The Truth About Business

Welcome to the NXTGEN SHOW, my name is Benjamin Brain – performance and leadership coach to next generation leaders in family businesses - and it's my mission to share with you the stories, experiences and lessons learned of other accomplished next generation leaders from across the UK.On today's show, I was joined by Gavin Howarth of Howarths.Howarths, a successful HR and Employment law firm in West Yorkshire, was launched by Gavin's parents back in 2003, after his father retired from a successful 30-year career in the police force. After studying Law at University and completing two years practicing as a trainee Solicitor at one of the UKs largest law firms, Gavin joined the family business and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Managing Director of the firm 9 years ago, at the age of 27.Since then, the business has grown year on year to become an outstanding example of a successful, values led family business that has built an excellent reputation for itself not just in the industry and with clients but also in the local community thanks to the Howarth Foundation, a charity set up by the family in 2017 to help the homeless get back into employment.This was a brilliant no-holds-barred interview into leadership in a family business with an ambitious, passionate and people focused M.D. who's not afraid to lead from the front and is quickly becoming a voice of wisdom and inspiration to other aspiring leaders in business. So without further adieu, this is Gavin Howarth...Enjoy

Welcome to the NXTGEN show, my name is Benjamin Brain, Performance & Leadership coach, and it's my mission to share with you the stories and experiences of accomplished, "next generation" leaders in family run businesses from across the UK.In this episode, and in a first for the show, I was joined by father and son duo, Adam and Kevin Pritchard of Linford Grey Associates in Coalville, Leicestershire.Adam, the Founder and Managing Director of Linford Grey Associates, began his career in the creative industries, working for film and theatre companies after being on stage in the West End, before taking a role as a management consultant in a small London consultancy firm.From there, it became clear to Adam that the advancements in technology meant that in order to stay relevant, accounting and accountants needed to change.His vision for Linford Grey Associates was to build  a practice that looked and felt more like a fintech company. An advisory led practice with an impressive tech stack that is leveraged to add value for clientsKevin, Adam's father, is an experienced business turnaround expert passionately committed to the growth and development of UK businesses regardless of their size.Kevin sits on the board as Chairman at Linford Grey as well as several other companies as a non-executive director and over the course of his career has built and sold several businesses. The most recent of which was the multi-million pound sale of a manufacturing company to an AIM-listed company. So, for a brilliant insight into disrupting an industry and what it takes to forge a great father and son partnership in business, let's get into it.This is Adam and Kevin Pritchard

Welcome to The NXTGEN Show. My name is Benjamin Brain and it's my mission to share with you the stories, experiences and insights of accomplished "next generation" leaders in family businesses from across the UK.On today's episode I was joined by Ben Wilson, Managing Director of MPM - an award-winning, Leeds based manufacturer and supplier of composite and fiberglass tooling and products.The business was launched by Ben's dad back in 1978. He retired in 2010 when, alongside his two brothers, Ben took over the running of the business and has since taken it to great heights, increasing revenue by over 700%.But that's not come without it's challenges. Back In 2018 (their 40th anniversary!) a devastating fire ripped through the factory and burned it to the ground, only then soon after to be hit by the challenges brought about by coronavirus which impacted so many other businesses, worldwide.But as you'll find from this interview, resilience is part of the DNA at MPM and Ben and the team always find a way to come back bigger and better.This was another brilliant business interview with an inspirational next generation leader – so without further ado, let's get into it...This is Ben Wilson!

Welcome to The NXTGEN Show, where it's usually my mission to share the stories and experiences of next generation leaders in family run businesses from around the world.This week's episode of The NXTGEN Show is a slightly different format to the usual.For regular listeners, you'll know that this show is all about great conversations with the next generation leaders of family businesses – and that's going to continue. I've got some AMAZING guests lined up ready to share their own story, insights and experiences.But on top of that, if the opportunity to share some useful information that might be of service to next generation leaders in their first senior management or leadership role comes up, I'll be sharing that through the podcast too!For any business, recruitment plays a key part in it's success. And one of the activities that you might start having to engage in as a leader of the business, is interviewing potential candidates. If you've not had to do that before, that can be quite nerve-racking, all the more so for your first one.And especially when you understand that this isn't just an opportunity for you to interview your candidate, it's also THEIR opportunity to interview you and get an idea of what you're about as a business and whether they'd fit in.So in this 15 minute episode, Eddie Smith from Euro Projects Recruitment – who work with a number of family run businesses to help them recruit and build a winning team – shares with me some of his top tips for facilitating a first class interview that gives you all the information you need to make an informed decision and leaves a really positive impression of you and the business on your candidates that stands you head and shoulders above of other businesses competing for the best people.There's some great tips in here that I would have loved to have know back in the day when I was interviewing candidates for the family business, so let's dive in!

Welcome to the NXTGEN show where it's my mission to share the stories of next-generation, business owners, CEOs and leaders from family run businesses of all shapes and sizes around the world.In this episode of the NXTGEN show I get to pick the brains of Chris Black.Chris is the managing Director of Sound Leisure who hand-make the most incredible 60's and 70's style jukeboxes that you've ever seen and they're on of only two businesses on the planet that make them.Chris' father, Alan, first launched the business back in 1978 and with nothing but a vision, hard work, determination and a whole bunch of passion, the business has now grown into an incredible family business that employs over 70 people with a Main factory in leeds and manufacturing plant in Nottingham and now exports their show-stopping jukeboxes to over 30 countries with an amazing roster of clients.Chris gives us an amazing insight into how to build a successful family business. And he should know, Chris works alongside his father, brother, wife and eldest son! And we also hear how the company has had to continue to innovate and reinvent itself over the years as music trends change from vinyl, to CD, to digital and all the way back full-circle to vinyl again.So, without further adieu, let's get into another brilliant business interview with an inspiring, passionate, next generation leader and champion of UK manufacturing.This is Chris Black!

Welcome to the NXTGEN show where it's my mission to share the stories of next-generation, business owners, CEOs and leaders from family run businesses of all shapes and sizes around the world.In today's episode, I was joined by Chloe Wright.Chloe started out by almost reluctantly helping out in a number of the family businesses after she finished up at university whilst she figured out her own direction.She ended up sticking around and since then has gone on to launch a number of her own businesses with her partner Louis. Most notably a successful fulfilment business and Avocardo - an online sustainable greeting card shop which plants a tree for every card that's bought.From day one, Chloe and Louis' intention was to build businesses to support their lifestyle, and not have their lives dictated by their businesses.And because of that, in 8 weeks time they'll be setting off around the world with no return date – whilst still maintaining complete control of their growing business empire, remotely – wherever they are on the planet.So, to find out how they managed to do that, to discover the perks of having a successful business coach for a father and soak up some brilliant insights that Chloe shares from her business journey so far – which is only just getting started – let's jump in to another brilliant interview with a trail blazing, next generation entrepreneur.Enjoy!

Welcome to The NXTGEN Show, this is Benjamin Brain and it's my mission to share the stories of next generation, family business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs from businesses of all shapes and sizes around the world.On today's show, I had the pleasure of being joined by Helen Wathall MBE. So, a quick introduction to Helen.She's the fifth generation of her family to run Wathall's which was established in 1858 by her great great grandfather, over 164 years ago, and today are Derby's longest-established independent funeral directors.  Helen had originally planned a career in farming, she joined the business for what she thought would be ‘temporarily' when she was 18 but ended up sticking around and went on to gain experience in every aspect of the business before unexpectedly having to takeover as managing director aged just 29. Since then, She has been one of the industry's vanguard female leaders – including becoming the first woman president of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) which represents more than 1,000 family-owned firms and the first female director of Golden Charter – the UK's largest funeral plan provider, a post she held for 6 years, finishing in December 2021. During her tenure as managing director of Wathall's, Helen has expanded the branch network to 7 offices and has developed new areas of the business – most notably the award-winning Dandelions Bereavement Support programme, and buying Art Stone Memorials.  This is part of her goal to provide families with the full service from pre-paid funeral plans and arranging funerals to providing bereavement support and designing and erecting burial and cremation stones.And if that wasn't enough Helen is also Board chair of St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District.This turned out to be another brilliant business interview with a forward thinking, ambitious and super successful next generation family business ownerEnjoy!

