UK, Europe and Asia, working with brands like AutoTrader, Rightmove, Zoopla, proptech start ups and now with Intelligent. He is believed to be the only person whose feet were on EastEnders AND is related to former American President JFK.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:15] The key steps in selling your business[00:05:00] Understanding how to value your business[00:11:00] Types of ‘multiples'[00:14:00] How to prepare your business for sale[00:18:00] The four key questions buyers will ask[00:22:30] What to expect with purchases and transition periods[00:27:00] Protecting against problems with earn outs[00:31:00] All about due diligence [00:37:00] What happens to the money in my business bank when I sell[00:42:00] The common mistakes business buyers make6 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSPut a business sale timeline in place early Think like a buyer when you sellTwo similar businesses doing the same numbers can easily be valued differentlyFind a business agent that has sold businesses like yoursMake yourself easy to buyGet the right legal partners in place4 BEST MOMENTS“By the nature of your business, it will be unique to a degree and therefore comparable values may not be there”“We can only sell what we can evidence”“long trading business adds value”“People, product, processes are key to preparing your business for sale”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.intelligent.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fitzgerald-cooke-a693662/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/mark-fitzgerald-cooke/

This week we speak to Adam Oldfield, Founder & CEO of Force 24.Adam tells us about ‘forming, storming, norming and performing', the dangers of having too much money in the business, how market pressure forced him to change the business offering and how he rejected, perhaps wrongly in hindsight, an offer to sell the business.The business surgery segment answers the question; "Our team is growing and I'm recruiting. Any tips on writing job descriptions and roles & responsibility documents?”For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!INTRODUCING ADAM OLDFIELDAfter spending 20+ years in senior marketing roles, in 2010 Adam began a journey to develop a solution that allowed marketers to hold greater conversations with their audience at speed. He called it Force24 – now one of the in-demand marketing automation platforms in the UK.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00.00.00] Adam's early career[00.03.45] merging two businesses, the pros & cons[00.06.45] exiting one business and launching another[00.12.00] Funding and growing the start up[00.16.30] Changing the business strategy[00.22.00] The problems in scaling the business[00.24.00] Finding equity funding and a trade offer[00.34.00] Spending PE money and Non-Exec Chairs[00.38.00] Business Surgery [00.43.00] The problems caused by having PE funds[00.48.00] How to build a team to support scale2 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSRecruiting 'troops on the ground' quickly, doesn't workPE want you to spend their cash in a slow, diligent, controlled measured mannerVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.force24.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/force24 https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-oldfield-7b5a1813/ Shout out: https://www.bobbledigital.com DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/kate-ballhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/george-fairhall

This week we speak to start-up founder George Fairhall all about her business journey to date with WAC.If you'd been cheated out of £200 in wages over a two week period, what would you do? This week's guest used it as the inspiration for her business....Hear how George has gone all the way from problem to solution via paper mock ups, pandemic launches and all the bumps in road that the journey has brought.The business surgery segment answers the question; "I have fallen out of love with my business. What can I do?"For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING GEORGINA FAIRHALLGeorgina Fairhall is a female founder in tech, an award-winning entrepreneur, and a public speaker dedicated to supporting the lowest-paid employees nationwide. With first-hand experience working in the hospitality industry, she would always encounter a serious problem – she wasn't getting paid correctly. George founded WAC and it has since become the go-to platform worldwide, to ensure every minute of work is accounted for, empowering hourly paid workers to break free from disorganisation and feel good about money. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:00] George's background[00:05:00] Where the idea for the business came from[00:07:00] Starting the business and the benefits of an accelerator[00:17:00] Going full time and the pandemic[00:27:00] The challenges of fund-raising[00:30:00] Business Surgery[00:35:00] The current status of the business and future plans[00:39:00] How to build an app-based business 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS· Pick the right level of accelerator for your stage in business· a convertible loan is a great way to get early funding· Conversion for subscription apps is 2-8% 3 BEST MOMENTS"I paid my friend in beers to build my first mock up""I mailed 2,500 people on LinkedIn to find more funding""We launched the week before Covid hit" VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Work with Phil - www.philfraser.co.uk Website: https://www.wac.rocksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginafairhallShout out tags: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-sutton-the-data-refinery https://areoi.io/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a...

Kate Ball founder and director of Mini First Aid shares with us the family tragedy that inspired her to launch her business, tells us all about her successful appearance on Dragons Den (and how a McDonald's bribe helped seal the deal) and explains how, and why, the business is built as a franchise.The business surgery segment answers the question; "I'm constantly battling problems in my business. Can you recommend a system or process to solve them?”For more information on our sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and when you contact them tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)INTRODUCING KATE BALLKate Ball is the founder and director of Mini First Aid - the UK's largest specialist paediatric first aid training company training over 1000 families each week. Kate founded Mini First Aid following the sudden death of her brother, Matthew, from cardiomyopathy. As seen on Dragons' Den, Mini First Aid train over 1000 families each week in life saving first aid. Kate has made it her mantra to teach everyone how to save a life.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02.00] Kate's background [00:06:00] The source of the idea[00:08:30] The death of Kate's brother (inspiration from tragedy) positives[00:14:00] The first training course…[00:17:00] The launch of the business for real[00:20:00] All about franchising[00:27:30] Appearing on Dragon's Den[00:40:00] Working with Sara Davies[00:46:00] The biggest problem so far[00:49:00] BUSINESS SURGERY[00:52:00] How to be the face of your business5 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Early CPR and a defibrillator saves people's lives • Lots of positive language stops people being anxious• The key point of franchising is that it's a business in a box'• As you grow all of your systems and processes have to grow with you• Sharing a problem with your team is hugely beneficial5 BEST MOMENTS“I put the kids to bed, swept the baked beans of the floor, spread out some cushions and taught in the kitchen”“Franchisees are an extension of ‘brand Kate'“The due diligence for applying to Dragons Den is ridiculous”“Dragons Den said, “the only kids you can use are your own”“We had a year's worth of franchise enquiries within 24 hours of the show airing”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUPhil's PITA Patter problem-solving technique - https://philfraser.co.uk/how-to-be-your-own-sounding-board/Kate on Dragon's Den - https://youtu.be/JpwsV1gp61AWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://minifirstaid.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mini-first-aid https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-ball-28a34637/ Shout out tags: https://www.buttercrumble.comDON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKE (as mentioned)

