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Did you know that there is a whole industry around the concept of helping deserving people and organizations to receive recognition through winning awards? In this episode we meet and get to know one of the foremost experts in this industry, Donna O'Toole. Donna grew up in the South of England in a real castle. At the age of 16 her family conditions changed, and she had to go to a home with four other girls who also lost their family arrangements. Donna had to go to work although she had wanted to go to university. Eventually she did get to earn her degree.   Donna studied linguistics and found ways to use her growing knowledge of the field. Eventually she discovered the value of recognition and how helping people and companies gain recognition made them better for the experience. She began working to help people and companies earn awards. She will tell us about this fascinating subject and why earning awards is important. She gives us statistics about how after working to win awards and the subsequent recognition sales and overall exposure usually grows.     About the Guest:   Donna O'Toole is an award-winning entrepreneur, international awards judge, and bestselling author of WIN! – the ultimate guide to winning awards. She's also the founder of August Recognition, a global leader in awards strategy and part of the Dent Global group, helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs stand out, scale up, and make a meaningful impact.   Named one of the Top 25 Customer Experience Influencers in the world, Donna has transformed the visibility and credibility of hundreds of businesses - from start-ups to FTSE 100 giants - by helping them win the recognition they deserve. Her clients span global brands, high-growth entrepreneurs, and inspirational leaders across every industry.   Donna is renowned for her outstanding success rate in the most prestigious awards in the world, including The King's Awards for Enterprise. She's passionate about the true value of awards - not just the trophy, but the trust, authority, and growth they generate.   Now, Donna is taking her mission even further. Together with her business partner and Dent Global co-founder Daniel Priestley, she's launching a pioneering new AI venture that's transforming the awards industry - making it safer, simpler, and smarter than ever for people to find, enter, and achieve the awards and recognition that matters.   Ways to connect with Donna:   https://www.augustawards.com/ - to get a free copy of my book: Win! and to get a Free awards list LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnaotoole/ Instagram: @donnaot     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:17 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. I am your host, Michael Hingson, and I think we'll have some fun today. We get to talk to Donna O'Toole, who is over in England, and she has a very interesting story to tell and a profession that she works at regarding awards. We'll get to all that in a bit. I don't want to give it all away, because it's more fun to listen to Donna tell it than it is to listen to me tell it. No one has ever said that I'm boring, but nevertheless, I always think that the people who come on the podcast are much more fun and interesting than I so I can't I can't argue with that, and of course, that's my job to make sure that happens. But anyway, here we are once again with unstoppable mindset. And Donna, I want to welcome you and thank you for being here.   Donna O'Toole ** 02:09 Thank you. It's great to be here with you. Michael, thank you.   Michael Hingson ** 02:13 And it's what about 930 in the evening? Or no, it's up 737   **Donna O'Toole ** 02:17 Well, it's   Michael Hingson ** 02:19 after dinner. Yeah. Well, thank you for being here. And we're, we're really glad to have the opportunity to do this. And so I'd like to start, it's so fun to always start this way. Tell us sort of about the early Donna growing up and all that. Ah, okay.   Donna O'Toole ** 02:35 Um, okay. So, well, I don't tell very many people this actually so secret. One for you, Michael, I actually grew up in a castle, which makes me sound like I lived in a fairy tale, but I didn't. It was definitely not a fairy tale, and I'm not a princess, so I'm sorry to disappoint anybody.   Michael Hingson ** 02:54 Well, what was it like growing up at a castle?   Donna O'Toole ** 02:59 It was, you know what? It's one of those things that when you're an adult, and you look back, you realize how amazing you were, it was, and how lucky you were. But when you're a child, it's just all, you know, isn't it? So, yeah, we were very lucky. I grew up in a town called Arundel, which is in the south of the UK. It's a very historic town, and the reason that I lived there was because my stepdad was the head groundsman at the castle, so he looked after all of the grounds for the Duke of Norfolk. And yeah, it was a it was a wonderful place to live. We used to be naughty and run around and go hiding in nooks and crannies that we shouldn't be. However, I was permanently petrified that there was ghosts and bats and all sorts of things like that.   Michael Hingson ** 03:48 So were there ghosts?   Donna O'Toole ** 03:49 Yes, definitely, certainly, they were making noises like ghosts, and we couldn't identify what they were. So, yeah, there's a few stories around that castle. Actually around I think there's a ghost of a lady in one in the library, and there is a ghost of a Labrador, actually, that people talk about seeing there as well. So I'm sure they were friendly.   Michael Hingson ** 04:14 Did you ever see any ghosts?   Donna O'Toole ** 04:16 I think I convinced myself that I did. On many occasion, my bedroom window looked out over Arundel Cathedral, which is was lit up at night, which looks very spooky. I used to be terrified to look out of the window at night, in case I saw something I didn't want to see.   Michael Hingson ** 04:36 So was the castle drafty and cold in the winter?   Donna O'Toole ** 04:40 Yes, definitely very stone and cold. And we had a ray burn. It's called, it's like an auger type thing where you just, you sort of heat up the kitchen by heating up this oven thing. Yeah, I remember putting wood in it. I remember that,   Michael Hingson ** 04:56 wow. Well, that was kind of fun. So how long did you. Live in the castle.   Donna O'Toole ** 05:00 So I lived in the castle until I was 16, and then her life took a bit of an unexpected turn at that point, and we had a difficult family breakdown that resulted in myself being actually taken into care for a while, so I didn't get to I did. I did finish school and finished my GCSEs exams as they were, but it did mean that I didn't get to continue on my education at that point, as I needed to earn some money and learn how to look after myself. So at 16, I was living in a home with four other girls who were in similar situations to me, which is girls who's through no fault of their own, their families couldn't look after them anymore. And we learned to, you know, live and survive and get through life together. And it was a great adventure. There was ups and downs, for sure, but actually at that point, I needed to get some work, and I also wanted to continue studying, so I ended up becoming an apprentice dental nurse, and that is where I started. And I never expected to go there. Wow.   Michael Hingson ** 06:24 I guess, I guess it is an adventure, though. Yeah,   Donna O'Toole ** 06:27 Life is an adventure, and you've got to be ready for whatever it throws at you. That's what I say. And   Michael Hingson ** 06:31 I think that's a good way to put it. I think that life's an adventure, and I think that we can choose how to look at life no matter what happens, and either we can think things are positive and grow with whatever occurs or not. Yeah, 100% 100% and   Donna O'Toole ** 06:46 actually, if it wasn't for that part of my life, I don't think I would be here today, doing what I'm doing now. So it's, it's incredible how you can't predict where life's going to take you, but you do go on a journey. So I actually became a dental nurse. And then I got bit bored of that, and my brain was always active, trying to think of something new to do. And I spotted a gap in the market for at the time dentists had there was just this legislation that changed that meant that dentists always had to have a nurse or a chaperone in the surgery with them, whereas before they hadn't had to have that. And so what was happening was you had all these small dental practices whereby the the dentist couldn't work if their nurse was on holiday or off sick or on maternity leave or something. So I spotted this gap in the market to be to start a dental nurse agency to fill those gaps, if you pardon the pun, and and to actually go all over Sussex and support the practices that needed help. So that was at the age of 19, I started my first business, and yeah, it was a great   Michael Hingson ** 08:00 success. I was just going to ask how successful it was.   Donna O'Toole ** 08:03 Yeah, it was great, and I really enjoyed it. And I got to know so many people. I trained nurses, which I really enjoyed as well. So I developed myself whilst I was developing them, which was great and and then after that, I I stopped that business and handed it over to some good friends who were brilliant nurses to have my children and to take a little break while I have my two daughters.   