Welcome to the NXTGEN Show where it's my mission to share the stories of 2nd and 3rd generation family-business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs from businesses of all shapes and sizes. Today's guest on the show is Jonathan Morgan.At 33 years old, Jonathan is a Partner and Director of Sales, Lettings & Financial Services at Peter Morgan Estates - A successful property business in South Wales that's now been operating for over forty years.Jonathan walked into the family businesses at 16 and has been there ever since.When the UK property recession hit in 2008, despite still not knowing in which direction he wanted to take his career, he decided to stay on with the business and do whatever he could to help it weather a nationwide storm and come out of the other end stronger.He quickly progressed through the ranks, managing his first office at the age of 22 and also has some serious achievements under his belt along the way including being a finalist for the 35 under 35 for Wales Online and being shortlisted as a “Manager Of The Year” at the prestigious “ESTAS” industry awards.He became a father at 30 and that same year, decided to climb Kilimanjaro and in 2021 cycled from John O Groats to Land's End – a total of 860 miles - to campaign and fundraise for men's health.He's a top mentor to other business owners through the industry foundation Agents Together and as if that wasn't already enough, he's also successful property investor...Enjoy!*** About Me ***My name is Benjamin Brain and I'm the CEO of NXTGEN Business Coaching.We work with ambitious 2nd & 3rd generation owners, leaders and entrepreneurs of small to medium sized family businesses in the service, retail and online sectors from around the world to take their business, their time, money and freedom to the next level.In our podcast series, The NXTGEN Show, we go deep into the journeys and experiences of "next-generation" leaders from businesses of all shapes and sizes to share with you the challenges they faced and the lessons they learned being a part of a family business.Make sure you subscribe so you never miss out on an episode and if you'd like to find out more about appearing on the show, get in touch!*** Connect With Me ***Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminbrain/Check us out online - https://nxtgenbusinesscoaching.com/Find us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NXTGENBusinessCoachingSubscribe on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVbN7VBoxdNusptbo8QHVbg

In this roundtable discussion episode of Adversity To Prosperity, Neale Lewis and I were joined by systems and processes experts from manufacturing and construction to talk about how they use effective systems and processes to build highly efficient, productive and lean businesses...For this mini-series I've teamed up with business coach extraordinaire and scaleup expert, Neale Lewis and we'll be tackling the many challenges for business owners and entrepreneurs brought about by the Coronavirus.Neale has vast business experience, working alongside some of the top business minds in the world such as Verne Harnish, working with a variety of high performance business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and going in deep behind the scenes of multi-million pound businesses across a wide variety of sectors, helping them to achieve their most ambitious big hairy audacious goals.Neale shares PLENTY of actionable, practical and extremely sound business strategies, tactics and insights that could see you coming out of the other end of this approaching storm in a stronger position.So, get your pen and paper or your Evernote ready and let's dive in!

Welcome to episode 43 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three business insights; 1) Which famous Rocky quote is just of true of business as it is of boxing.2) Why a trade like bricklaying can literally take you anywhere in the world if you want it.3) And why it’s not always about what a successful business can do for you, but what it enables you to do for others.In today’s episode, I talk business with Ian Hodgkinson.After being inspired by his father in his younger years, Ian finished school at 15 and wasted no time in getting involved in the building trade with aspirations of one day being able to build his own house.For the next two years he immersed himself in his work, perfecting his skills and mastering his craft when at the age of 18, as well as being one of the youngest ever lecturers at South East Derbyshire College, he decided to go it alone and became a self-employed builder.Over the next three decades, Ian and his team worked hard to build an incredibly successful business which is on track to build 180 houses this year, has many impressive one-off projects under its belt, has been a regular feature on reality TV shows like DIY SOS and scrap kings and has also been involved in some fantastic charity projects that have made a real difference to the community. As Ian so poetically puts it, this is the story of the bricklayer who got to meet the Queen.This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who demonstrates what can happen when you work hard, have a positive attitude and take full advantage of the opportunities that life presents. You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with a businessman that will leave a lasting legacy not just with the houses he builds, but with the opportunities he creates for the people within his business and the communities he serves – Ian Hodgkinson.

In this episode of Advertsity To Prosperity, Neale and I continue our conversation around how businesses and entrepreneurs can make the most of the lockdown. This week we talk all things systems and processes as Neale and I talk about the benefits of having your business running off the back of a series of slick, efficient and well crafted systems and processes to bring about extraordinary results and super consistency....For this mini-series I've teamed up with business coach extraordinaire and scaleup expert, Neale Lewis and we'll be tackling the many challenges for business owners and entrepreneurs brought about by the Coronavirus.Neale has vast business experience, working alongside some of the top business minds in the world such as Verne Harnish, working with a variety of high performance business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and going in deep behind the scenes of multi-million pound businesses across a wide variety of sectors, helping them to achieve their most ambitious big hairy audacious goals.Neale shares PLENTY of actionable, practical and extremely sound business strategies, tactics and insights that could see you coming out of the other end of this approaching storm in a stronger position.So, get your pen and paper or your Evernote ready and let's dive in!

Welcome to episode 41 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three leadership and success insights;1) A veteran tip that will lead to more productive and engaged 1-2-1’s with your team2) Why businesses should talk regularly to their teams about their professional, personal and financial goals. 3) Why hiring from within the business isn’t always the right thing to do when you’re in growth mode.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business!In today’s episode, I talk business and leadership lessons with Dwight Strayer.Dwight had a passion for computers from a young age and followed his love for IT into his first employed role where he joined as employee number four at a company which bought and resold used computer hardware.It wasn’t long before he was asked to be a part of a five man team to launch a small IT services business called Service Express, where he joined the business as one of their very first field service engineers. Fast forward 32 years and Dwight is now the Chief Operations Officer of a thriving IT business by the name of service express, having been instrumental in helping the organisation to achieve huge success over the years being recognised as one of the very best in the industry with a passionate, engaged team of over 400 people and an expected turnover this year of more $150,000,000!This was a brilliant interview with a passionate, ambitious and inspiring business leader who really delivers the playbook on how to carve yourself a super successful career and how to become an extraordinary leader of people who will give it everything they’ve got and go the extra mile.Dwight really epitomises what can happen when you’re prepared to put in the work and not care who gets the credit for it whilst also having a deep-rooted passion for helping others to be all they can be in life You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the brilliant COO and passionate leader of service express, Dwight Strayer.

For this special episode of Adversity To Prosperity, and a real highlight of my podcasting journey so far, once again I team up with scale-up expert and high growth business coach Neale Lewis to provide great content and thought provoking ideas to help entrepreneurs, leaders and business owners to successfully make it through the lockdown.This week, I was truly humbled to also be joined by seven briliant entrepreneurs who have all featured as guests on "The Truth About Business" and they once again joined me to talk candidly about their own businesses and provide some amazing insights to help the wider business community. With such a fantastic calibre and esteemed group of business owners representing a variety of industries and coming in all shapes and sizes, I knew that this was going to be a rountable discussion that packed a punch - but the results far outweighed my own high expectations.For anybody who is feeling the pinch of the lockdown and is struggling to see how they can make it through the other side, this conversation right here is what you need to hear. I want to give a massive "thank you" to this week's guests including my co-host Neale Lewis who has been instrumental in putting this series together.And if you enjoy, please give these guys and gals a follow and drop them a note to let them know what you thought!So, joining us on this one was:Sean Price @ Velez Managed ServicesJim Thorp @ JT EthosFrancesca Tricarico @ Future Cloud AccountingLee Marples @ Think3Stephen Goddard & Philip Brooks-Stevenson @ KuKu ConnectDean Jackson @ HUUB DesignKevin Huffington @ Central Health NetworkThe main topics we cover in this hour long mastermind include what other businesses have done to deal with the lockdown so far, what they're plans are to see out the next few weeks and how they're going to gear up for when the restrictions are lifted and we can get back to business as usual.So, get your pen and paper ready or your Evernote fired up, click play below and let's dive in!