This week we speak to Mark Fitzgerald-Cooke, MD of Intelligent Business Partners. Mark tells all about the difficulties in moving from print to online, a great business idea that didn't work and how owning the process gives you power in a sector.The business surgery segment answers the question; "I'm currently doing my business planning. How far in advance should I do my strategy?"INTRODUCING MARK FITZGERALD-COOKEMark Fitzgerald Cooke is MD of business broker, Intelligent Business Partners. He has over 30 years helping people buy and sell cars, homes and businesses in the UK, Europe and Asia, working with brands like AutoTrader, Rightmove, Zoopla, proptech start ups and now with Intelligent. He is believed to be the only person whose feet were on EastEnders AND is related to former American President JFK.For more information on our show sponsors, YFM Equity Partners, please visit www.yfmep.com (and tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:30] Mark's early career at TNT and key learnings[00:09:30] A great online idea that wasn't executed well[00:16:30] Downsizing a business and moving it online[00:31:00] The benefits of great training and Thomson Directories[00:40:00] The learnings from working in Malaysia[00:45:00] THE BUSINESS SURGERY[00:49:00] Intelligent Business Services[00:52:00] How to prepare your business for sale[00:56:00] How to find the right advisor for your business3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGSIf you want to sell successfully, you need to be easy to buyIt's all about your people, and you need good peopleBusiness sales are normally driven by major life events4 BEST MOMENTS“co-operating online, with our offline competitors just didn't work”“you cant be the friendly face of doom forever”“Hindsight is a great thing in business”“Your biggest problem is themandownthepubsays.com”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUFraser Five Step (FFS) simple strategy planning tool - https://philfraser.co.uk/fraser-five-step-ffs/Website: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://www.intelligent.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fitzgerald-cooke-a693662//Shout out tags: https://www.getaudience.co.ukDON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKE (mentioned in the show)https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/helen-oldhamhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/howard-moss/ ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to...

For more information on YFM equity Partners please visit www.yfmep.com (and tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)This week we speak to James Kempley, Managing Director of Troy Foods (Salads) Ltd.James tells us about the stresses and strains of being 4th generation in a family firm, the perfect storm that forced part of the business into administration and how automation makes such a huge difference. INTRODUCING JAMES KEMPLEYJames Kempley is the Manging Director of Troy Foods (Salads) Ltd. He came into the family business at 18 years old, as fourth generation, learning the business through the ranks. He is fascinated by the food manufacturing industry, especially trying to generate new talent in the industry that is badly lacking. In his spare time, he is an avid cricketer and a life long, long suffering Leeds United fan.The Business Surgery question is "When should a company consider bringing in external advisors and/or NEDs?"EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] The history of Troy Foods[00:04:30] Joining the family business and the pressures involved[00:11:00] James' career progression through the business[00:17:00] The expansion of Troy Foods[00:22:00] Business going into administration[00:29:00] The key lessons learnt[00:32:00] The re-structured business and expanding into new markets[00:41:00] How to build a family-like culture [00:45:00] BUSINESS SURGERY [00:50:00] Future plans for the business 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Sometimes you have to go through the bad times to make a business successful• Relationships are king• You have to be laser controlled on costs4 BEST MOMENTS“You had to buy and trade well to be profitable”“I learnt more in 18 months than I did the rest of my life”“we can produce a million bottles of mayonnaise a week”“We have 10 people in the business who've been with us for 30 years”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: http://www.troyfoods.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-kempley-56702484/Shout out tags: https://interpath.com/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEOther multi-generational business episodes;https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/jamie-bentley/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/michael-michaelson/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/howard-moss/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/chris-black/...

For more information on YFM equity Partners please visit www.yfmep.com (and tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)This week's guest is Jordan Dargue, co-founder of Lifted Ventures.Jordan shares with us her journey into angel investing, developing the early stage investing community in Leeds and the North and now building Lifted Ventures and its ‘flywheel' to support both female founders and female investors. Jordan also explains the important role that men can play in being male allies to this vital area of business, and how to make your business ‘investor-ready'.The business surgery segment answers the question; ""What are the key things that I should put in an Angel Investment pitch deck?"INTRODUCING JORDAN DARGUEJordan Dargue, is a founder, senior executive, investor, NED and seasoned investment expert. Jordan is Co Founder of Lifted Ventures. Lifted exists to increase the flow of early stage capital to female founders and promote the significant business benefits of backing women. The Lifted Ventures flywheel has an angel network at its core, alongside education, community and consultancy. Previously Jordan was co-leader and Board Director of multi award winning NorthInvest, and in 2020 she co-founded Fund Her North and Women Angels of the North, a collective of women in VCs and Angel investors who support female founders to get equal access to finance.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:30] The transition from construction to technology[00:05:00] why is there a lack of women in certain industries and roles?[00:10:00] The founding of NorthInvest and its aims[00:13:00] Can anyone be an Angel Investor? And what can an angel bring to the table?[00:17:00] The founding of Fund Her North and its aims[00:21:00] The role of male allies[00:25:00] BUSINESS SURGERY[00:31:00] What is Lifted Ventures, why is it needed and the conference[00:40:00] How to make your business investor ready[00:47:00] The Athena Festival4 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Anyone can be an Angel Investor• Female founders, and the wider female business eco-system need male allies• Female founders generate more revenue, grow more quickly and are more likely to exit• Only 2% of capital goes into female founders3 BEST MOMENTS“Investors need to understand the story behind the business“I invested three times. I invested in her and loved what she was doing”“Register to attend Lifted Venture conference and/or the Athena event”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://liftedventures.co.uk/ Athena Conference - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-athena-festival-a-female-founder-innovation-festival-tickets-915591838837LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-dargue-59438433/Shout out tags: https://www.gordonsllp.com/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds...