Michael Hingson ** 08:27 Now, did you ever get to university or college?   Donna O'Toole ** 08:31 Yeah, so then had my girls, and still I've got a very busy brain that needs a lot of occupying. So I thought, right, what can I do now? I've got two children under the age of four or five. I know I must need something else to do, so I decided to go back, finally, to university, and I studied linguistics, so English language linguistics at the University of Sussex in in the UK. And interestingly, it's incredible, because during that part of my life, I absolutely loved every part of it. I was really passionate about English, and as a child, I'd wanted to be an English teacher, but because my life had gone on a different path, it wasn't something that I'd been able to do. But actually, during that time, I studied large language models and computer mediated communication. And it just absolutely blows my mind that through making that decision and then further decisions later down the road, I'm actually now launching a company that is AI based that is containing large language models. So it's really, like, amazing how you can connect the dots in your in your journey.   Michael Hingson ** 09:45 And of course, you're calling it Donna GPT, right? I had to. I   Donna O'Toole ** 09:51 love it. I'm Michael. I am definitely calling it that now.   Michael Hingson ** 09:56 Well, that's, that is cool though.   Donna O'Toole ** 09:58 Yeah. So when I. Actually completed my degree. I came out of that and thought, right, well, I need to do some work now. And I started writing for businesses. I'm quite a business writer. I'm a real aura of people who can write fiction. I think that's incredible, yeah, but I'm definitely on the factual side. So I started business writing. Then I started, just by coincidence, started writing award entries for some businesses. I then started working with another awards agency, and I really saw, then the power of how awards and recognition helped people to reach their potential in business and in life, and so that then took me on my next journey.   Michael Hingson ** 10:47 Well, awards are, are interesting. And of course, we hear about awards for all sorts of things, but tell me more about the power of awards and where they where they can fit into society.   Donna O'Toole ** 11:00 Yeah. So, so we work from I work with business awards, so generally speaking, so even back then, it was sort of working with entrepreneurs, or entrepreneurial businesses, or even big brands, whereby they wanted to recognize their achievement and they wanted to raise their profile, so they needed to raise brand awareness, perhaps around what they do, their services, their products, and what's always quite I find quite interesting about awards is people who've never been involved in awards tend to come into them with quite skepticism, which is understandable. It's not a regulated industry, so you do have to be a bit skeptical and do due diligence around what awards you're entering. But they come into them with skepticism about themselves and actually whether they have what it takes to win. And very often, what I found was they did have what it takes to win, they just didn't have know how to communicate it in a way that others could understand that they had what it took to win. So my job, as I see it, is to really support them, to communicate their story, their data, their evidence, everything that they're doing, and turn that into a proposition that demonstrates why they would be exceptional at what they do, or their team is exceptional, their brand is exceptional, so that They can stand out in awards.   Michael Hingson ** 12:21 So it's almost like you're helping to train potential award recipients to respect what the awards are and what they do. Yeah,   Donna O'Toole ** 12:31 it is always understanding what they're looking for, what the criteria is, and how they can stand out against it. But also, you know, most people who are involved in a business, whether you're running a business or whether you're a part of a team or you're a manager, we don't have the time to stop and look back and think, wow, what have we done over the last year? What have we achieved? What you know, what's really standing out about us? We just don't give ourselves that time. So recognition and awards is a really good opportunity to stop and look back and celebrate together the development journey that you've been on in your business and and motivate your team and the people around you to do even more because you're recognizing it   Michael Hingson ** 13:13 well. So how did you actually get involved in doing awards in the first place? What that's a pretty unique sort of thing to take on.   Donna O'Toole ** 13:23 Yeah. So it was kind of a journey from starting out in business writing and then moving through into doing a few award entries, and then that became more and more, and then I worked for another organization. And then in 2016 I decided the time was right to launch my own company and to start supporting more people with awards. I was, had already been involved with the industry, so I was very well supported by some great awards in the industry. And so yeah, I I started my new business, and that was called August recognition. And because I'm a linguist, I like words that have extra meanings. And August actually means in its second sense of the word, when you're not using it as the month actually means respected and admired. So in my mind, I had started an agency that enabled people to be respected and admired for what they did, and help them raise their profile that way. So   Michael Hingson ** 14:24 you don't really hear a lot about the industry of helping people get awards, but I gather it's probably a fairly substantial industry around the world.   Donna O'Toole ** 14:35 Yeah, it's 10 billion pound industry in the awards industry in itself. It's 2 billion just in the UK. So yeah, it's a big, big industry. There's so many events connected to awards. There's so many different processes. So yeah, and there's, if you imagine, every different industry there is in the world there's awards for it. I dare you to find an industry where there's not an award. Yeah. Even,   Michael Hingson ** 15:02 I'm sorry, even, even AI. And that's pretty even AI, yeah, yeah. And so when AI starts generating its own awards, then we can probably worry a little bit,   Donna O'Toole ** 15:13 yeah, we're eating ourselves, yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 15:17 But still, it's, it's a fascinating, well, topic and industry to talk about, because I'm sure there's a lot to it. Of course, like with anything, there's also a lot of politics and all that sort of stuff, but, but it must be a fascinating industry to to be a part of and to see when you help somebody get an award. How does all that work? Yeah, so   Donna O'Toole ** 15:42 usually, well, we work with businesses from the smallest business in the world right through to the biggest business in the world, literally. And what I really love about the whole process is you, you as a small business, you can use the same strategies, you can enter the same awards as the biggest businesses can and you can win. So what I really love is that you you don't have to be a certain size, you don't have to be a certain type of business. You just need to be having an impact in some way on something, and then be able to tell It and Prove It, essentially.   Michael Hingson ** 16:19 So how do you as a person in the industry make your money or earn your money as part of all of this? So   Donna O'Toole ** 16:26 we work with clients who are looking for recognition. So for example, a brand may come to us and say, you know, over the last couple of years, we've done some great learning and development projects. We've trained our teams, we've digitized our processes, we've done all of these great things. We'd love to recognize the people that have worked so hard and really, you know, give them the recognition that they deserve. So we will then look at their project, look at their business. You know, what kind of impact has that had on it might be internally. It might be that it's had a great impact for their customers. It might be it's had a great impact for the impact. For the employees. And then we'll look at all of the data around that, and we will create, we will research which are going to be the best awards to recognize them, which criteria they match, which categories they match, and then essentially, we'll support them to execute all of the work that needs to go together to go into the awards process. Someone's once said to me, did you ever think you'd be running a business where you're basically writing exams every single day? Yeah, it's a bit like that. Fortunately, I don't do the writing anymore so, but yeah, I kind of love it.   Michael Hingson ** 17:36 Yeah. Well, it seems like it would be sort of your your writing exams every day, or you're involved in helping to prepare people for the exams.   Donna O'Toole ** 17:45 Yeah, it's very analytical from looking at what's been achieved, but then it's all about communication and how you're going to deliver that to the awards process. And it's all about finding the right awards that are going to give them the right recognition, that's going to really have a return on investment for the motivation of the team, for the brand awareness, whatever it is that their goals are, that they're hoping to get to.   