In this week’s episode of The Truth About Business, I was joined by Neale Lewis and a panel of outstanding charity experts from seven brilliant organisations to discuss the challenges and opportunities that are faced by non-profit enterprises across the UK and beyond...This is the first time I've published a "charity" episode having focused so far on traditional "for-profit" businesses. But as you'll discover from this brilliant interview with a panel of passionate representatives, they are the very definition of "entrepreneurs".Resourcefulness, creativity and creating income from nothing is what our guests on this episode have to deal with on a daily basis, and that was before they were hit by the huge challenges and uncertainty brought about about by the lockdown.The guests featured on this week's show are:Neale Lewis of Neale Lewis AssociatesWill Turner at Derby County Community TrustTracy Harrison at Safe & SoundScott Lea at Treetops HospiceAndrew Jackson at Upbeat CommunitiesRachel Hayward at Annabel's AngelsPhil Leigh at Faiths4ChangeMatt Thomas at Brawl For A CauseThis was a brilliant roundtable discussion where we covered many topics with that hopes that other charities out there will be able to take note of some useful ideas, mindsets and thoughts to help them get through the next few weeks and come back from the lockdown in the strongest possible position - many of which could easily crossover into the traditional "businesses" arena.So, click play and get ready for a special episode of "The Truth About Business"...

In this episode of Advertsity To Prosperity, Neale and I continue our conversation around how businesses and entrepreneurs can make the most of the lockdown. This week we talk about what businesses and entrepreneurs can be doing right now to give themselves the best possible chance of coming out of this situation stronger than ever by really taking a deep dive in to the marketing materials and sales processes you have (or don't!)For this mini-series I've teamed up with business coach extraordinaire and scaleup expert, Neale Lewis and we'll be tackling the many challenges for business owners and entrepreneurs brought about by the Coronavirus.Neale has vast business experience, working alongside some of the top business minds in the world such as Verne Harnish, working with a variety of high performance business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and going in deep behind the scenes of multi-million pound businesses across a wide variety of sectors, helping them to achieve their most ambitious big hairy audacious goals.In this third episode, we take a look at more key areas that business owners should be focusing their attention on as we get settled in to the UK "lockdown" and really begin to feel the effects of a drastic drop in business activity.Neale shares PLENTY of actionable, practical and extremely sound business strategies, tactics and insights that could see you coming out of the other end of this approaching storm in a stronger position.So, get your pen and paper or your Evernote ready and let's dive in!

Welcome to episode #37 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three golden entrepreneurial insights;1) Why daring to dream and believing that nothing is impossible unlocks a whole new level of possibility and opportunity.2) The importance of making calculated, data backed decisions and not just going with your gut.3) The downsides of working with the wrong venture capital partners and the devastating effect it can have on your business...In today’s episode, I talk business with Graham MulhollandGraham started his first business at the age of 23 after he had just missed out on qualifying for the Olympic Canoeing Team.Armed with nothing but a phone and a huge amount of self-belief, Graham stayed true to the high performance disciplines from the world of elite sport that had been drilled into him over the prior years and hit the ground running, operating from his parent's house where he was still living at the time.Graham and his team grew EPM Technology to impressive heights, supplying specialist composite materials to three quarters of Formula One teams and being involved in amazing projects like the Aston Martin DBS for Daniel Craig in Casino Royale and building the world’s largest free standing LED screen for a U2 world tour.But then in 2017, things took a turn for the unexpected and Graham was escorted off the premises of the business that he had poured his heart and soul into by security, for what he expected would be permanently.But in a further twist of events, two years later Graham managed to take back control, completely turned around what had become a failing business and the team at what is now the Mulholland Group is daring to dream again with some mind-blowing projects underway which could be absolute game-changers for the region.This was another brilliant, candid interview with a truly inspirational entrepreneur who doesn’t hold back and shows what you can achieve when you truly believe that anything is possible and you dare to dream BIG.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with a super successful entrepreneur and all round inspiration, Graham Mulholland!Click "play" and get ready for "The Truth About Business"......

In this episode of Advertsity To Prosperity, Neale and I continue our conversation around how businesses and entrepreneurs can make the most of the lockdown. This week we cover Neale's SWT exercise, we share some brilliant examples of companies that have pivoted and how we all have a great opportunity to "Spring Clean" our businesses - from marketing strategy to sales scripts. For this mini-series I've teamed up with business coach extraordinaire and scaleup expert, Neale Lewis and we'll be tackling the many challenges for business owners and entrepreneurs brought about by the Coronavirus.Neale has vast business experience, working alongside some of the top business minds in the world such as Verne Harnish, working with a variety of high performance business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and going in deep behind the scenes of multi-million pound businesses across a wide variety of sectors, helping them to achieve their most ambitious big hairy audacious goals.In this third episode, we take a look at more key areas that business owners should be focusing their attention on as we get settled in to the UK "lockdown" and really begin to feel the effects of a drastic drop in business activity.Neale shares PLENTY of actionable, practical and extremely sound business strategies, tactics and insights that could see you coming out of the other end of this approaching storm in a stronger position.So, get your pen and paper or your Evernote ready and let's dive in!

Welcome to episode #35 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three golden entrepreneurial insights;1) How to break into a fiercely competitive global market as a newcomer even with all the odds seemingly stacked against you.2) Why taking a risk and hiring people for the business you want to become can be a total game changer and spark exponential growth. 3) The dangers of spreading yourself too thin and why you should always play to your strengths. So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business!In today’s episode, I talk business with Dean Jackson.Dean’s first venture into entrepreneurship, and a sign of things to come, was at the age of 19 when he followed his passion and together with a business partner opened The Derby Runner, a specialist running shop which although Dean left a couple of years later, is still going strong today.In today’s episode, I talk business with Dean Jackson.Dean’s first venture into entrepreneurship and a sign of things to come was at the age of 19 when he followed his passion and together with a business partner opened the Derby runner, a specialist running shop which although Dean left after a couple of years later, is still going strong today.Dean then spent the next three decades honing his craft, working inside the performance and sport trade. Working alongside some of the finest brands on the planet and meeting some of the world’s best athletes, Dean built for himself an incredible list of contacts and a deep knowledge of the industry that few others possessed.When he parted ways from his last employed position, he decided that it was time to play to his strengths. Out of sheer desperation to be able to pay the mortgage and provide for his family, he stacked as many of the odds in his favour as he could and launched a brand-new sportswear brand in a fiercely competitive market with huge marketing budgets, from his garage. That brand was HUUB and since turning over half a million pounds in his first 9 months of trading, Dean and his team have built the business into a worldwide brand that is synonymous with a variety of performance sports and boasts global sporting icons such as the Brownlee bothers, Henri Schoeman and Ricahrd Varga amongst its huge roster of brand ambassadors.This was another brilliant, candid interview with a truly inspirational entrepreneur who shows that if you have a dream and you have the drive, obsession and determination to make it happen, anything is possible. You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with a true legend of Derby business, a high performance entrepreneur and athlete himself and owner of HUUB, Dean Jackson. Click play and get ready for The Truth About Business...

For this mini-series I've teamed up with business coach extraordinaire and scaleup expert, Neale Lewis and we'll be tackling the many challenges for business owners and entrepreneurs brought about by the Coronavirus.Neale has vast business experience, working alongside some of the top business minds in the world such as Verne Harnish, working with a variety of high performance business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and going in deep behind the scenes of multi-million pound businesses across a wide variety of sectors, helping them to achieve their most ambitious big hairy audacious goals.In this second episode, we take a look at two more key areas that business owners should be focusing their attention on as we get settled in to the UK "lockdown" and really begin to feel the effects of a drastic drop in business activity.Neale shares PLENTY of actionable, practical and extremely sound business strategies, tactics and insights that could see you coming out of the other end of this approaching storm in a stronger position.So, get your pen and paper or your Evernote ready and let's dive in!

Welcome to episode #34 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three entrepreneurial insights;1) Why having strong competition for a new product or service can be a benefit.2) How using the power of FOMO (fear of missing out) can help to drive sales.3) The importance of working on the right thing at the right time in your business and how to find it.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business! In today’s episode, I talk business with Bertie Cordingley.Bertie’s first venture into the world of entrepreneurship was when he was just fourteen years old. Armed with a bucket and sponge, he took to the streets and cleaned cars. After a few years of travelling the world and experiencing both sides of the self-employed and employed coin through a variety of roles, it was on a car journey to an interview that he would come up with an idea that would change the rest of his life.It took him two years to turn that idea into reality and finally in 2006 after giving up everything to follow his dream, Bertie launched one of the very first takeaway ordering platforms in the UK. It’s name, was fillmybelly. Over the next seven years, through sheer hard-work, determination and an unwavering belief in his concept, Bertie and the team grew fillmybelly into the third biggest takeaway site in the UK until it was acquired by Just Eat where he occupied key senior positions for three years.Since then, Bertie has kept himself busy by becoming an Angel investor, consulting, managing and mentoring many other entrepreneurs to build successful businesses.This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who shares an honest look behind the scenes of what it really takes to build a successful business and what can happen when you decide to give up everything to follow your dreams.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with a born entrepreneur and industry revolutioniser, Bertie Cordingley. Click play and get ready for "The Truth About Business"!...