For more information on YFM Equity Partners please visit www.yfmep.com (and tell them Phil from Leeds Business Podcast sent you!)This week we speak to John Dammone, co-owner of legendary Leeds restaurant, Salvos.John tells us all about the early days of the restaurant, some key lessons learnt in some unsuccessful business expansions, how they kept relevant throughout the years and all about the effect Gordon Ramsay had on the business.The business surgery segment answers the question; "As a business owner, I've always got too much to do on my to do list. How do I solve this problem?"After you've heard Phil's answer, read this https://philfraser.co.uk/work-prioritisation/ for more on his system.INTRODUCING JOHN DAMMONEJohn Dammone founded the award-winning Salvo's Restaurant in Leeds in 1976. With over 45 years experience in the hospitality industry, John successfully expanded what was a 40-seater neighbourhood restaurant into an 85-seater restaurant and bar. The nationally renowned restaurant has won multiple accolades and awards over the years including numerous TV appearances including being crowned the UK's best independent Italian Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay on Channel 4's The F Word.Amongst many honours received during his career he has been a recipient of the Yorkshire Evening Post Outstanding Achievement award for his contribution to the Leeds Restaurant Industry twice in 2012 and in 2019. In 2015 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by Yorkshire Life Magazine and, most recently was awarded a British Empire medal in the Kings Birthday honours list for services to the Hospitality Industry.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:00] The launch of Salvos and the role of the family[00:05:00] The early pain points[00:08:00] How do you keep a long-standing restaurant relevant[00:11:00] Two failed business expansions[00:24:00] Gordon Ramsay's F Word[00:34:00] How was Covid?[00:44:00] How to benchmark against the competition[00:53:00] BUSINESS SURGERY QUESTION[00:58:00] Exiting the business[01:05:00] Pineapple on pizza?3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You cannot stand still in business• Don't let one client have more than 10% of the business• Do not entrust your brand to another person4 BEST MOMENTS“In the early days we made people share tables”“Our ask was two small for venture capitalists and too big for high street banks”“I nearly put the phone down on Channel 4”“We were lucky not to be with a high street bank”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Salvos win Gordon Ramsay's Best Local Italian Restaurant on The F Word - https://youtu.be/TsBxFyt7xTQSalvos get to the final of Gordon Ramsay's The F Word search for best Italian Restaurant - https://youtu.be/unu_3ojzaUSalvos - best starters on Gordon Ramsay's search for the best local Italian Starters on The F Word - https://youtu.be/1OdjhO0kUQkLinkedIn:...

This week we speak to Mark Costello, Founder of the Horsforth Brewery.Mark tells us how he's grown the business from a home brewing hobby in his kitchen to a fully-fledged brewery and tap room, the effect of launching the business on the first week of the first lockdown, his successful crowd-funding campaign and how a Christmas disaster turned into a success.Mark also teaches us how to run a crowd-funding campaign.INTRODUCING MARK COSTELLOMark Costello is the founder of Horsforth Brewery. After a career in hedge accounting, risk management and secured funding he made the transition to full-time self-employed in March 2020 and has steered the brewery through COVID and a cost of living crisis, establishing an onsite taproom in the brewery that's open 6 days a week.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:30] How did the launch of the brewery happen?[00:03:00] Launching part time with grant funding[00:06:10] Moving from a hobby to a business[00:09:30] Launching into lockdown[00:14:30] When the business ran out of cash[00:18:00] The addition of a tap room and the additional challenges it brings[00:21:00] The Euros effect[00:25:30] How do you sell beer into an outlet?[00:31:00] Raising funding for the business[00:36:00] How to run a crowdfunding campaign[00:42:00] The Christmas disaster and the solution that worked3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You may be eligible for 50% match funding from WY Combined Authority• You need to keep momentum going during a crowdfunding campaign• Own your mistakes and be honest to your customers3 BEST MOMENTS• “Seeing people's businesses fall apart during Covid was hard”• “Everyone started clapping (for carers) but I thought it was for me dropping off beer”• “In the early days we sold beer to outlets via Twitter”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Phil Fraser - Business Sounding Board - www.philfraser.co.ukWebsite: www.horsforthbrewery.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-costello-68868619/Visit the Tap Room at 143 New Roadd Side, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4JZShout out tags: https://swinethatdines.co.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/colin-glass/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/phil-fraser/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/daniel-priestley/ ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's...

This week we speak to Laura Bartlett, founder of fashion and lifestyle magazine, House of Coco..Laura tells us about her disastrous appearance on Dragons Den, how The Clothes Show caused her to become personally bankrupt, the growth of her current business and the benefits of being tee-total. She also shares with us how to get PR for your business.INTRODUCING LAURA BARTLETTWhat sets Laura Bartlett apart from the conventional entrepreneur is her remarkable ability to lead with her heart on her sleeve. Unlike many in her field, Laura approaches her journey with unyielding honesty and vulnerability, sharing not only her triumphs but also her struggles. She bares her soul, showcasing the highs and lows of her entrepreneurial odyssey, providing an authentic glimpse into the rollercoaster ride of chasing dreams.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] What is the House of Coco?[00:01:00] Laura's early career and the original magazine[00:09:30] Appearing on Dragon's Den[00:14:00] The Clothes Show and personal bankruptcy[00:19:00] The launch of House of Coco magazine[00:22:00] The experience and lessons of personal bankrupt[00:26:00] Building a successful magazine and taking on Conde Nast[00:29:00] The pros and cons of running a remote team[00:32:00] the alcohol-free life[00:37:00] Supporting Leeds Women's Aid[00:29:00] The pros and cons of running a remote team4 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Always open your mail (you may avoid going bankrupt!)• The quicker you learn the lessons, the better• If someone else is doing it, it means you can do it too• If you can't quit something, you're addicted4 BEST MOMENTS"According to viewers of Dragons Den, I look like a pig in a frock""The aim was to compete with Conde Nast Traveller magazine""I could stop now and have a salary for life""No-one's coming to save me from me"VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Laura on Dragon's Den – https://youtu.be/dvEm0WtTR-s Webinar – What's it really like on Dragon's Den? - https://philfraser.co.uk/whats-it-really-like-to-pitch-on-dragons-den/Leeds Womens Aid - https://leedswomensaid.co.uk/ Website: https://houseofcoco.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartlettlaura Shout out tags: https://pinkgorilla.co.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