Michael Hingson ** 18:06 Well, so awards in general, it seems to me, create a lot of recognition. And you say that recognition has the power to make people unstoppable? Tell me a little bit more about them. What that means to you? Yeah,   Donna O'Toole ** 18:24 absolutely. Um, something I call awards imposter syndrome, which is where, you know, often, and this typically is with entrepreneurs and smaller businesses. They they'll come to us and say, you know, I'd really love to get some recognition of my brand, but I really, I think we we're doing enough, or don't know if we're worth it or we could really stand out. And actually, you know, what we want to do is make them unstoppable. We we want them to see where all the power is in what they're doing and how they can make a difference in the world. So we will go and discover all of that about their business, and then help them to communicate it in a way that even now they can see what they're doing is brilliant. And then through that recognition, there's a lot of research to show the amount of motivation that awards bring to people, even more so than even a pay rise, you know. So through that recognition, it makes them feel more able. I always say to people you know, don't think about business awards right now. Think about the awards that you won when you were a child. Think about when you were at school and you entered awards in the swimming competitions or dancing competitions. Someone want someone told me today they won a competition for the best recorder player. I said I thought, I thought we had to ban recorders. But you know, when you got that recognition as a child, we didn't think, Oh, my goodness, I'm you know, do I really deserve it? I'm so shy. Let's not tell anyone about this recognition. We loved it, and it enabled us to go on and do more. So we want to do okay, we won that swimming competition. Let's do another swimming competition. Let's really learn our craft and do more and more of what we do better and better. Her and I liked people to try and think of that feeling that they had then and bring that into now with their business. You know, don't be humble about what you're doing, because the more that you can shout about your success, the more that you can help other people to achieve success through what you're doing, and the more you've got a platform to shine a spotlight on something that you believe in and that you want to make a difference in the world about. So, you know it, I call that, I say to people, you know, if you're feeling like a bit of an imposter about awards, one of the best things you can do is to create what we call a who wins when you win campaign. And what that is, is sort of putting a stake in the ground and making a pledge to say, when we win this award, we are going to go and do this great thing, and it might be we're going to go and do a team beach clean together. We're going to mentor some people. We're going to celebrate as a team and go out for the day, or we're going to plant some trees. You know, it could be anything that means something to you, but it's a really good opportunity to seal that recognition with something that reminds you that you are worth it and really helps you get over that imposter syndrome and celebrate your achievement.   Michael Hingson ** 21:14 I assume you also run into the other side of that, which are the people who just think by definition, because they are, whoever they are, they must deserve awards, whether, yeah, must be a lot of that. Yes. So   Donna O'Toole ** 21:27 a while back, because I'm a linguist, I interrogate language all the time. I can't help it. And I would look at, I judge a lot of award entries all from around the world. Judge the leading competitions in many countries. And I would look at these award entries, and I could tell what the person was thinking when they're writing the entry, as they're coming as you're reading it. And I developed these 10 personas of different types of people that enter awards. And so we've got everything from the imposter to the ostrich who wants to hide their head in the sand to the bridesmaid who's always the always, never quite makes it to the podium. And one of those actually is the peacock. And the peacock is the one who thinks they're going to win everything, and does come across like that, but isn't great about taking the feedback when they don't win.   Michael Hingson ** 22:20 Yeah, that's really the issue, isn't it? Right? It's they don't take the feedback, and they don't change what they do and why they do it and how they do it, to be a little bit more humble in what they're all about.   Donna O'Toole ** 22:33 Absolutely, absolutely. We've also got an awards persona called the politician, and that's somebody who doesn't answer any of the questions, and all their numbers don't add up.   Michael Hingson ** 22:46 Now, I wonder what my cat would think about awards. I wonder dogs are humble, but I don't know that cats are necessarily,   Donna O'Toole ** 22:56 yeah, they've definitely got a bit more persona going on, haven't they? I don't   Michael Hingson ** 23:01 know if they necessarily would be interested in awards, because they tend not to want to stand up in front of public and do stuff. That's   Donna O'Toole ** 23:07 true, that's true. Yeah, they're kind of yeah, they're their own creature, aren't they? They are, aren't they? I don't think they think they need awards, actually,   Michael Hingson ** 23:15 yeah, that's right. They don't think they need awards. They think that everybody should just recognize them for who they are,   Donna O'Toole ** 23:20 I might have to add a new persona to my league now.   Michael Hingson ** 23:26 Well, you know, there's, there's value in that, but, but still, so you've, you've helped a lot of people with awards. I wonder if you have a story that you could share where they've received recognition and it just completely changed their lives and what they did and what they do. Oh,   Donna O'Toole ** 23:49 so many, so many of those. Yeah. So, I mean, let's think of an example. So a few years ago, I was working, actually, it was interesting. I was I was introduced by on email, just to a gentleman called Andrew, who I was introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry here in the UK, who said he's got a great story. He's got a great business. He's growing fast. We think he should win some awards. We should talk to you. And so I was like, great. Let's get on a call, Andrew. And every time we booked a call, he didn't turn up to the call. And I thought, oh goodness, you know, it's like three attempts at this call and it's just not happening. And I just emailed him and said, look, it looks like you. Maybe you're not interested in winning awards, so, you know, catch up with me if you ever get the chance. And he emailed me back, actually, this is in the introduction of my books. And he emailed me back, and he said, Donna, I'm so so sorry. I'm going through a really difficult time at the moment. His wife had cancer. His son was being bullied at school, and he was really struggling, and he'd started a business that would have grown very quickly, whilst also as a side hustle, while. Also doing the job, and he was quite overwhelmed. And I said, he said, you know, and he actually said, so if I can't even turn up for a call, how could I possibly win an award? So I said, Oh, my goodness, okay, let me, let's get together, and I'll let you know whether you can win an award or not. But this is a big award we're talking about, because he'd actually been recommended to enter what was the Queen's Awards for Enterprise. It's now the king's Awards, which is the biggest and most prestigious business award in the UK, if not in the world. And I said, let's, you know, you've been recommended for this. Let's, let's at least explore it. So I went over to his house. We had a coffee, I went through everything of his business, and I said, You know what I do? Think you've got what it takes, but I don't think you're in the right mindset to be able to manage so let us help you. So he agreed, we worked on that project, and a year later, because that's how long it takes, I was absolutely delighted. He won the Queen's awards for innovation, and it was game changing for him. And what I really loved about it was, it's a couple of things. So one is because he's a techie person, and he had launched it was a software product that he'd developed. He'd put the logo for the award on his website, and he measured the impact that that was making on his website, which is really useful for me to know, because often people don't do that. And he got came back to me in a couple of months later, and he said, in three months, his sales have gone up by 30% because of the impact of winning this award. And you know, when you're running a business and you're trying to run a family and you've got other things going on that are really important, you need your sales to go up without you having to work harder, because it gives you the free time. It gives you the ability to employ people to support you. It gives you then the time back with your family when they need you most. So I was absolutely delighted for him that it had an impact on him and his business that would enable him to actually have the time that he needed with his family and help them and support them. So that was something that was game changing in my mind, for, you know, for a really personal reason. And I was delighted he was happy to share that in in my book. Yeah, so that that was a lovely one.   