For this mini-series I've teamed up with business coach extraordinaire and scaleup expert, Neale Lewis and we'll be tackling the many challenges for business owners and entrepreneurs brought about by the Coronavirus.Neale has vast business experience, working alongside some of the top business minds in the world such as Verne Harnish, working with a variety of high performance business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs and going in deep behind the scenes of multi-million pound businesses across a wide variety of sectors, helping them to achieve their most ambitious big hairy audacious goals.In this first episode, we take a look at the two key areas that business owners should be focusing their attention on as we get used to the UK "lockdown" and really begin to feel the effects of a drastic drop in business activity.Neale shares PLENTY of actionable, practical and extremely sound business strategies, tactics and insights that could see you coming out of the other end of this approaching storm in a stronger position.So, get your pen and paper or your Evernote ready and let's dive in!

Welcome to episode 32 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three entrepreneurial insights;1) Why, with the right attitude and mindset, devastating events can turn out to be blessings in disguise – even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time.2) The power of having honest conversations with your business partners and what can happen if you let things fester and go unsaid.3) The importance of crafting time to work on your own business, as well as your clients’.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business!In today’s episode, I talk business with the four entrepreneurs at Think3.After all four had built a great relationship working together in a previous business, they were all faced with the challenge of being made redundant at the same time as the company went into administration.Determined not to let that get the better of them and with a total belief in their own ability, they decided to unite, took the plunge and launched a business together. That Business is Think3, a forward-thinking creative design agency in Derby and the team has just celebrated its one year anniversary. After a brilliant first year of being in business, they’ve not only broken through that initial 12 month barrier where 20% of new businesses fail, they’ve done it in style – doubling the size of the team and continuing to grow from strength to strength.But it’s not been without it’s challenges, both as individuals and as a team.In this episode, we take a fresh and really candid look into what it’s like being in business not just for the first time, but as a group of four friends who decided to risk it all and become the masters of their own destiny. This interview was recorded before the business community had really started to feel the impact of the Corona virus. With many difficult decisions currently being made and so many worlds being turned upside-down, this episode is a brilliant, real-life example of turning a negative situation into a huge opportunity that turns out to be a blessing in disguise.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with four passionate, enthusiastic and inspiring business owners - this is the story of Think3.Click "play" and get ready for "The Truth About Business"......

Welcome to episode 31 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three entrepreneurial insights;1) The power of focusing on one social media platform when building your presence, but the risks that also come with putting all of your eggs in one basket.2) The consequences of being an extremely driven entrepreneur and why taking some time out to reflect, refocus and relaunch is essential.3) Why you must be “obsessed” to build a great brand and business.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business!In today’s episode, I talk business with Wade Smith.After not really knowing in which direction he wanted to take his life, Wade found himself on a marketing apprenticeship where he earned just enough money to get by.Desperate to be able to provide for himself and his partner Megan, they borrowed £10 from their Grandad to make a batch of 12 doughnuts that they sold to a friend through Facebook for £10.And the rest, as they say, is history.Today, Doughnotts has become a confectionary sensation that has swept through the Midlands, with four stunning locations and a social media presence of over 100,000 followers. Wade and Megan have turned that borrowed £10 into a £1.6 million business empire and this is the story of how it all began.This was an honest, raw and real insider look into what it takes to build a successful business including all of the trappings that come with it, but also the sacrifices, hardships and unexpected challenges that the team at Doughnotts have battled through to become the business they are todayYou know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the Co-founder of Doughnotts and master baker extraordinaire, Wade Smith.Click play and get ready for "The Truth About Business!"

Welcome to episode number 30 and in this week’s brilliant business interview you’ll discover the following three business insights;1) A simple play on words that led to a 600% increase in sales.2) Are there really any friends when it comes to building a successful business?3) The upsides and downsides of building a business with your family.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business...In today’s episode, I talk business with Michael Brain, who is also my Dad.Michael is the Co-Founder of the successful, Derby born & bred and nationally acclaimed estate agency firm, "Hannells" which provides people focused services in residential sales, residential lets and student lettings.The "eureka" moment came for Hannells back in 2003 after Michael and his business partner (then wife), Alison, were watching a TV programme about estate agents which mentioned in the end credits that there were no qualifications required to start out on your own.That triggered a sequence of events and 17 years later Hannells has grown exponentially, only to then be hit hard by a devastating recession, weathered the downturn, recovered and grown again, has had numerous members of the family join, some only to leave and then come back again AND has won multiple outstanding awards including being named as the very best estate agency in the country at the 2019 EA Masters Awards.This was another brilliant interview with, dare I say it, an inspirational entrepreneur who embraces going against the grain and has no problem ruffling a few feathers along the way.And for the first time Michael shares his own story, the challenges he faced and the lessons he learned along the way including a few home truths about working with family thrown in for good measure.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the Co-Founder of Hannells Estate Agents and my old man, Michael Brain. ----------------------------------------------------- Before we do, I want to give a quick shout out to Ali West who left a brilliant 5 star review on iTunes for the show.He said:“I listen to many podcasts and this one is awesome! I recently listened to Benjamin's podcast with Matt Elliott. I really enjoyed the questions asked and the way Benjamin got his guest to open up and provide great insights into business. This podcast is packed full of value. I highly suggest you give it a listen and subscribe! Keep up the great work!”Thanks for your great comments Ali, clearly a man of good taste and is also a fellow podcaster who specialises in health, fitness and wellbeing with "The Kinetic Fitness Show". ----------------------------------------------------- Click play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

Welcome to episode 29 and in this week’s fantastic interview with a twist you’ll discover the following three business insights;1) If you have a burning desire to start something, should you actually wait until the time is right.2) Why disaster can lead to great things when you have a powerful “Why” and you approach it with resilience. 3) Why you just have to be prepared to face the unexpected, regardless of how much you plan.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business!In today’s episode, I talk business with both Philip Brooks-Stephenson and Stephen Goddard.Before Philip & Stephen launched their current business, they had both managed to transition from being employed into self-employed entrepreneurs and although they were in totally different sectors and had different reasons for wanting to be their own boss, it appears that fate eventually brought them together.After getting fed up with attending the same old networking events, Philip and Stephen decided to create something new, something fresh and something innovative that business owners and entrepreneurs of all types could look forward to being a part of and so, KuKu connect was born.Fast forward four years and despite being told that the local market was saturated and they were destined to fail, despite Stephen losing everything in a previous business venture through no fault of his own they decided to follow their passion and the dynamic duo are now creating a huge buzz throughout the Midlands business scene, having been invited to the Queen’s garden party, are being invited as guest of honours to ribbon cutting events, being featured on the front cover of magazines and have created nothing short of a connecting movement. This was a brilliant interview with two inspirational business owners who were totally honest about what it’s really like to run a business - the pros, the cons, the challenges, the lessons learned and the sacrifices they’ve had to make to get to where they are today. You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the proud owners of KuKu connect, Philip Brooks-Stephenson and Stephen Goddard.Click play and get ready for The Truth About Business...!

Welcome to episode 28 and in this week’s business interview you’ll discover the following three golden insights;1) The truth about network marketing businesses and why there are so many misconceptions.2) How being able to keep the promises that you make to yourself is crucial to building resilience and longevity.3) Why most of us over-estimate what we can achieve in a year, but under-estimate what we can accomplish in a decade.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business...In this episode, I talk business with Matt Elliott.Since starting out his career at his local pet store at the age of seven, Matt spent some time in the Armed forces with aspirations of becoming a bodyguard, but found he had a passion and a skill for being a personal trainer and helping people to live happier and healthier lives.After leaving the forces, Matt’s talent was discovered by Adidas and for the next two years he served as a Global Fitness Ambassador, where he enjoyed the life of a rock star being flown business class all around the world, staying in the finest hotels and performing personal training to hundreds of people at a time in stadiums around the globe. On his return, Matt was determined to launch a business for himself and after looking into a variety of options, he stumbled upon Herbalife. A billion-dollar, network marketing business that had the backing of the likes of Christiano Ronaldo and the LA Galaxy.Starting from scratch, Matt grew his business exponentially over the first two years and almost a decade later, Matt is a permanent feature in the Herbalife top 2% in the world with a team of over 1,500 people and once again enjoys a lifestyle similar to that from the Adidas days. This was a brilliant interview with another inspirational, high performance entrepreneur who has cracked the code to building an incredibly successful network marketing business and openly talks about the misconceptions that many people have about this type of setup. You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the passionate, successful and life-changing health and nutrition entrepreneur, Matt Elliott.Click play and get ready for The Truth About Business!...