This week we speak to Steve Mcdermott, multi-award winning Presentation Mastery Coach.There is SOO MUCH learning in this episode, you'll definitely need a pen and paper. From presentation skills and limiting self-belief to launching your own business and grasping opportunities.You can also win a free copy of Steve's book.INTRODUCING STEVE McDERMOTTSteve has been a professional motivational speaker for 30 years. He is also a 3 times winner of European Motivational Speaker of the Year Award and a international best-selling author.Before starting his own company, for 15 years he was a Copy Writer and Creative Director of a highly successful Advertising Agency. He has won over twenty international and national awards for creativity and was particularly fond of writing radio commercials.He is founder of the Confident Club. A company that uses the vehicle of presentation training to enable people to dramatically increase their confidence and to become the best versions of themselves. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] Giving up a job and going solo[00:09:00] The importance of a ‘runway' for a start up business[00:10:00] Developing the business[00:31:00] Food on the table v stick to your values[00:32:00] How to be a Complete and Utter F**k Up[00:40:00] Win a free copy of Steve's book[00:43:00] What is the Confident Club?[00:53:28] How to change your beliefs5 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Being totally naïve is a highly recommended start up strategy• Think ‘how can I model excellence?'• It's so important what you say no to• You have to have absolute clarity on your personal values• Beliefs control how you feel and how you behave3 BEST MOMENTS“I built my whole business on the power of referral”“I'm only interested in ‘is it practical and does it work'?”“one of the most powerful sounds in the English language is somebody's name”STEVE'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS;Steve's book - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/129234282X/ref=nosim?tag=lbp08b-21How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie;http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0671027034/ref=nosim?tag=lbp08b-21The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People - Steven Covey;http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1471195201/ref=nosim?tag=lbp08b-21Neuro-linguistic Programming For Dummies;http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1119106117/ref=nosim?tag=lbp08b-21How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Week by Week;http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1780287909/ref=nosim?tag=lbp08b-21VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: www.confidentclub.comLinkedIn:

This week we speak to Sarah Jones, Founder of Full Circle Funerals.Sarah tells us all about the growth and the amazing sale of her first business, the post-sale emotions after you've sold, the launch, only 9 months later, of her second business and why she picked funeral industry. Plus, she tells us what it's like to work with a brother. Could you work with YOUR sibling? There's also a great ‘how to' on selecting your next business coach or mentor.INTRODUCING SARAH JONESSarah Jones started her career as a medic and then owner and managed residential care home services for adults with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. In 2016, she established Full Circle Funerals – a modern funeral directors informed by health and social care principles and focussed on making a challenging time easier. Full Circle Funerals has won several industry awards and was the first UK funeral director to become a certified B Corp. Sarah published her number one best-selling funeral arranging guide “Funerals Your Way” in 2019.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] The switch from medic to business owner[00:03:30] Growing the adult residential care business [00:04:30] The benefits of working with a sibling[00:06:30] The commercial side of adult supported living[00:09:00] Exiting the business [00:16:00] What it's like emotionally, post-sale[00:20:00] Why chose funeral care? And the other options…[00:25:00] Launching a funeral care business[00:35:00] Franchising as a solution to reduce barriers to entry[00:42:00] The differences launching a second business[00:47:00] How to get the right type of support as a business owner3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• The funeral industry has no real regulation• It is very difficult to articulate what 'good' is in funeral care• Franchising in funeral care is unusual3 BEST MOMENTS“We either needed to go national, or stop”“I did some volunteering but I wasn't very good at it”“I did two MBAs whilst I was growing the business”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://fullcirclefunerals.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-jones-fullcirclefunerals/Shout out tags: https://www.candidhr.co.uk/ https://www.mlaperformance.co.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/daniel-priestley/

This week we speak to Nick Glynne, Founder & CEO of the BuyIt Direct Group..Nick tells us how he went from a single Huddersfield laptop repair shop to a £350m turnover business by buying and fixing distressed businesses. He shares with us how the learnings from two failed business acquisitions moulded the company's strategy, the pros and cons of taking private equity and explains the difficulties caused by making too much profit. And what's the difference between equity and profit?INTRODUCING NICK GLYNNENick Glynne is the CEO and Founder of Buy It Direct Group. Starting from a single computer repair shop in Huddersfield, the Buy it Direct Group is now a collection of product-based companies including one of the UK's largest independent online retailers. With 1,750 staff, £350m revenue, 1.5 million sq ft of warehousing across five UK sites, two showrooms, and a delivery network, the online business continues to rapidly expand.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:00] The start and early growth of Buyit Direct Group[00:06:30] Learnings from growth by acquisition[00:15:30] The acquisitions that didn't work and learnings[00:21:00] How to fund acquisitions[00:24:00] Market sectors for Buyit and the company size[00:28:00] The ups and downs of Covid[00:38:30] No to Private Equity[00:40:00] Equity versus Profit[00:43:30] How to take investment in your business[00.48:00] Time to exit?3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Don't over-extend yourself from a risk point of view• Some times you have to sacrifice perfection to get things done• Recession makes you infinitely better as a business owner3 BEST MOMENTS“Is there more value in buying something than growing organically?”“One plus one doesn't always equal 3 when acquiring another business”“The danger of Covid was that we were making tons of money”“Only one person owns the strategy, and that's you the business owner”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://www.buyitdirectgroup.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickglynne/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/jon-graves-pt1 https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/jon-graves-pt2https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/david-richmond/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/howard-moss/ ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit. As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In...

Many people have asked for my business journey story, so this week the tables are turned and I'm the guest.You'll hear how a failed angel investment pitch, turned into an accidental business launch, my ‘sliding doors' moment, how the sale of the business came about and why you don't need to be ‘lonely at the top'.The interview was originally broadcast on the Manager Memo Podcast hosted by Len Samborowski, Director MBA, Nichols College, Connecticut. We covered my business journey, looked at some of the learnings that I picked up along the way and touched on my work as a Business Sounding Board.INTRODUCING PHIL FRASERPrior to hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.He now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify, a clear target in mind, a roadmap to success, and a renewed enthusiasm and confidence for the challenges ahead.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] Chickens and punk…[00:02:00] From advertising agency to the new-fanged ‘internet'[00:04:30] Where did the online bingo idea come from?[00:06:00] The failed angel investment pitch[00:08:00] Turning down a ‘real job' for the business opportunity[00:10:00] The motivation of fear in a start up[00:11:15] How the business sale came about[00:14:15] The legal difficulties of the deal[00:16:00] 18 years and no business plan[00:17:00] Hands on start-up owner to team manager[00:18:00] The ‘two week vacation' test[00:20:20] Key lessons learnt during the business journey[00:23:00] The benefits of having no investment [00:23:50] It doesn't need to be lonely at the top[00:26:50] Why I call myself a ‘Business Sounding Board'[00:29:30] My angel investment experience[00:31:00] The ‘PITA Patter' problem solving process3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• If you can't take a two week holiday without your laptop or phone, your business isn't sellable• Success can come from a failure• Having no money makes you think creativelyVALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://www.philfraser.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philfraser DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review...