Michael Hingson ** 27:14 So what is kind of the common thread? Or, how do you what is it you see in someone that makes them award winning, that that genuinely makes them award winning, as opposed to the politicians and peacock   Donna O'Toole ** 27:28 Okay, so what it is is they need to be making an impact in some way. And I think people tend to be quite fixated on on measuring or looking at their customer service, but I'm looking at their customer impact. So what their customer impact is that's something customer service is transactional, right? Customer impact is transformational. So what is it that you're doing that is making a difference or making life easier in some way for your customers? Or it is could be internal as well. So it could be your employees, for example, but generally it's impact. Now, with Andrew's story, the software that he developed, it was the first software that had the biggest ability to, I mean, I'm not a techie, so I'm probably describing this in the wrong way, the ability to display charts and graphs with the biggest amount of numbers. So we think, Okay, well, why is that important? Well, these are the graphs and the charts that are going into ECG machines in hospitals. These are going into universities to do research. You know? These are going into all sorts of things, stocks and shares. They're going into Formula One racing cars. There's so many, there's so much impact coming out from having designed that software that it's having an impact on us as humanity, and that's the kind of golden thread that you want in your award, is, what is the impact that you're having, and where can you show and prove that it's making a difference to someone, somehow, somewhere?   Michael Hingson ** 28:56 And I assume there are, we've talked about it, but I assume that there are a lot of people who are award winners who never, just never thought they would be, even though they're, they're perfectly capable and, oh yeah, they're deserving, but they, they don't, they're not doing it to seek the award. They're doing it to do what they want to do.   Donna O'Toole ** 29:18 Yeah, and they need, they need the recognition to shine that you know, 90% of businesses are small businesses now, and it's a very noisy world out there when you're trying to sell your products and services, you need to be able to do something that helps you to cut through and to get into customers minds and build trust. 85 Nielsen did a study 85% of customers now want to see credible awards on your website, on your products, before they will have the trust layer there to buy from you. What's really interesting is, years ago, we had, you remember when reviews came out? So Amazon was one of the first organizations to do reviews. I actually studied. Reviews and the mechanisms and language structures in them. And we all trusted reviews at the beginning, because, oh, great, you know, someone's going to tell us what their experience was of this thing, and we love it. And then as time went on and as the decades have progressed, we then learned not trust reviews, because it was like, Oh, hang on, they might be fake reviews, or, you know, that could be a competitor, putting a bad review on a competitor. So there's lots of reasons then not to trust reviews. So then we go, oh, well, what do we trust? Then we can't just trust what the business is telling us. We need something that's external, that's third party, and that's going to enable us to trust that brand. And then what we saw then is the pandemic happened, and we all went to shopping online. We all went to living online, and we all saw businesses fall apart and lose money who we never expected to because they didn't have the digital transformation turn around quick enough, or for whatever reason, there was a lot of businesses that suffered in the pandemic, and a lot thrived, and since that then, it was almost like awards and reviews together became even more important to all of us, because we needed something to help us to trust the brands other than, you know, the strongest referral, which is a word of mouth referral. So if you haven't had a word of mouth referral and you've gone online and you found something through a search, how do you know whether you can trust putting your money into that business to buy its products or services? So this is really where we come back to recognition, to say, Well, no, this is a this brand gives excellent customer service, or this brand is a great place to work. It really looks after its employees. So there's a huge amount of reasons now why businesses do awards to demonstrate they are trustworthy in so many ways like nowadays. You know, we live in a world where employees want to work for organizations that will look after them and that will treat them well, so that employees looking for jobs will go out looking for the businesses that have got a great place to work accreditation or award because it makes them trust that they're going to be looked after. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 32:08 it's interesting. Nielsen did a study back in 2016 regarding brand brand loyalty and disabilities, and what they found was that people with disabilities are at least 35% more likely to stay with an organization and buy from an organization that has done things like really taken the Time to make their websites accessible and to make their their environment welcoming to people with disabilities, because it is so hard to oftentimes deal with companies they're they're companies that that I deal with their websites. They're just not accessible, and they don't want to change, and it's not magic to make them accessible, but they don't, and then there are other companies that do, and I agree with the Nielsen study. It makes perfect sense, because the reality is, you're going to steal with companies that that really take the time to show that they value you being there, yeah,   Donna O'Toole ** 33:17 well, it's interesting, actually, because I've been looking at this in the awards industry and accessibility, and it's something that I'm passionate about as well. And so we've just written a white paper, we've just done some research, commissioned some research, and we've just written a white paper on accessibility and awards, because we want people to be recognized, whatever, whoever, whatever they do, it shouldn't be saved for anyone who isn't, you know, doesn't have a disability or can't access their forms. You know, it should be open to absolutely everybody. So we've been looking into that now and seeing, you know, what is it that we can do to influence the industry to be more accessible and to really share recognition for all?   Michael Hingson ** 33:59 Yeah, well, and, and it's important, I think, to do that, because there have been enough statistics to show that roughly 25% of the population has some sort of a disability in the traditional sense of the word. Now, I have a different view than that. I believe that everyone on the planet has a disability, and for most people, their disability is you're light dependent. You don't do well in the dark, and if suddenly you're in a building and the power goes out or whatever, you scramble around trying to find a light source or a smartphone or a flashlight or whatever. But the reality is that all those light sources do is cover up your disability. On the other hand, I do recognize that there are people. We're in a minority by any standard, because we are, we are not the traditional, if you will, person. We do tend to be blind, or we tend to be deaf or hard of hearing, or we tend to be low vision, or we don't walk, and there are fewer of. Less than there are of the rest of you light dependent people, and so you don't recognize the disability that's there. But it's, it's important, I think, for people to recognize it. Because in reality, when people suddenly realize, Oh, I've got my own challenges, then you get to be more aware of and want to, at least a lot of times, think about ways to make the world a more inclusive place overall.   Donna O'Toole ** 35:27 I think that's such a great way of looking at it, and it really helps immediately. I couldn't see exactly what you you're saying is, yeah, 100% as soon as the lights go out, I'm completely incapable of knowing what to do next. So, yeah, you're absolutely right.   Michael Hingson ** 35:44 Yeah, it is. It is one of those things that we just don't deal with enough. But nevertheless, it's, it's there. So there, there are a lot of reasons to to deal with access, and that's why I work with a company called accessibe that has been they started smaller and narrower in scope, but they have become very robust in doing things to make the internet a more inclusive place. And so one of the things that they've learned is you can't do it all with AI, although AI can help. And so there are so many things to be done, but the reality is, there are a lot of different kinds of disabilities that really need the Internet to and website creators to pay attention to their needs, to make sure that they, in fact, do what's necessary to make the web accessible to those people. It's a challenge.   