Welcome to episode 27 and in this weeks’ interview you’ll discover the following three golden insights;1) The dark side of entrepreneurship and the serious effects it can have on both your physical and mental health.2) How far should you push your children to becoming entrepreneurs or is it best to let them find their own way?3) Why not thinking big enough at the outset can eventually lead you to “niching” yourself out of business.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business...In this week’s episode, I talk business with Sean Price.Sean’s entrepreneurial career started early and by the time he was in his late teens, he had sold his university project, rather than handing it in to be assessed for his final grade. At 18, he started his first company from the back of his bedroom and over the next 10 years, grew the business to become a globally know force in the agency industry until he turned 28 when he welcomed his new born son and decided to take some time out to semi-retire. After spending time mentoring tomorrow’s generation of entrepreneurs and failing to ignite a passion for golf, it wasn’t long before Sean was back at it and after taking up key senior positions in several IT Businesses, his eyes were opened to a sector of the industry in which he knew that he could build something special.This eventually led to the creation of Velez which Sean launched with a hand-picked team of successful industry experts back in January 2019. Since then, the business has experienced rapid growth, already becoming an internationally renowned player in the managed services field and being recognised by the top advisory firms in the world with the team being officially recognised by Gartner in September 2019.Sean now spends a large amount of time travelling around the globe spending time with his team and meeting with multi-million dollar business owners and CEOs in the states to secure new sales contracts and pick the brains of some extraordinary high performance people.This was another brilliant interview with another inspirational entrepreneur who is already extremely accomplished and is destined for even bigger things.And Sean hasn’t had it easy. He openly talks in this interview about the physical and mental health problems that can often come with being an obsessively driven entrepreneur.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the jet-setting, go-getting, international businessman and CEO of Velez Managed Services, Sean Price!Click play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s episode of The Truth About Business, you’ll discover the following three business & entrepreneurial insights:1) Why it’s not always about building the biggest, it’s about building a business that suits you.2) Why swallowing your pride and having the courage to ask for help will speed up your success.3) Why reading books and learning is crucial, but sometimes you just have to do it your way. So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business...For more brilliant business interviews with inspirational entrepreneurs, head over to http://www.benjaminbrain.co.uk.Today, I talk business with Rachel Hayward.After falling into the world of Charity work, Rachel discovered that she had a real passion for helping others that opened her eyes to a totally new perspective.With her sights set on becoming Managing Director by the time she was 35, Rachel managed to turn that dream into reality but when the economy took a nose-dive and purse strings tightened, she decided to take her destiny into her own hands and left.After making a promise to herself and setting a deadline to launching her own business, Rachel stayed true to her pledge and when the time came, took a leap of faith to become a full-time entrepreneur. This eventually led to the birth of Ask The Chameleon where Rachel delivers high quality bid writing and consultancy services that get results at a cost-effective price. Five years later and Rachel is still going strong having secured over £12,000,000 in grant funding and contracts for her clients.As well as Rachel being nominated for two Outstanding Women’s awards, Ask the Chameleon itself was a big winner in the Small Business 100 awards for 2018 and was also the Federation of Small Business Micro Business of the Year 2019 for the East Midlands.This was another brilliant, candid interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who has a true passion for helping others and also gives an awful lot back to the community with the work she does outside of her business.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with an award winning, contract securing powerhouse and owner of Ask The Chameleon, Rachel Hayward! Click the play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s episode of The Truth About Business, you’ll discover these three golden business insights:1) The power of focusing on asking “what if” instead of wondering “if only.”2) Why taking over an existing business and implementing a new culture can be more challenging than starting from scratch.3) How if you’re already driven, having access to great mentors is like adding rocket fuel to an already burning inferno.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business...In this week’s episode, I talk business with Gareth Love.After starting out at his parent’s estate agency just half an hour after receiving his GCSE results, Gareth’s path soon led him away from the family business and into the world of mortgages.It was something he soon found he not only had a raw passion for, but was also very good at. After riding out the financial crisis back in 2008, Gareth found himself in the company of some outstanding mentors which led him to acquiring an existing mortgage business in August 2018.Since then, he has grown the business from 8 mortgage advisers to over 30 and has transformed the culture, results and growth of the business through a strong set of core values and a genuine passion for helping his team to be the very best versions of themselves.This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who has his sights set on the very top and knows with absolute certainty that he will do whatever it takes to get there. He’ll leave you feeling inspired and enthused – and he’s still only 32. You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with a man with a serious mission and owner of the game-changing Mortgage Experts, Gareth Love. Before we do, I just want to give a quick shout out two of our amazing listeners this week who each left the show a brilliant 5 star review on itunes.First off, thank you to "VLovegrove", who said:“I’ve enjoyed every episode I’ve listened to so far. Some episodes have compelled me to seek out the individuals and work with them. You end up feeling that you already know them and can see if they fit within your own values. Looking forward to hearing more Ben.” And also, a big shout out goes out to "AndySand" who said:“A genuinely great podcast. Ben’s a great interviewer and his guests are very open about both the highs and lows of their business journey.”Thank you so much to both of you.They are amazing reviews and every single one means a LOT to me!If you enjoyed this episode and fancy a shout out on next week’s show – you know what to do!Get ready for The Truth About Business...

As part of the BBC's "upload" service, BBC Radio Derby asked me to produce a special five minute episode of The Truth About Business which was aired at 9.15pm on Thursday 30th January 2020.The episode was a compilation of answers from all of the guests that had featured on the show so far to the same question;"What's the one piece of advice you'd pass on to your younger self before you started out in business?"It turned out to be a fantastic mini-episode and thank you to the BBC for giving me the opportunity to get on their airwaves!Click play and get ready for a special episode of The Truth About Business!

In this week’s episode of The Truth About Business, you’ll discover the following three insights:1) Why you should always start with the end in mind when you launch your business.2) Why sometimes, to get further, faster you actually have to slow down.3) How you pick yourself up when your business literally burns down to the ground. So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of "The Truth About Business"...Benjamin Brain With Deborah Labbate from DeborahLabbate.comIn this week’s episode, I talk business with Deborah Labbate.Deborah started her entrepreneurial career straight out of college back in the early 80’s when she and her father started a self-drive hire business, growing it from a standing start to a fleet of 100 plus vehicles and two petrol stations, AND successfully suing a major multinational corporation along the way.After selling her business, literally the day before her two twin boys were born, and taking a career break to look after her family, Deborah soon got the itch back and after a number of successful positions and appointments, decided to use her own experience and business knowledge to help others succeed.Today, Deborah is the unstoppable force behind Deborah Labbate where she serves as an adviser and consultant to help ambitious businesses of all shapes and sizes go further, faster. Deborah is also a published author, has organised and hosted several excellent business events and has served as the president of the Nottingham City Business Club.This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who is the personification of not taking “no” for an answer and always finding a way.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the determined and resilient, lifelong entrepreneur – Deborah Labbate. Click play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In today’s episode I share seven more key “truths” that I’ve collected from spending countless hours over the last ten episodes talking with and listening to inspirational business champions.These brilliant entrepreneurs and business owners have faced up to the insurmountable odds that are stacked against all of us when starting out for ourselves and have gone on to build fantastic businesses of all shapes and sizes. For those of you who are thinking of starting out in business, I hope that this serves as useful information that may better prepare you for what’s to come.And for those already in business, I’d like to think that there are some useful reminders of important fundamentals that we could all do with a refresher on every now and again.I’d like to take a moment to say a huge “Thank you” to all of the guests who have featured on the show so far, it has been an amazing experience and I’m truly humbled that you’ve all been prepared to put aside some time and share your stories so honestly.You know, success leaves footprints.So, let’s take a walk with my last ten brilliant guests and extract some key business truths…