As a precursor to Series Two, I've selected what I think are 8 must-listen business learnings chosen from the 38 brilliant guests we've had so far. I could have picked way more as every guest that we've had on has been fascinating to listen to and learn from.Before we start, I have one simple request; Please hit the follow or subscribe button on the app that you're listening on. That's it…. Thank you.8 MUST-HEAR BUSINESS LESSONS1) Daniel Priestley, explaining what you need in YOUR product eco-system.2) Nigel Botterill, from Entrepreneurs Circle, explaining a killer tip for effective use of your time.3) Jamie Bentley of Stephenson Personal Care with a painful but important business lesson.4) Carrie Rose, of Rise at 7, giving us a great 'how to' on personal brand.5) Zandra Moore, of Pan Intelligence, and a fantastic, cheap and effective sales lesson that you can use in your business6) Jon Graves of Northern Telecom, explaining to us a couple of key terms when it comes to buying loss-making businesses as part of a business growth strategy 7) Martin Wolstencroft, owner of Box, Banyan and Manahatta, giving us a great, conceptual way to evaluate our business ideas.8) Back to Daniel Priestley and a pitch structure that we can all use.I hope that you found my 8 picks interesting, inspiring and of use. Links to each episode are below if you want to hear more from any of these guests.To make sure you don't miss any future episodes please subscribe to at Leeds Business Podcast.FULL EPISODEShttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/daniel-priestley/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/nigel-botterill/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/jon-graves-pt1/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/jamie-bentley/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/carrie-rose-pt1/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/zandra-moore/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/martin-wolstencroft/ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify,...

This week we speak to Simon Brown, founder of fashion and lifestyle brand, Joe Browns.Simons tells us where the inspiration for the brand came from, shares with us the business ups and the personal downs of Covid, being told that he was unemployable, the three ‘i's the brand lives by and a great checklist for starting your own business. Rasputin and Ivan the Terrible get name checks too.INTRODUCING SIMON BROWNBorn in Leeds and raised in Bramhope. Simon Brown founded Joe Browns in 1998, inspired by a group of friends enjoying a beer in a beach bar called The Ty Coch Inn in Morfa Nefyn, North Wales25+years later, he's the proud founder of Joe Browns, the Leeds based fashion and homeware brand centred around creating remarkable product. The brand is on a mission to make people feel great while injecting as much individuality and colour into as many wardrobes and homes as possible. Simon lives by the motto ‘Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride' words you'll see in lights in our White Rose Shopping Centre store, which opened on 2nd December 2023.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] Introducing Simon Brown and the route to Joe Browns[00:08:00] The source and essence of Joe Browns[00:11:20] The early days of the Joe Browns business[00:16:00] Raising investment and a change in strategy[00:20:00] Getting into third party catalogues and working with third parties[00:27:00] Why expand into ‘bricks & mortar' stores[00:31:30] A trip to Russia…[00:34:00] How was Covid for Joe Browns and Simon Brown[00:39:00] Forward plan for Joe Browns[00:42:00] How does it feel bringing in staff ‘above' the founder?[00:45:00] How to set up a business and what to consider[00:50:00] The importance of being remarkableKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• The power of silence; first one to speak loses the deal• Why borrow if you don't have to borrow?• The easy solution isn't always the right solution• Curiosity and creativity go hand-in-hand• Never ever give up• You have to understand the numbersBEST MOMENTS“When you stop enjoying something you have to move on“We're not putting you on the books, you're unemployable”“If we'd gone with that deal, we'd have been bankrupted“I want my stores to be interesting, intriguing, inspiring”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://www.joebrowns.co.uk/ Shout out: https://www.theheroesjourney.com/ Negotiate to Close - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Negotiate-Close-Make-Successful-Deals/dp/0002176289Success is a choice - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Success-Choice-Make-Choices-Successful/dp/078523859X/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEAs mentioned by Simon;https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/christine-yorath/

On April 23rd 2024 I wrote a post on Linked in, titled ‘I hate Daniel Priestley'. See https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philfraser_i-hate-daniel-priestley-im-sueing-activity-7185564354442854400-nVXA/.The post went viral! Off the back of it Daniel agreed to be a guest on the podcast.Before you start listening to this week's episode make sure you have a pen and paper ready. Daniel Priestly delivers a masterclass in Entrepreneurship and business ownership, with tons and tons of brilliant ideas and advice.Note you can get Get 14 days for free and 20% off your first 3 months at ScoreApp via https://share.scoreapp.com/9aa33263.INTRODUCING DANIEL PRIESTLEYDaniel Priestley is the Founder of Dent Global and ScoreApp. he has founded multiple 7 & 8 figure ventures, been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year and is the author of six entrepreneurship books, including Key Person of Influence, Oversubscribed and Entrepreneur Revolution. He regularly speaks at conferences and have been a business coach to several fast growth (Inc5000) entrepreneurs and celebrities.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:03:30] Introducing Daniel Priestley[00:05:30] The number one thing all business owners need to decide[00:08:00] Introducing the CAOS Theory[00:11:00] How to build an audience[00:15:30] How to create, and the benefits of, a Wait List[00:21:30] The CAPSTONE Pitch structure[00:27:30] Can anyone be an entrepreneur?[00:32:00] What is a Key Person of Influence?[00:37:00] How to be a Key Person of Influence; using the 5 Ps[00:41:30] Your book should be a sales person or why you should your book away as a gift[00:45:00] What is a product eco-system? And why you should have one. Listen to live example.[00:53:30] How to create a scorecard campaign[00:59:30] Lifestyle businesses v performance businessesKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Develop an audience then a product/offer• Entrepreneurship is sexy from a distance but up close its rough going• The door to success doesn't have a handle; you have to kick the door down• The only way to get cut-through is the founder talking about the business• Use the 5Ps to raise your position as a Key Person of Influence• Assessment-based selling can be used in any businessTHE BEST MOMENTS“If you gave me millions of dollars to launch a business I'd leave it on the shelf”“People don't want to do the stuff that's not sexy”“I only build stuff if thousands of people want it”“People like people more than brands”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://danielpriestley.com/ https://share.scoreapp.com/9aa33263https://www.dent.global/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpriestley/DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/rachel-woolford/...