Donna O'Toole ** 36:40 It is, and we're going through that challenge at the moment, actually. So I'm just launching a new business, and it's called, it's an AI platform that's going to enable people to do exactly what we do as an agency, find, enter and win awards, but on a platform that is accessible to everybody. So it's aI enabled. But obviously, as you exactly say, that's not the end of the story. So there's a lot of work to do, and we're doing lots of research to find out what we need to do to make sure that that is accessible to everybody, because we want to enable more people to have a good chance of getting the recognition they deserve through a platform that enables them to do that, rather than perhaps miss out on really vital recognition that could help to promote what they do just because they can't access it.   Michael Hingson ** 37:31 Yeah, well, and it happens way too, way too often. Yeah. And it's not like it's magical to make the web more inclusive. It's just that a lot of people don't know how to do it. Although the information is readily available, they just don't consider it a priority.   Donna O'Toole ** 37:48 Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, we're really putting this front and center. My business partner is Daniel Priestley. He's just been on the driver CEO actually talking about the AI side of it. So together, we're really working at trying to join all the dots so that we get all the right technologies in there and ways of working. So I'll be getting you beta testing that. Michael,   Michael Hingson ** 38:14 absolutely. And if there's any way to help, I am very happy to help. Thank you. So Don't, don't hesitate to reach out. So we will. We've now said that publicly for the whole world, that's all right. So what do you say to the person who says winning an award is just not for   Donna O'Toole ** 38:33 me? I think often, you know, I was thinking about this earlier, actually, and I was thinking, you know, there's different things that we're all in favor of and all not in favor of most of the time, when I come across people who say a winning awards is not, for me, is they either haven't been involved in an awards process before, or they feel a bit shy of it and like a bit of an imposter. And, you know, it's a risk, isn't it? You're putting yourself up to be judged, ultimately. So it does take a bit of courage, and it takes a bit of reflection. So, you know, I say, Look at what impact you're having, you know, go away and see, have you got impact on your customers? Somehow, have you got impact on your community? Somehow? It doesn't all have to be about transactional business. It could be that actually you're doing something great for the environment or sustainability or for a community source or for charity, you know, so what are you doing that's making a difference, and it could recognition help you to do more of that? Could it give you the spotlight to enable you to do more of that purpose? Because if it could, then why not, you know, why not do it and get some recognition?   Michael Hingson ** 39:36 Yeah, well, and that makes sense. And but some people may still just continue to say, well, I don't really think I've done that much, and so it isn't for me.   Donna O'Toole ** 39:47 Yeah, absolutely. And you'll always have people who don't want to do everything at the end of the day, you know, it's probably, realistically, it's probably, you know, the top 10% of businesses that are looking to win awards because they're already in that zone or. Where they're, you know, they're growing, they're they're trying to transform. They're always jumping on the next best thing. So, you know, it's a good way to benchmark ourselves as well, and to say, you know, how can I progress this year? Well, what would it take for me to win this particular award? Let's say, let's have a look at what it would take, and let's see if we can get to the business, to that stage, because that way you can develop the business first, before you even think of entering the award, so that you have got the impact, and you have got, you know, all the right things to show that you're making a difference.   Michael Hingson ** 40:31 Yeah, and you brought up a point earlier, which I think is extremely interesting, the whole issue of awards and reviews, one of the things that I do when I'm looking at buying a product that I'm not overly familiar with is I love to look at the worst reviews for the product. Yeah, they're the most fun, because you find out really quickly. If you look at those reviews, you find out whether the person really knows what they're talking about or not and whether they really got good arguments. And I find that the people who give the bad reviews generally are, are not, are not necessarily, really giving you substantive information that you can use.   Donna O'Toole ** 41:15 Yeah, exactly. That's often the way I am. I actually studied reviews, and I looked at the different language structures and reviews of different retail stores, and how, how the the language that the people used in their reviews influenced the buyers. And it was really funny, because this is back in the days. This is just when I was at university. I was doing my dissertation, and it was what we were looking for. What I was looking for was what represent, what people felt represented good value for money. Because no matter how much money you've got, whether you've got a pound to spend or 1000 pounds to spend, you just want to get good value for money for what you're spending. So it doesn't really matter how pricey the product is. It matters your perception of good value for money, and that's essentially what tends to come across in a review, even if people don't say it is whether they think it's good value for money or not, whether it's the brand or the actual product. And it was really funny, because I did this whole study, and I came up with a structure that retailers should use to give to their reviewers to then put the review in in the most helpful way possible for the people then looking at the reviews who want to purchase the product, and I it was great, and I was really happy with it, and got first class and all of that. Anyway, a while later, I bought a coat from a store called Debenhams in the UK, which is now only online. But I bought this coat, I wrote a review and put it on their website. And it was quite the early days of reviews. Still, two days later, Debenhams called me, and I couldn't believe it, because when you had to leave your review, you had to leave your name and number, and it was like, I said, it's a very new thing then. And they actually telephoned me, and they said, Hello, we want to say thank you for your review that you left about this coat, and I still have the coat. And because, because of your review, we sold out the product. And so we want to say thank you. So we're sending you a voucher. And I got this voucher through the post. And I mean, you wouldn't get that, I don't think nowadays, no, but it really showed me the difference that a review could make on a product back then, you know, and how writing the right type of review, not just saying it's great, but why it's great, why I considered it good value for money about the material and the sizing and the shape and all of the quality and that kind of thing. It gave people reassurance to buy, and that's what we're looking for when we're looking at reviews. And that's where awards can come in and kind of secure that trust as well. I don't know about you, but I get down rabbit holes with reviews on things like trip,   Michael Hingson ** 43:52 oh yeah. Well, what I found is, if I look at the positive, the best reviews, I get more good technical information, and I got and I get more good product knowledge, but then I look at the bad reviews, and the reason I look at those is I want to see if they truly are giving me the same information the other way, and they don't. They're it's totally emotional, and a lot of times it is just not, in fact, what I or others find with the products, and that the bad reviews tend not to really give you nearly the information that the bad reviewers think they're giving you if you if you read them carefully. And I think that gets back to your whole issue of studying language, but still, they're not giving you the information that they really ought to be giving you. And, you know, I've had some where somebody gave a bad review to a product because the box arrived and it was open or wasn't sealed. Well, yeah, all right, so what   Donna O'Toole ** 44:55 exactly I know it's ridiculous. I mean, I think we're as consumers a bit more. Pragmatic about it nowadays, but as businesses, we need to be able to demonstrate to our customers in every way possible, you know. And that's why social media now and user generated content is so popular. Because we don't want to see what it looks like on a model anymore. We want to see what it looks like on a real life, personal we want to hear someone's like real life, day to day experience of something, as opposed to a polished article on it, right,   Michael Hingson ** 45:26 which, which is, is the way it ought to be. And again, that gets back to substance. And the the people who give really good reviews are generally the ones that are giving you substance. I've had some bad reviewers that had very good reasons for why they feel the way they do. And then you look at it and you go, Well, maybe it doesn't fit in their situation or, aha, they really know what they're talking about. I'm going to take that into consideration when I look at buying this product or not. But a lot of them   Donna O'Toole ** 45:57 don't. Absolutely, no, absolutely, yeah, I could do this for days.   