In this week’s episode of The Truth About Business, you’ll discover these three golden business insights:1) The business secret that JP Morgan, the American banking titan paid £25,000 for.2) The one simple question asked by the seven-year old daughter of this week’s guest that provided him with the drive and motivation to build a successful business.3) Are great leaders born or are they made, and what does it really mean to be one?So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of The Truth About Business...In this week’s episode, I talk business with Steve Gandy.After spending 22 years employed and becoming what of us would define as a successful businessman – playing a crucial part in growing one business from a turnover of £60,000 to £5,000,000 and in his last employed role, leading a team of 50 + people - Steve realised that he just wasn’t happy and there was a major change that needed to happen or things would only get worse.This led Steve to discovering what he was absolutely certain was his true purpose in life – guiding other business owners to achieve outstanding results and helping them not to fall into the same traps that had led him to becoming miserable, unfulfilled and burnt out. Fast-forward to today, and through his business coaching and consulting practice, Circle Business Coaching, Steve now works with a number of hand-picked business leaders who are at the helms of businesses generating millions of pounds in revenue per annum.This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who is not afraid to tell it like it is.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with perhaps one of the most learned and well-informed entrepreneurs I’ve met and one of my favourite people to talk business with so I know you’re going to get a lot of this too, Steve Gandy. Click the play button and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

Happy New Year everybody!The Truth About Business is back with a bang and in this week’s episode you’ll discover the following three business insights;1) How transitioning from being the technician to an entrepreneur totally revolutionised our featured guest’s mindset and changed his business for the better.2) Why it’s important not to get distracted by big headline numbers and lose focus of the one that really matters – profit. 3) The two things you can never get wrong with your employees or you run the risk of losing them forever. So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of The Truth About Business...In this week’s episode, I talk business with Kevin Huffington.Kevin started out his career in the military going on to serve in the Gulf War and, amongst other roles and responsibilities, becoming an arctic combat instructor. His passion for health and fitness saw him become the champion of the popular TV fitness competition on ITV, "Bodyheat" back in the 90’s and he then followed that up with becoming an audition finalist for the "Gladiator" tv series. Working his way into the health sector, Kevin went on to launch the Central Health Network which is today a nationally recognised and award-winning healthcare provider with a team of over twenty employees and several locations providing services such as physiotherapy, occupational health services, osteopathy and podiatry across the east midlands for both the public and private sectors.As with all businesses, Kevin’s journey has not been without his fair share of challenges and major lessons learned along the way and he spills all the beans in another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who has managed to figure out the work-life balance dilemna that so many of us struggle with.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with a passionate entrepreneur and owner of Central Health Network, Kevin Huffington. Click play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s fascinating and jam-packed episode, you’ll discover the following three golden nuggets of health and business wisdom:1) The biggest mistake that most high-performers make when it comes to looking after their body and the one change to your diet that will super-charge your energy levels.2) The ONLY two reasons that people will ever make positive changes to their life and why you can’t rely on willpower alone.3) The holy grail of income that all coaches and consultants should be working towards to ensure continued success and a prosperous future. So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of The Truth About Business...!In this week’s episode, I talk business with Jim Thorp.After an early career in professional rugby which left him with four shoulder reconstructions, one neck surgery, countless back injuries, numerous shoulder dislocations and a few broken bones Jim also spent time in the armed forces where he was responsible for the safety and security of nuclear submarines and in charge of 30 other armed men at the age of just 22.A sudden change of circumstances enabled Jim to follow his own path which has led him to become on of the Midland’s leading transformational health overhaul specialists through his practice and business, JT Ethos, where he works with high performing entrepreneurs and business people to provide them with a rocket-fuelled blend of energy, clarity and pain-free living to help them achieve their most ambitious goals. To find out more Jim and some of the transformational services his team provides, you can find him at www.jtethos.com or on LinkedIn. This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur that has totally changed my own views on health and the impact it his on my own performance in business, and life in general alongside another fantastic story of becoming a business owner and all of the ups and downs that come with it.You know, success leaves footprints... So, let’s take a walk with the transformational health specialist and high-performance enabler, Jim Thorp!Get ready for “The Truth About Business“…!

In this week’s episode you’ll discover these three transformational business and life insights from an inspiring and passionate entreprener:1) Why you should forget New Year’s resolutions and opt for sticky goals instead – and achieve them every time.2) Why we should set out to live each day with intention and how procrastination keeps us chained to the past.3) Why the five people you spend the most time with will either propel your forward or hold you back from ever reaching your potential.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of "The Truth About Business"...But before we do, I just wanted to give a shout out to N Cupit who was kind enough to leave an amazing five star review on iTunes recently. He or she said:"A fantastic insight into the careers of some of the most inspirational business leaders in the local area. Interviews are very well conducted and structured, I genuinely look forward to the latest podcast being released each week!""Thank you!" so much for such a great review, it genuinely does make my day and this is definitely going to be another episode that was worth the wait!So, in today’s interview I talk business with Kul Mahay.After a distinguished 32-year career in the UK police and climbing the ranks to be one of the most senior Asian officers in the force, Kul left it all behind to start out on his own and pursue what he believed to be his true calling.Fast forward four years to today and Kul is now an international professional speaker and leadership coach working in both private and public sector organisations, he's a mentor, a sought after life coach, a published author and also holds an transformational annual event in Derby called "Ignite Your Inner Potential" which is set to attract an audience of over 450 people this coming January 2020.In this jam-packed interview, Kul and I cover a LOT of ground with Kul sharing many amazing and massively impactful strategies and concepts to help you grow your business, live a better life and access that untapped potential that we all have hidden within us.To find out more about Kul, his events and the services he provides, visit his website online at www.kulmahay.com or find him on LinkedIn. This was another brilliant interview with a truly inspirational entrepreneur that given the fast approach of 2020, could not have been better timed to help you set up for making it your best year yet.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the empowering and engaging, international leadership and executive coach, Kul Mahay! Click play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s episode you’ll discover these three business insights1) Why there’s no good time to start a business and age is just a number.2) How persevering when the whole world seems against you can be the best thing you ever do.3) The power of visualisation and the impact it’s made on today’s guest.So, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business! In the following interview, I talk business with Francesca Tricarico .After realising that it’s never too late to start, Fran went back to college and graduated as a qualified accounting technician at the age of 29 after working several jobs and having two children.Whilst working at a successful accountancy firm, Fran could no longer contain her passion for helping others and her desire to do things differently and so she left the comfort of a regular paycheque to start her own accountancy firm along with her business partner to form Future Cloud Accounting.Since launching the business back in April 2019, Future Cloud is going from strength to strength, now looking for their fifth member of the team to join their adventure and having just recently moved into their new headquarters.Many of you might already know of Fran from her increasingly popular #thejourneyisreal videos on LinkedIn where she has been sharing her own journey from day one through a daily, warts and all, series of vlogs.To find out more about Fran and the Future Cloud Journey, connect with her on LinkedIn. This was another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who is here to show us all that if you really want something bad enough, there is nothing that can stop you.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with the passionate and enthusiastic accountancy trailblazer, Francesca Tricarico…