This week we speak to Dean Hartley and hear all about some of the darker sides of business; the threat of VCs kicking you out of your own business, being caught in the 2008 RBS GRG scandal and what happens when you're at strategic loggerheads with your fellow board members, and the personal low point of exiting a business.INTRODUCING DEAN HARTLEYDean Hartley is the former CTO and owner of Monitor Audio, a business he helped purchase in 1998 and exited in October 2018 with a 50x ROI. He was instrumental in growing the business from £1.5M to £25M. He now works as a Consultant, EIR advisor and fractional CCO (Chief Commercial Officer). He's also an Angel Investor in start-up/scale-ups.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] Starting the business and then buying another one[00:08:45] A new role in a bigger business[00:10:30] Raising external funding and buying founders out[00:21:00] 2008 financial crash, GRG and the RBS scandal[00:32:00] Where to look for growth finance in your business[00:36:00] Exiting the business and the emotional difficulties it causes afterwards[00:46:00] How to develop yourself and your role in a business3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You learn a huge amount of skills as a start up founder• There are risks that you sometimes have to take in business if you want to progress• If you really want to scale a business you do need to raise finance3 BEST MOMENTS“they told us if we didn't deliver, they'd replace us”“it was very similar to the current Royal Mail scandal”“we need to move on….. without you”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https:// www.chevettechnology.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanhartley01 Shout out tags: https://www.luma3.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/michael-michaelson/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/david-richmond/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/chris-black/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/colin-glass/ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's mantra is It doesn't need to be ‘lonely at the top'. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in...

This week's guest is Jonathan Straight, founder and former-CEO of recycling solutions company Straight plc.Jonathan tells us how the business came about, the journey to becoming a plc, the crisis caused by over-trading and then the eventual sale of the company. And he discuss the important question, 'what do you wear after selling your business?'INTRODUCING JONATHAN STRAIGHTJonathan is an award-winning purposeful entrepreneur and creative best known for founding the AIM-listed Straight plc (STT), the UK's leading supplier of waste and recycling containers. He headed the business for 21 years before exiting in 2014. He is currently a board advisor to Surplus Group Limited, tackling the problem of surplus and waste food, and is founder of The Lupin Company, marketing a vegan and gluten-free superfood.Passionate about entrepreneurship, he is an enterprise ambassador at the Leeds University Business School, an entrepreneur in residence for Connect Yorkshire, and an associate director at Leeds Beckett University.Jonathan chairs the international waste management charity, WasteAid, and is a director of the literary festival, Milim. He previously chaired food recyclers The Real Junk Food Project and was a main board trustee and chair of the commercial board at The Tetley contemporary art gallery. Jonathan is a mentor to - and investor in - various tech-for-good start-ups, where he holds non-executive posts.Since 2022, Jonathan has been a member of the British Library Advisory Council and is helping to realise the ambition of a British Library of the North in Leeds.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] Where the idea for the business came about[00:12:30] The need for, and the start of, what became Straight plc[00:17:30] The expansion of the business[00:22:00] Raising capital for the business[00:31:00] Life as a plc[00:35:30] On the acquisition trail [00:41:00] What could possibly go wrong…[00:46:00] How to register a trademark (protect your IP)[00:50:00] Selling the business3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You can't tell people anything that might move the share price• Being a plc gives you clout and ammunition• Stay close to your competitors; you may pick up useful information• Make sure you protect your IP• Look for NED roles while you are working, not after sale3 BEST MOMENTS“Can I sell these for you? And they said ‘no' which seemed ludicrous to me”“My image was very different to everyone else in the recycling bins industry”“Suddenly a business I considered infinite had boundaries”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://www.jonathanstraight.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/straight Shout out tags: https://www.streetlanebakery.co.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/adam-smith/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/pop-up-shop/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/colin-glass https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/david-richmond/ ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table...

This week I'm delighted to have Apprentice winner and North Studio owner, Rachel Woolford as my guest.Rachel explains all about launching her boutique gym just weeks before lockdown and the stress it caused her, reveals the secrets from behind the scenes of The Apprentice, tells us all about her time on the show and shares what it's been like since she was announced as the winner.INTRODUCING RACHEL WOOLFORDRachel Woolford is the owner and founder of boutique gym North Studio which has locations in North Leeds and Harrogate. She was the winner of the BBC's The Apprentice in 2024.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] How did North Studio start[00:05:00] How the studio dealt with the stop start of Covid [00:10:30] Marketing North Studio post-Covid[00:12:20] Expanding the business to Harrogate[00:14:00] The impact on the business of leaving for The Apprentice[00:17:00] I'm away but I don't know when I'll be back….[00:20:30] Why apply to go on The Apprentice?[00:23:30] Day One on The Apprentice, the house and the tasks[00:30:00] Favourite tasks and being Project Manager[00:36:00] The interviews[00:42:00] The winner, and what happens next?[00:45:00] The media frenzy[00:50:00] Listeners questions[00:54:00] How to avoid complacency in business3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Remain calm & confident is much better than responding chaotically• Always be open and listen to suggestions from the team• The Apprentice was the hardest thing I've ever done. Its way harder than it looks on tele3 BEST MOMENTS“The thing people took away from Covid was supporting small businesses, which helped us”“I finished recording on Sunday night in London and was working in Roundhay at 07.00am the next day”“They sent a mystery visitor to the studio”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/ Website: https://northstudioleeds.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-woolford-948528216/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/northstudioleeds/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelwoolford/ Shout out tags: https://www.stoneacreproperties.co.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/linda-planthttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/pop-up-shop/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/david-richmond/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/christine-yorath/ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a