Michael Hingson ** 46:04 Yeah. Well, it is. It is fascinating, but it's part of human nature   Donna O'Toole ** 46:09 psychology, isn't I tell you when else it comes up and it's quite interesting. So often we make companies may approach us and say, Leo, we want to win awards to be the best place to work. And we'll say, okay, great, you know, tell us about the workplace, and we'll go through all these different criteria with them, and they tell us all this great stuff. And then we go and do our own research as well, because we need to verify this, right? And we go on to glass door, and then we see some horrendous reviews from employees that have left. I think, okay, maybe this is, maybe this is not quite all the story we're getting here. Yeah. So, you know, the thing with awards is, if you are saying anything about your business, you're going to have to prove it. So reviews from your customers and reviews from your employees are super important for awards. Actually,   Michael Hingson ** 46:59 I find as a speaker that letters of recommendation are extremely important. In fact, I even put it in my contract that if someone likes the talk, then I expect to get a letter of recommendation. And for a good amount of people, they do that, although I've had some people who forget or just don't. But the letters are extremely valuable, especially when they go into detail about not just the talk, but like in my case, I view when I visit a customer, or when I view when I talk about going to speak somewhere, I believe that I'm a guest like anyone who goes, and it's not about me, it's about them. It's about the event. It's about the people who are putting it on. It's about the audience. And I always want to make sure that I do everything I can to be as not a problem as possible. And I know that there are some people that don't do that. I had a I had an event once where I went and spoke, and while there, I talked to the person who brought me in, and I said, What's the most difficult speaker you ever had? Had come here? And I was just curious. I was curious to see what he say without any hesitation. He said, We had a woman who came to speak, and we honored the contract, although still don't know why, but she insisted that in the green room, and so there had to be one, but in the green room there had to be a brand new, never used crystal champagne flute full of pink M M's. Now what does that have to do with being a speaker? Well, I know some people just like to take people through the wringer. They want to try to drive the point home that they're the bosses. Well, I think that, you know, I know what I can do. What I said to the guy, though afterward I said, Well, okay, I hear you. They actually did find peak Eminem. So was interesting. I said, Well, let me just tell you that if you bring cheese and crackers, I'll share them with you.   49:10 They brought you that we had fun, yes,   Michael Hingson ** 49:13 but, you know, but, but he, he understood that there were no demands. I wouldn't do that. I just think that that's not what I'm supposed to do as a speaker. My job is to in a well, inspire and motivate and and to educate. But it's not my job to be difficult. And I've gotten some wonderful letters that say how easy I made it to work with them, which is great. Yeah, fantastic. I'm sure you did. So it's, it's a lot of fun to to see some of those, and I've gotten some great stories over the years, which is really   Speaker 1 ** 49:46 a lot, and that's why they love to have you. Well, I hope so   Michael Hingson ** 49:53 we still do it, and it's a lot of fun to help and motivate and inspire. But yeah, I. I and by the way, I guess I'd never be interested in pink M M's anyway, so I wouldn't see the colors. So,   Donna O'Toole ** 50:08 yeah, glass of water is just about the thing on my list.   Michael Hingson ** 50:12 Yeah, well, you know, I'll take M M's if they show up. And I'm not going to demand them, that's okay. But you know, people are interesting. So once somebody's won an award, you've talked about this some, but when I once somebody has won an award, what's next?   Donna O'Toole ** 50:28 So next, it's all about, well, sharing it to demonstrate why people often forget to tell people why they've won an award. They just say that they've won an award. I think it's important to say, why? Like, what is it? What is it? What impact are you having? What's the difference that you're making out there in the world? Why have you won and share that on your profile? As I said, you know, people buy from people now as well. If you're winning an award as a leader or as a speaker or as an entrepreneur, you know people want to know about that because it helps to give credibility to what you do and trust like, just like those letters of referral that you're talking about. So, you know, get that on your LinkedIn profile, get it onto your podcast, you know, all of those different things, and take pride in your work and share that   Michael Hingson ** 51:14 I had a salesperson I hired is my favorite sales guy, and when I asked him, as I asked everybody who came to apply for jobs, what are you going to be selling for us? Tell me about that. He is the only person who ever said, The only thing I really have to sell is myself and my word. Your product is stuff, and it's all about trust and it's all about honoring my word. And he said, The only thing I asked from you is that you backed me up. And I said, well, as long as you do a good job, you know, but he understood it, and he's actually the only person that I ever hired that really articulated that, but that was always the answer I was looking for, because it really told me a lot about him. Just that simple answer told me more about him than anything else anyone, even he could say,   Donna O'Toole ** 52:06 yeah, absolutely. So it's so important, and you know, so I'm part of a key person of influence program that Daniel Priestley runs, and it's I do profile coaching for entrepreneurs to help them to become a key person of influence in their in their industry. And now that's not being an influencer. That's being someone who's known for being good at what they do and being a key person in that industry. And you know, work flows to you if people know what you do and know who to come to because you're the expert in that area, if you're a small business, you're an entrepreneur, you're struggling to get leads, then actually maybe you need to make yourself put bit more known. People tend to be bit shy and hide behind their brand. But you know, if you look at people like Richard Branson, you know, we when you trust an entrepreneur, then you will buy from the brand. And there's many more entrepreneurs I could mention, who when the trust is lost with them because of their behavior in some way, then their brand suffers. It's quite clear to see, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 53:09 do you find that most people who win an award do carry on and do positive things as a result, and that their brand and what they do improves, or is some people win and just falls by the wayside.   Donna O'Toole ** 53:27 Generally speaking, if you're the people that are going in for awards, the brands that are going forwards, they're progressive, so they usually progress with it. There's a piece of research that shows that businesses that have won awards are around 77% more valuable than businesses without awards even five years after winning. And that's because when you're going for an award in business, you've got to do a lot of develop. You know, there's got to be some good stuff happening in your business. And so naturally, the businesses that are doing those good things want to keep doing more of those good things internally, and so they tend to keep driving the business forward. And they have that motivation. They have motivated teams who are being recognized for the work that they're doing, and all of that naturally pushes them forward. So in five years time, they're still leagues ahead of their competitors that are not winning awards.   Michael Hingson ** 54:20 So always worth exploring winning awards. Oh, 100% Yeah. If   Donna O'Toole ** 54:27 I always say, I think, quote Nelson Mandela on this, you've got nothing to lose. You'll either win or you'll learn. If you don't win, then you should learn something about what you do need to do to win, and that will bring your business on.   Michael Hingson ** 54:39 Absolutely agree it's like, I also believe there's no such thing as failure. Failure is really it didn't go the way you planned. And so what do you learn in order to make that not happen again?   Donna O'Toole ** 54:51 Yeah, exactly, that exactly. So we need that kind of resilience in business today,   Michael Hingson ** 54:57 if people listening and watching this. Just take away one lesson and get one piece of advice out of this. What should it be?   