The hardest part about this week’s episode was picking just three highlights because today’s guest really delivered the goods with a value packed interview. So here goes…1) Why if you have to ask yourself if you want to start a business, it’s not right for you.2) Where the truly great business ideas come from and why many businesses fail3) How to really engage your audience and generate more sales by delivering the right message, at the right time, on the right platformSo, stay tuned for all of that and so much more on this week’s episode of The Truth About Business!In the following interview, I talk business with Damon Bullimore.Damon’s career started when he was taken on by the Royal Mail as a junior programmer whilst studying for his sandwich degree at Nottingham University. At just 22 years of age, he was responsible for the Royal Mail’s first transactional website which facilitated over 1.2 billion pounds worth of income per year.After Royal Mail was bought out, he got involved with crowd flow for football clubs and with his partner sat in a back bedroom and developed ScanGate, a software that was installed at many of the lower league football teams for monitoring crowds.Following that Damon sold out an international software business, in the midst of commuting weekly between the UK and South Africa and shortly after became Managing Director of Ashley Adams, a well known Derbyshire Estate Agency firm. Now, Damon is a founder and the CEO of Briefyourmarket.com, a fast-growing, multi-channel marketing platform that is backed by the likes of Derby County Football Club owner, Mel Morris and was at one point Deloittes 4th fastest growing technology company in the UK. To find out more about Damon and the team at Briefyourmarket, visit www.briefyourmarket.com or find Damon on LinkedIn under "Damon Bullimore".In this jam-packed episode, Damon and I cover his own success journey, the lessons he’s learned along the way and some refreshingly honest business home truths. It turned out to be another brilliant interview with an inspirational entrepreneur who doesn’t believe in “It can’t be done”.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with an extremely accomplished businessman and serial entrepreneur, Damon Bullimore. Get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s episode you’ll discover a great business story and some fantastic insights including…1) How a clever twitter software hack helped this week’s guest to build a business whilst at Uni full-time.2) Why knowing yourself and how to handle that is crucial to being successful in business3) Some vital hiring lessons learned after trying to scale a business too quickly.So, stay tuned for all of that and much, much more on this week’s episode of the truth about business...In this weeks’ episode, I talk business with Rob Twells.Rob is the co-owner of Frogspark, which is a highly regarded and successful web development and digital marketing agency based in Derby.Rob started the business with his best friend when they were still full-time at University and after many sleepless nights and some clever software creation, they managed to build a sustainable business that they were ready to attack head-on once both had finished at Uni.Five years later and they now have a team of 12, have built a very impressive portfolio of clients and have just celebrated six consecutive years of financial growth, posting a 118% profit growth over the last 12 months alone – without ever having to borrow a penny – and Rob is still only in his mid-twenties. To find out more about Rob and the team, visit www.frogspark.co.uk, www.blogspark.co.uk or find Rob on LinkedInThis was another brilliant interview with a truly inspirational young entrepreneur who has a business mindset and outlook on life that far outweighs his years and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.You know, success leaves footprints...So, let’s take a walk with an ambitious and driven entrepreneur and co-owner of Frogspark, Rob Twells. Click the play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s episode, which is one of my personal favourites so far, you’ll discover…1. How to find your North Star and why every business should have one2. Susan’s golden triangle of the three tick boxes you must have checked before launching on your own3. The two types of leader that every business needsSo listen below for all of that and much, much more on this week’s episode of "The Truth About Business"....In this week's jam-packed episode, I talk business with Susan Hallam MBE.Susan is the founder and CEO at Hallam, which is a digital marketing agency based in Nottingham City Centre.Having started the business almost twenty years ago, Susan and the team at Hallam are a major force to be reckoned with in the digital marketing world, winning many prestigious awards over the years including just recently being named as Google’s top digital agency in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.As well as being a top influencer and leader in the internet world and frequent key-note speaker, Susan is a Freeman of the city of London and was also awarded an MBE in the 2018 Queen’s New Years Honours for her services to entrepreneurship and innovation. To find out more about Susan and the services of Hallam, visit www.hallaminternet.com or find Susan on LinkedIn.When Susan first agreed to feature as a guest on the show, I knew I was in for an amazing interview and Susan did not disappoint. We manage to condense 20 years of business wisdom and experience into this episode and after hearing Susan speak so passionately about business, it’s no wonder that Hallam are not only incredibly successful but have also stood the test of time with almost 20 years in business under there belt and are still going stronger than ever.You know, success leaves footprint..So let’s take a walk with a truly inspirational entrepreneur and internationally recognised digital marketing expert, Susan Hallam MBE.Click the play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

In this week’s episode you’ll discover…1. How to build an engaged team and some insider tactics for getting some serious core values buy-in2. Why fear of missing out at the launch of a business can hinder progression by chasing too many avenues, instead of really picking a lane and focusing on the few, not the many – which sounds counter intuitive.3. Why we can never take a job for granted. Even if we’ve been with a huge corporate multiple billion dollar business for over two and a half decades.So listen below for all of that and much, much more on this week’s episode of "The Truth About Business"....In this episode I talk business with Andrew Deighton.Andrew is the owner of AWD Development Solutions which specialises in improving focus, productivity, and capability by helping to build exceptional teams and develop exceptional team members and leaders.After an accomplished and impressive 26 year career at Rolls Royce which included a four year stint in Singapore and delivering an HR service to over 2,000 people across 34 global locations, Andrew’s position was unexpectedly made redundant and he was faced with two choices.Either take up another position within the company, or use his expertise, skillsets and passion to set up in business for himself.He chose the latter and not only went on to build a successful business, but has also become a published author in the process and in this brilliant interview, we get into it all.To find out more about Andrew and his services, all of Andrew's contact details can be found in the "Connect With Andrew" section below. You know, success leaves footprints..So let’s take a walk with a published author and team building expert, Andrew Deighton.Click the play and get ready for “The Truth About Business“…

Welcome to the truth about business where it’s my mission to seek out real life business champions and explore and share their journey’s, experiences and lessons to serve as inspiration, motivation and help other like-minded business people and entrepreneurs like us to fast track our own success...In this week’s episode I talk business with Jonny McPheeJonny is the founder of Invictus communications who provide telecoms services to many of Derby’s best-known businesses.After spending his early career honing his telesales skills, Jonny launched Marketing Mole, a specialist appointment booking business which grew to a team of over 22 people, which he eventually sold at the age of 26. After returning back to employment, Jonny took stock of the lessons from his previous entrepreneurial adventure and made a conscious effort to build a business that suited his own skills, his lifestyle and one that he can wake up and be passionate about every single day. Amongst many other things in this episode, you’ll discover these three golden nuggets:1) Some of Jonny’s closely held secrets for getting past the “gatekeepers” on the phones2) How he won clients and built his business in a fiercely competitive market3) Why Jonny believes that we should all buy, sell and support localAnd there is SO much more!To find out more about Ed and the team, visit http://www.invictuscomms.com or find him on LinkedIn under "Jonny McPhee".This was another brilliant interview with yet another inspirational business champion that I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you do too.You know, success leaves footprints…So, let’s take a walk with telesales veteran and well-known telecoms entrepreneur, Jonny McPhee. Get ready for "The Truth About Business"!...

Welcome to "The Truth About Business", where it’s my mission to seek out real-life business champions to explore and share their challenges, setbacks, failures and triumphs to serve as inspiration, motivation and help other like-minded business people and entrepreneurs like us to fast track our own success...This episode is a summary of the seven key “truths” that I’ve collected from spending countless hours over the last ten weeks talking with and listening to inspirational business champions.These brilliant entrepreneurs all started from scratch and, against the massive odds that are stacked against them, have gone on to build fantastic businesses of all shapes and sizes. For those of you who are thinking of starting out in business, I hope that this serves as useful information that may better prepare you for what’s to come.And for those already in business, I would like to think that there are some useful reminders of important fundamentals that we could all do with a refresher on every now and again.I’d like to take a moment to say a huge “Thank you” to all of the guests who have featured on the show so far. It's been a truly humbling experience and I will be forever grateful that you have all taken time out to talk business with me and share your experiences so honestly!So, without further ado, let’s get in to my seven business truths that I’ve discovered from my interviews with nine inspirational entrepreneurs – and I’ve saved what I feel is the most crucial, until last!Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

This is the truth about business where it’s my mission to seek out real life business champions and explore and share their challenges, setbacks, failures and triumphs to serve as inspiration, motivation and help other like-minded business people and entrepreneurs like us to fast track our own success.In this week’s episode I talk business with Ed HollandsEd is the founder of the truck advertising specialist firm Driven Media who help to get their advertisers in front of over 55,000 people per day in an innovative and eye-catching way.Having just been named as the creative industries entrepreneur of the year for the Midlands region, Ed also belongs to the exclusive club of entrepreneurs who not only makes it on to Dragons Den, but also walked away with a deal and an incredibly experienced Investor as part of his team. After Ed had received a number of compliments about his entrepreneurial ambitions from all of the dragons, it was Northern Girl, Jenny Campbell, who decided to back Ed and invested £30,000 for 20% of his company.The video of the pitch on the Dragons Den channel has recently been republished on Youtube and already has almost 640,000 views.Amongst many other things, in this episode, you’ll discover1) Some of the misconceptions about being on the Dragons Den2) Ed’s top three tips for pitching to investors 3) The difficulties of being a young entrepreneurAnd there is so much more.To find out more about Ed and the team, visit www.drivenmedia.co.uk or find him on LinkedIn under "Edward Hollands".This was another brilliant interview with yet another inspirational business champion that I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you do too.You know, success leaves footprints…So, let’s take a walk advertising trail blazer and famed dragon tamer, Ed Hollands.Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