This week's guests are Marshall Frieze and Simon Williams who, for only three weeks a year, run a speciality pop-up shop.Hear why they do it, the unique challenges they face, how Covid turned EVERYTHING on it's head and what the key is to the shop's continued year-on-year improvement.INTRODUCING SIMON WILLIAMS & MARSHALL FRIEZESimon Williams is the owner of SW Retail Consultancy Ltd. Having been in retail for nearly 30 years in various roles, he using his retail knowledge & experience to help grow and develop SMEs and start-ups.As a consultant his aim is to miniaturise everything he has learned in large corporations and provide the SMEs with a template for success in retailing and business. Marshall Frieze is the founder and MD of The One Solution, an award-winning Leeds based supplier of cloud and mobile telecoms, connectivity & IoT to businesses throughout the UK and farther afield. Marshall has been working in telecommunications since the mid-1990s, when he was appointed Store Manager of Phones 4u at their flagship Leeds store. In 2003 he launched Pioneer Communication Solutions, becoming Vodafone Gold Partner of the Year in 2011 and then selling in 2012.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:10] What is the Passover Pop-up shop[00:03:00] Where the idea came from and how it all started[00:08:40] The challenges faced in year one[00:10:30] Analysing the first year's performance and then into year two[00:18:30] The problems (and solutions) to Covid[00:25:40] the key learnings and the importance of data[00:31:30] Advice to someone looking to set up a pop up show[00:35:00] How to retain customers[00:39:00] Lessons for the futureKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You need to ensure that you have no, or little, stock left at the end• Data is key to making better decisions, and the key to success• Open with the offers, rather than the offers at the end• If you get 80% of it right, you should just about be ok• It's really beneficial to work with a business partner• Be clear on your objectivesBEST MOMENTS“We needed a product, somewhere to sell it from and we needed finance”“When Covid happened we had to change the whole business model overnight”“I did around 90,000 steps in 4 or 5 days”“The lockout period is your retention strategy”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshallfrieze http://linkedin.com/in/simon-williams-616b876 DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he's ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes' for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil's...

Starts at 00.45 This week's guest is Fiona Conor, Managing Director of Trust Electrical Heating.Fiona tells us all about her amazing & varied route to becoming a business owner, the ups and downs of registering a patent, the huge importance of brand, the need for a business coach to vomit on…. and how to stop your ‘leaky bucket' and increase your lead conversion.INTRODUCING FIONA CONORFiona Conor, is Managing Director at Trust Electric Heating and boasts three decades of experience in sales and marketing. Her mission is to lead Trust Electric Heating to the forefront of the UK's electric heating industry.Driven by her passion for product development and sustainable technology, Fiona spearheads Trust Electric Heating's rapid growth, catering to the rising demand for sustainable heating solutions.Beyond her professional achievements, Fiona brings a personal touch to the electric heating world, shaped by her extensive background in charity work and counselling. With an unwavering commitment to a 'people first' ethos, she guides Trust Electric Heating not merely as a company, but as a trusted partner dedicated to crafting heating solutions designed for humans.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] Fiona's (very varied) early career[00:07:00] The launch of the business[00:10:00] Pitching for investment[00:12:00] The importance of branding[00:16:30] The problems….[00:21:45] Selling radiators online[00:23:00] Stepping up the operation[00:32:00] How to stop your leaky bucket[00:35:00] Working with Entrepreneurs Circle and the benefits of having a coach[00:40:00] Why bring a NED into the business?3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Things come in your path to take you to where you need to be in the future• You've got to get your brand right• Everything has to be about analytics4 BEST MOMENTS“Scott launched the business on the Dining Room table”“He grew a beard when he was installing and shaved himself when he was selling”“Covid gave me the space to think about the business”“We needed real strong governance on the board”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com Website: https://www.trustelectricheating.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionaconor https://www.linkedin.com/company/trustelectricheating/ Mentioned in the show; www.entreprenuerscircle.com https://www.hotjar.com/ https://www.propaganda.co.uk/ https://www.selectuniforms.co.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' SOCIAL MEDIAFollow us on;LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/leedspodInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/leedsbusinesspodcast/YOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/nigel-botterill/ https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/michael-michaelson/...

This week we speak to green banking start-up, Tred.Peter & will discuss where the idea of a green bank account came from, the secret tip that worked for improving their network connections, how the first round of testing changed the business strategy, the positives and negatives of a wait list and what it feels like to secure £1m of funding.We also get taught how to reduce the carbon footprint of your business.Win a Tred water bottle. Listen to the episode then answer the question at www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com/tred/INTRODUCING PETER KIRBY & WILL SMITHPeter Kirby keeps Tred running! He ensures customers love their green business current account, develops a happy and high performing team, and owns the compliance function. Before Tred, he worked with the UK's largest companies to improve their operations, like developing the UK's COVID shielding programme and revolutionising the procurement process in a £5bn clothing brand.Will Smith owns Tred's growth and finances. He makes sure every business wants, and has, a Tred green current account. Selected by Forbes as a ‘30 under 30', he brings experience from both the start-up and corporate world. He's managed global product launches, negotiated commercial contracts worth over £500m and much more.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] What is Tred?[00:01:00] Introducing Will & Peter[00:05:30] Where did the idea for Tred come from?[00:09:00] The first step on the start-up journey and testing the hypothesis[00:11:00] The funding journey and lessons learnt[00:16:00] Starting the business properly[00:23:00] A banking platform not a bank and let's talk ‘Bank of Dave'[00:32:00] The current situation for Tred[00:36:45] How do you evaluate a ‘green' banking card?[00:38:15] How to reduce the carbon footprint of your business[00:41:15] The biggest learning from a mistake3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Find the cheapest and quickest way to test your hypothesis• Ask people for introductions. Almost everyone says yes• Hire the people with skills you are most useless at• Entrepreneurs are not taking enough risks because of a fear of failure3 BEST MOMENTS“Please can someone be the Spotify for home 3D printing” “We spent months building an app. Did we need it? Probably not”“There'll be bugs a plenty come squash them with us”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com Website: https://tred.earth/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrhsmith/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterlkirby/ Shout out tags: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-baker-8700399/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show or give this episode a 'thumbs up' SOCIAL MEDIAFollow us on;LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/leedspodInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/leedsbusinesspodcast/YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