Donna O'Toole ** 55:04 Understand your impact? I would say people don't often understand their impact. So ask your customers, ask your employees, what's improved since we've been working together? What? What if? What's improved for you since you've been using our product? And then calculate up what is that impact that you're having? You know, if 90% of your customers are saying that since using your product, I don't know, they're they're they're having a better their their accounts are better, or their skin is better. You whatever it is your product or your service is, then you've got impact that you're having. So start investigating what that impact is, and then that will help to steer you towards which kind of awards you could potentially be winning as well.   Michael Hingson ** 55:47 And of course, if you really think about your impact and whoever you are and whatever business you're doing, and you do monitor that, then that's one of the most important things that you can do about your business anyway, and people should be doing that.   Donna O'Toole ** 56:01 Yeah, exactly. But probably 90% of people that come to me aren't measuring their impact, and so it's a surprise, but I always say, Well, if you don't know what your impact is, how do you know that what your product or your services works? Just because people are buying it, you still need to know what your impact is. How do you measure impact? Oh, you can measure it in so many different ways, and you want in awards to be able to demonstrate it both quantitatively and qualitatively. So typically, in large corporate organizations, they will be measuring impact. So there's something called net promoter scores. So, you know, they'll be asking customers, would they recommend them? They'll ask them what they're enjoying about their products and things. So they tend to have some kind of measurement built into their process, in their customer departments, however, in smaller businesses, often they don't. So I say, you know, draw up a simple survey, ask your customers what's changed since you've been working with us. Let's say you're a service provider. So are you less stressed since you've been working with us? Do you have more revenue coming in since you've been working with us? What is it? And get them to answer a little survey. And then you could go all this collective impact that you can put together to look at the percentages and see what that's telling you. And if you don't want to know what the impact is in your business, then I question why you don't want to why   Michael Hingson ** 57:16 you're in the business in the first place, exactly. Well, tell us about your book. You've mentioned books several times, yeah.   Donna O'Toole ** 57:23 So I wrote a book called Win, of course, raise your profile and grow your business through winning awards. And really, it's a toolkit for for entrepreneurs. I was working with a lot of large businesses, and, you know, I was conscious that small businesses don't always have the resources to win awards or to be able to outsource. So I wrote a book that they could use to follow the toolkit, essentially, of winning awards. So that's developing their strategy, knowing understanding how awards work and which ones would suit their business, setting awards goals, understanding criteria. What does innovation really mean? What do they want to see? What kind of evidence do I need to provide? How do I know if it's the right race for me? All of those things. So it takes you end to end, through the awards journey internationally. You know, no matter where you are, you can follow the same process, and you could nowadays, it's really important to become the most award winning in your sector, so you can follow the process to get there. And that's a hugely valuable tagline.   Michael Hingson ** 58:26 And I appreciate that you sent us a picture of the book cover, and it is in the show notes. I hope people will go get   Donna O'Toole ** 58:31 it absolutely and it is on Audible as well, so that everyone can access it. So yeah, enjoy listening to my voice a lot more.   Michael Hingson ** 58:39 I was just going to ask if you read it. I did read it for you.   Donna O'Toole ** 58:44 Do you know what it was? I was so proud of that I was more proud of the audible recording than I was of writing at the book. But I don't know why. I think it's because I actually really enjoy listening to books on audio. So I'm quite passionate about listening. I like listening to the actual author's voice, though. So I found I was quite interesting, actually, when I found, when I recorded it, that was quite good at recording audio. The studio guy that I was working with was like, Oh, you're really good at this. We could just drop it words back in if there was a mistake.   Michael Hingson ** 59:14 There you are. See, it is so much better to edit today than it used to be, because now it is. It is all electronic, and I, I edit from time to time, just different things and all that I don't we work on not editing the podcast. That is, I don't want to cut out part of a conversation, because it is a conversation, but, but now you can do so many things, like, if there's a lot of noise, you can even filter that out without affecting the camera. It is so cool.   Donna O'Toole ** 59:43 Yeah, very, very clever. So, yeah, get it on Audible. There you   Michael Hingson ** 59:47 go. Well, great. Well, I hope people will Well, I want to thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun, and you should get an award for doing it. That's all there is to it. But I really appreciate you being here. And. I appreciate all of you out there listening to us and watching us. Love to get your thoughts. How do people reach out to you? Donna, if they'd like to to talk with you,   Donna O'Toole ** 1:00:09 absolutely. So you can con

Change is the only constant in retail, yet driving it through vast, multi-site operations poses unique challenges. In this episode, Oliver Banks sits down with Darren Kay, a veteran retail leader with companies like Debenhams, Poundland and now Hobbycraf, to unpack how to deliver meaningful, sustainable change on the frontline. From aligning dispersed teams and balancing “business as usual” with transformation, to the power of clear communication and two-way dialogue, Darren shares hard-won lessons for embedding change as a daily habit rather than a disruptive project. Listen to this podcast episode to hear:Learn how clear, honest “why” messaging secures frontline buy-in and bridges the gap between strategy and store-floor action.Understand the role of inclusive, cross-functional teams in overcoming geographic and organisational silos.Explore practical ways to prioritise change initiatives so they nest seamlessly within day-to-day operations.The show notes are at www.obandco.uk/338.

Today we're joined by Rosie Platt, Head of Range & Ecommerce at NOTH. Rosie has a huge amount of retail buying experience working for a wide variety of UK retailers, including Principles, Debenhams, Oasis, Jaeger, River Island, BBC Children in Need and Superdrug. Rosie is a product development buyer at heart, like ourselves. We find out how Rosie got into buying, from taking an online quiz to figure out what she might be interested in, to how she landed her first job at Principles and the journey she's been on working in very different buying environments. We hear all about the skills she picked up along the way from fast paced high street fashion, high end fashion shows, the charity sector (all those Pudsey bears!) to marketplace buying. This is a huge episode packed with so many different brands, sharing experiences of what is it REALLY like to work for all these large retailers, and also a sneak peak for retail businesses to understand what goes on behind the scenes. Rosie describes behind the scene of working at NOTHS from her 8 years experience of onboarding and coaching small product based businesses. Plus she shares her top tips for small businesses looking to partner, or get stocked in a retailer. We ask; what makes a good pitch? Do you need to send samples? What are the key metrics you should be sharing? This is a must listen episode for any brands wanting some valuable tips on what makes for a great pitch and what market places like NOTH are really looking for. If your a buyer this episode will feel very relatable as we are sure that in Rosies varied career she will touch upon a situation you most likely will of been in and gives her experience and advice on how to get through it.Our takeaways for this episode are:- Take a break when you feel close to burn out, it will reframe your perspective. Sometime a side step move is more in keeping with your values and ultimately your happiness. Note: you don't always have to push yourself onto the next thing. Often these breaks still lead you back to climbing the ladder for promotion, so whats the rush?!- A coaching management style is incredible rewarding - on both sides! It gets the best out of your team by calling out where improvements can be made sharing ways to improve. It might feel a bit uncomfortable at first to get feedback, but it will help your development, and remember it comes from a caring place.  - It's so great to see brands moving at a slower pace and being much more conscious of supply chain. Yes there are numbers to hit, and these are essential to stay afloat, but let's re-frame the way we look at the product and the numbers in a more holistic way, to enable long term growth. If Brands have this at the heart of the business, then customers can buy with a clean conscious. We need to lead the way.You heard it first hand from Rosie that by 2030 70% of all sales will be on marketplaces... Are you retail ready? Struggling to get in front of buyers like Roise or structure your business to give it the best possible chance? Sign up for our bootcamp and we can help you with all of this! Find out more on our website:  https://www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk/bootcampSupport the showIf you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you!Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk with any 'Retail Therapy' storiesFind out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