This is the truth about business where it’s my mission to seek out real life business champions and explore and share their challenges, setbacks, failures and triumphs to serve as inspiration, motivation and help other like-minded business people and entrepreneurs like us to fast track our own success.In this week’s episode I talk business with Owen Conti.Owen is the Derby entrepreneur and businessman behind IT services provider Code 56. Owen’s ethos is that IT is not just about technical equipment, like much of business, it’s about solving problems and he believes big things can happen when business owners start to realise that technology should be viewed as a force multiplier, rather than a necessary evil.As well as being awarded the Marketing Derby rising star for 2018, Code 56 is also a UK Small Biz 100 in this year’s nationwide celebration of small businesses.Amongst many other things, in this episode, you’ll discover1) Why growing as quickly as possible is not always the best option for new businesses2) The common mistake that businesses of all sizes make when it comes to their IT3) Why it’s important to strive for your definition of success, rather than everybody else’sAnd there is so much more.To find Owen and the team, ou can check out all the links to her social media accounts and contact details in the show notes at www.benjaminbrain.co.uk/owen-contiThis was another brilliant interview with yet another inspirational business champion that I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you do too.You know, success leaves footprints…So, let’s take a walk with IT whizz and incredibly astute businessman, Owen Conti.Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

Welcome to the truth about business where it’s my mission to seek out real life business champions and explore and share their challenges, setbacks, failures and triumphs to serve as inspiration, motivation and help other like minded business people and entrepreneurs like us to fast track our own success...In this week’s episode we talk to Chloe Maudsley.Once a high-performance athlete herself competing at a world level in Karate, Chloe now heads up the operations at the Derbyshire Institute of Sport which hunts down the best amateur sporting talent in the county and pushes them through to the very top of their sport – competing in world level competitions, the Olympics and beyond.Being the only business of its kind in the UK, the D.I.S relies on sponsorships from businesses to support their roster of 30 elite athletes and with big plans to take their model nationwide, this conversation is a fascinating look at the parallels between the high-performance sporting world, and business.Amongst many other things in this episode, you’ll discover;1) The beliefs and attitudes that separate truly high-performance individuals from the rest of us.2) If being a high-performer is something you are just born with or whether you can develop it later on in life.3) How the team approaches telling athletes who have dedicated their life to their sport that they’re no longer good enough to be on the programme.And much, much more.To find out more about Chloe and the team, you can check out all the links to her social media accounts and contact details in the show notes at www.benjaminbrain.co.uk/chloe-maudsleyThis was another brilliant business interview with an inspirational business champion that I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you do to.You know, success leaves footprints…So let’s take a walk with former elite athlete and head of operations at the Derbyshire Institute of Sport, Chloe Maudsley.Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

Welcome to the truth about business where it’s my mission to seek out real life business champions and explore and share their challenges, setbacks, failures and triumphs to serve as inspiration, motivation and help other like minded business people and entrepreneurs like us to fast track our own success...In this episode, we talk to Tina Clough.As well as being a fantastic, award-winning entrepreneur and passionate businesswoman, Tina is the founder and owner of the well known and highly regarded PR Agency, Poppy PR.After quitting her job in the midst of the recession and starting with nothing, almost a decade later Tina and her poppies are thriving, despite not receiving the support initially of family and friends around her.This is a brilliant story of determination, a huge will to prove others wrong and a shining example of what can happen when you believe in yourself and are prepared to put in the work.Amongst many other things in this episode you’ll learn:1) The biggest mistakes businesses make when it comes to PR and how to give your own a healthy boost. 2) The advantages of starting a new business in the middle of a recession3) How Tina got her mojo back after the difficult birth of her daughter and the misconceptions people have about women in business once they’ve given birth And there is so much more...This was another brutally honest and candid interview with an inspirational business champion which I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope you do too.To find out more about Tina, you can check out all the links to her social media accounts and contact details in the show notes at www.benjaminbrain.co.uk/tina-clough.You know, success leaves footprints…So let’s talk a walk with a great entrepreneur and PR Guru, Tina Clough.Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

In this episode, we talk business with Tamsin Wheatcroft of Tamsin Wheatcroft Property & Financial Services Recruitment. As the owner of a dynamic and fast-paced recruitment business, Tamsin helps owners of some of the top independent estate agency and financial businesses in the region to hire the very best people and save huge amounts of time in doing so. This isn’t Tamsin's first business. Since the age of 21, Tamsin has been a serial entrepreneur and has defied the odds to build three successful businesses. She’s clearly doing something right and that’s all revealed in this brilliant interview with another great entrepreneur and real-life business champion who is out there making it happen right now.Amongst many other business gems dropped in this conversation, you’ll learn three things including:1) The key attributes that are required to start and maintain a successful business2) How to make better decisions when it comes to recruiting3) How Tamsin stands out and wins in an extremely competitive industryAnd there’s much more too!You know, success leave footprints..So let’s take a walk with seasoned businesswoman and recruitment extraordinaire, Tamsin Wheatcroft.Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

In this episode, I talk with Estelle Read, sole owner of “beee”, a fantastic, results-driven business that she runs from the comfort of her own home in Lount, Derbyshire.As a seasoned and highly knowledgeable Executive coach and trainer who works with businesses of all shapes and sizes and the executives within them, Estelle’s mission is to bring out your brilliance, something that she believes is within every single one of us.This was a truly fascinating interview and for anybody out there who feels that they have so much more to give but just can’t seem to unlock their full potential, this is most definitely one for you.Amongst many other business gems included in the interview, my own top three takeaways include:Estelle’s journey to becoming her own bossWhy it pays to listen to feedback, but always stay true to yourselfAnd some of the incredible technologies, as Estelle puts it, that are at your disposal to help you free yourself from the mental shackles that are holding you back and become unstoppableTo find out more about Estelle, you can check out all the links to her social media accounts and contact details in the show notes at www.benjaminbrain.co.uk/estelle-read.And there’s a whole lot more, Estelle really delivered in the hour we spent together so get yourself ready with a notepad and pen handy because you’re going to need it.You know success leaves footprints…So let’s take a walk with Executive Coach & Trainer and literal “magician of the mind”, Estelle Read.Get ready for "The Truth About Business"...

Espisode four's guest is Sarah Moore, founder and co-Director of the Derby based business, Juggling Octopus.Sarah and her team provide tailored, remote support to businesses - taking care of the projects, tasks and work business owners don’t know how to do, don’t have the time to do or simply don’t want to do. Having spent a number of years in in the fast paced and high-pressure world of corporate London, Sarah decided that it was time to take control of her own destiny and launched her business from scratch in Jan 2018.20 months on and the business is going from strength to strength, providing a number of tailor made and high-quality solutions which are enabling businesses from all over the UK to focus on what matters and reach their full potential.This was another great, wide ranging conversation where we covered how Sarah managed to get the business off the ground, top tips for hiring remote workers, some of the many lessons she has learned along the way and much more.You know, success leaves footprints. So let’s take a walk with Derby entrepreneur, Co-Director and founder of Juggling Octopus – Sarah Moore...

From starting Essential Print Services over eight years ago, Yvonne has gone on to not just build a well-known, highly regarded and successful local business as a solo-entrepreneur, but also notch up an incredible number of outstanding achievements and accolades along the way…Not just a devoted and passionate business owner, Yvonne is a UK Small Business Champion who has been invited to Downing Street twice in recognition of her entrepreneurship. She’s a non-executive board member of Marketing Derby, regularly features in the Derby Telegraph Inspirational 250, has been featured in Forbes Magazine, is the founder of the Derby Hub and has made the shortlist in the 2019 Great British Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards (winner yet to be announced) – and that’s just to name a few!In this candid and refreshingly open interview, Yvonne shares the truth about what it’s really like to start and run your own business in a jam-packed interview that covers a lot of ground – from her experience of being thrown into the role of a business owner and dealing with the challenges that come with it, to making business fun and knowing which opportunities are worthy of your time.I thoroughly enjoyed this deep and wide-ranging conversation with a truly inspirational and entrepreneurial business woman and I know that you’ll feel the same way too.So, sit back, relax, click play and get ready for The Truth About Business...