This week's episode is slightly different as we meet one of the Leeds business community's most well-known faces, Colin Glass OBE.Colin shares his expertise on a variety of business topics including what makes a great business founder, funding options available for businesses, what is a NED and why you might need one, what sweat investment is and, of course, how to be a great networker.INTRODUCING COLIN GLASSColin is a Chartered Accountant who started his own practice, Winburn Glass Norfolk (WGN) in 1975 and in August 2019 WGN merged with Murray HarcourtColin is, or has been, a Non-Executive Director of several companies, some of which are quoted on AIM and has always been passionately interested in helping small businesses, including start-ups to develop to their full potential. He has invested in many start-up businesses over the years.He was awarded the Star in Practice Award in 2006 from the West Yorkshire Society of Chartered Accountants, Business Adviser of the Year in 2007, Non-Executive Director of the Year in 2008 and 2019 by the Institute of Directors Yorkshire and Humber and, in January 2011, he was awarded Non-Executive Director of the Year in the Quoted Company Awards.Due to his many years of involvement with SMEs, in 2014 Colin was appointed a Non-Executive Director at the British Business Bank and was awarded an OBE in the 2017 Queen's New Year Honour's list.He is one of the most well-known, and respected, faces on the Leeds business scene.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:45] What are the common themes in successful businesses[00:03:30] The common mistakes business owners make[00:06:20] The best places to find funding[00:09:00] Should you bootstrap your business?[00:10:45] What makes a good Angel investment pitch?[00:13:00] All about sweat investment[00:19:40] Colin's successful first sweat investment deal[00:26:00] The investment that didn't go well[00:31:00] What does a NED do, and do you need one? [00:36:00] How to be a good networker3 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You need to listen to the advice of mentors around you• All companies that are trying to grow should look at some kind of NED• Don't try to sell at networking eventsBEST MOMENTS“One successful angel investment can pay for all the others that go wrong”“Do me a favour, let them wine & dine us”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinglass1/ Shout out: https://www.luma3.uk/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show on this appSOCIAL MEDIAFollow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and InstagramYOU MAY ALSO LIKEhttps://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/nigel-botterill/https://leedsbusinesspodcast.com/podcast/alistair-maiden/ABOUT YOUR HOSTPhil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He's travelled the full

This week we speak to Nigel Botterill, Founder of Entrepreneurs Circle.Nigel tells us why bootstrapping is the WRONG way to run a business, how incompetence launched his most successful business, the day he found £500k missing from his business bank account and the bedroom business that went multi-million pound in months.He also gives a 'how to' that, to quote Nigel, is "the most powerful 'how to' that you have ever had on the podcast." INTRODUCING NIGEL BOTTERILLNigel Botterill - serial entrepreneur, Sunday Time best-selling author & one of the UK's most sought after business growth experts.He ‘took the leap', left his corporate career and started his first business in 2003. Since then, he's built ten separate million-pound-plus businesses from scratch. Now, at the helm of Entrepreneurs Circle, the country's largest organisation dedicated to helping its members businesses grow, Nigel spends his time helping other entrepreneurs to do what he's done – escape mediocrity, get and keep all the customers their business needs and live the lives they've always wantedEPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:00] The spark to start as an entrepreneur[00:07:00] The plan…. And the smart move[00:10:00] The conference that changed Nigel's life[00:12:30] The side hustle, MyMag, that became a £6m phenomenon[00:15:00] The ‘Best of' online business[00:18:00] The genius of incompetence and the start of Entrepreneurs Circle[00:20:00] The effects of the lockdown announcement[00:28:30] What is Entrepreneurs Circle[00:30:30] The importance of the ‘rhythmic acquisition of customers'[00:36:00] The nightmare of missing revenue [00:38:30] Going into a CVA[00:42:30] The key learning from going through a CVA[00:45:45] How to get your business to where you want it to beKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• Funding growth through revenue isn't the best way to grow• All businesses need rhythmic acquisition of customers• When you spend your time in business juggling cashflow it's like a cancer• As a business owner you need to be all over your numbers• Anyone managing their business by looking at their bank account is bonkers• It's the day-to-day that kills dreams• Profit and loss accounts are a work of fictionBEST MOMENTS“I had a year to move £100,000 from the business to our personal bank account”“We were one of the first customers of Google ads in the UK”“We set up over 2,500 magazines in three years”“What she did was genius but did it out of incompetence”“We had a massive hole and we just didn't have the money”“I didn't want to go to work and I didn't want to go home”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/Website: https://entrepreneurscircle.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneurs-circle https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelbotterill/ Shout out tags: https://www.trustelectricheating.co.uk/ https://rushfirthcreative.co.uk/ https://www.tendo-uk.com/ DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show YOU MAY ALSO...

In this week's episode we talk to Alistair Maiden, founder of legal tech company, Syke.Hear business tales and learnings from the legendary Ken Morrison, Alistair's eureka moment for the business, how the business grew to an eventual multi-million pound sale in the US plus the hard changes that needed to take place after sale.Plus, what's it like buying an abattoir?INTRODUCING ALISTAIR MAIDENAlistair began his career as a lawyer, practising commercial and technology law for several years. Whilst Head of Contracts and the Data Protection Officer for ASDA, Alistair designed and implemented a digital contracting tool which reduced the average contract cycle from 17 days to just 5 days. In 2016, Alistair founded SYKE, with the mission to transform the legal industry by bridging the gap between legal teams and emerging legal tech. Under his leadership, SYKE has become a leading legal tech consultancy.Allistair has spoken at a variety of international events and won the Legal Technologist of the Year award at the 2019 FT Intelligent Business Awards.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS[00:00:30] Introducing Syke[00:01:30] Alistair Maiden's early career[00:04:00] Learning business lessons from Sir Ken Morrison[00:10:00] The lasting influence of ASDA's culture and being part of Walmart[00:14:00] The birth of the idea of Syke[00:21:00] Taking the idea live[00:24:20] Growing into a ‘proper' business[00:27:00] A new partnership arrives[00:34:00] The people who got you here won't be the people to take you there [00:40:00] The sale of the business and culture change issues[00:46:00] Start up entrepreneur or big company executiveKEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS• You get respect from your team by being in the detail• There's no reason why you can't work globally• You have to have the right attitude and make yourself ‘useful'• Most partnerships, whilst looking good, don't work• You must think of your business as a team not a family• Feathers will be rustled but you should assume good intentionsBEST MOMENTS“Ken Morrison used to walk round the office leaving post-it notes on people's PC”“Asda has a very unique and distinct culture. Loads of people from there are now running their own businesses”“We reduced the average contract cycle from 70 days to 5 days”“I spoke at the Law Society expecting 10 or 15 people, and there were 100s there”“I gave a 20 minute presentation and there was a hour of questions”“I had the passion but no plan…”VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOURelevant links from the show, recommended Leeds businessWebsite: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com Website: https://syke.tech/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair-maiden-global-advisory-lead-consilio-syke/ Want to watch instead of listen? Subscribe to our You Tube channel - https://youtube.com/@LeedsBusinessPodcast.DON'T FORGET THE LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST ‘FAIR DEAL'My half of the agreement; Every week I bring you inspiring Leeds Business people FOR FREE.Your half of the deal has two simple steps;1) Share this episode with just ONE person who you think will get value from it2) Post a review of the show hereSOCIAL MEDIAFollow us on;LinkedIn -