In this episode of Festpod, hosts Neill Wilkinson and Rich Holmes discuss the latest updates from Download Festival 2025, including improvements to facilities, new camping options, and insights into the festival experience.They also introduce new sponsors and merchandise, while sharing personal anecdotes and humorous commentary on festival life. In this conversation, they discuss the evolution of festival experiences, particularly focusing on Download Festival.They explore:The increasing number of first-time attendeesThe changing landscape of festival lineupsThe introduction of new entertainment areas like District X.The significance of Ozzy Osbourne's final performanceThe unveiling of Lemmy's statueThe controversy surrounding non-traditional acts at rock festivalsThe extra entertainment for Bloodstock FestivalSentient and their new musicDebenhams now sells merchDisposable cameraswith our sponsors:Fat Frank's Camping Shop https://fatfrankscampingshop.comThe Splatter House by Voodoo Vibe https://thesplatterhouse.co.ukTakeawaysDownload Festival is making significant improvements based on attendee feedback.Upgraded toilets and more food options are part of the festival's enhancements.Group camping options are now available for festival-goers.RIP Lite camping offers a new way to experience the festival with closer parking.The cost of festival tickets continues to rise, raising concerns among attendees.Rock Retreat offers a quieter camping experience for those seeking tranquillity.The hosts share personal experiences and humorous takes on festival life.The importance of first-hand experiences in discussing festival options.Festival culture evolves as attendees' preferences change over time.The experience of paying for VIP access enhances enjoyment at festivals.Walking long distances at festivals can be exhausting, especially for older attendees.A significant portion of Download Festival ticket buyers are first-time attendees, indicating a shift in audience.Festivals must evolve to keep up with changing tastes and expectations.Diverse lineups are essential to attract a wider audience to festivals.District X offers a new entertainment experience at Download Festival.First-time attendees can benefit from guides and resources to enhance their experience.Ozzy Osbourne's final performance is a significant event for fans and the music community.Lemmy's statue serves as a lasting tribute to his legacy in rock music.Controversial acts at festivals can provide a fun and light-hearted break from the main lineup.Bloodstock Festival has a variety of fun themes for attendees.Fancy dress adds to the festival atmosphere and community spirit.Silent discos are a popular entertainment option at festivals.Sentient's new EP is their heaviest release yet, showcasing their growth as a band.Disposable cameras are making a comeback at festivals for capturing memories.Merchandise for bands is becoming more accessible and reasonably priced at Debenhams.The hosts emphasise the importance of community and interaction at festivals.Bloodstock's unique atmosphere encourages creativity and fun among attendees.Find all our video podcast episodes in this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlfyhNTZm6HBHjHm4kSORo_HykWXf0KGu&si=_5FbNi1-Rfe0sU1tPlease support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/festpodIf you'd like to buy our merch, visit our merch store here: https://etsy.com/uk/shop/FestpodAll our links here: https://festpod.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louise Hill is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of GoHenry, a groundbreaking financial education app and prepaid debit card designed to empower kids and teens with essential money skills. Launched in 2012 after Louise spotted a gap in children's understanding of digital spending, GoHenry now supports over 2 million users across the UK, US, and Europe. With a background in e-commerce and operations at major retailers like John Lewis and Debenhams, Louise brought a wealth of experience to the fintech space. Under her leadership, GoHenry has pioneered youth financial literacy, raised millions through record-breaking crowdfunding, and recently merged with U.S. fintech Acorns to expand its global footprint. Louise is a vocal advocate for practical, early-stage financial education and continues to shape the conversation around money management for the next generation.

In this episode of the Etsy Seller Success podcast, Dylan Jahraus sits down with Sarah, founder of Flourish Retail, to demystify product pricing, inventory planning, and scaling through wholesale. With nearly 20 years in the UK retail industry—including top brands like River Island, Debenhams, and ASOS—Sarah now helps small businesses profit sustainably through smart merchandising and data-driven decision-making.Whether you're wrestling with pricing, overwhelmed by inventory, or debating a move into wholesale, this episode is packed with real-world advice. Sarah shares how her own Etsy journey sparked the creation of Flourish, how to understand your sales data (even with limited numbers), and the biggest mistakes makers make when it comes to pricing and product strategy.This conversation is especially timely for 2025, as tariffs and economic uncertainty challenge sellers to get sharper than ever. Sarah's no-nonsense approach and practical frameworks make this a must-listen for creative entrepreneurs who want to run smarter and grow sustainably.In this episode, we cover: [04:20] What Businesses Are Thriving in 2025 [05:33] How to Collect and Use Customer Data (Even Without Much) [08:11] Where to Find Trends and How to Use Them [09:22] Healthy Ways to Monitor Competition [11:08] When and How to Consider Wholesale Expansion [13:45] Why Etsy Wasn't Profitable for Her (and What She Learned) [16:50] Hiring Help as a Small Business: When, Who, and Why [19:34] Managing Rising Costs and Tariffs in 2025 [21:26] The “House” Framework for Understanding Your Product MixConnect with Sarah: 

With horse racing's annual Cheltenham Festival playing out in the background, Jockey Club Partnerships Director Carey Weeks takes Leaders Editorial Director James Emmett on a tour of the Orchard, the racecourse's buzzing sponsor village.The episode features on-the-ground conversations with sponsorship leaders from the likes of Brooklands Watch Company and Debenhams.Later on, we hear from Leaders Managing Director Laura McQueen as she helps to launch the new 'Be the lead' initiative at an International Women's Day event in the plush surrounds of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hyde Park.Liesel Jolly, women's football lead for Visa, also joins the show to talk about sustainable investment into women's sport, and to shed some light on some new thinking behind women's football as a sponsorship proposition.

In Episode 128 of the Diary of a UK Stock Investor Podcast this week:- (00:00) Show Start (12:24) BooHoo rebranding to Debenhams (17:30) Admirals stellar earnings release (22:00) Persimmon sees 7% rise in house completions (26:14) Kiyosaki, Buffet and Rami Sethi on Stock Investing (27:43) Decisions on the Hargreaves Lansdown private takeover Diary of a UK Stock Investor Podcast is a show for everyday long-term retail investors, hosted by Chris Chillingworth. The podcast is unique in that it serves as a place for Chris to reflect on the highs and lows of long-term UK stock investing, as well as sharing detailed updates on how his own portfolio is growing. With new episodes every Thursday, and a detailed update on his quest to reach £1,024,867 in portfolio value by 2043, episodes often discuss investing education, strategy, mindset, ideas and even stock picks and analysis. The show, which now has an active following of over 4000 downloads a month, is curated by Chris Chillingworth, a UK investor for over a decade whose stockpicks have achieved a 18% annual average return between Jan 2014 - Nov 2024. Email Chris at the show on chris@chrischillingworth.com Checkout the website https://chrischillingworth.com 

Sean Farrington looks at Manchester United's plans to build the UK's biggest stadium. Plus, Boohoo Group rebrands as Debenhams - but is it enough to turn things around?

Tom's been on his travels to beautiful new town and Diesel City, Peterborough. No, he hadn't forgot his passport, he was asked to report on East Angrier X (put on by Socks On Records).He gathered people under Tom's chatting tree at the back of the closed-down Debenhams to conduct micro-interviews with some of the artistes performing, provides in-depth analysis of the bands' performances and if you listen, you can hear the effect of the Rattler venom that he's infected with a little bit more each interview.I guarantee that when East Angrier XI gets advertised, you'll all be jumping for joy.Songs are from: Our Souls, Das Kapitans, Sprainer, Rudimentary Paste, MICES and Spoilers.

Canterbury city centre has been closed off after a fire broke out at an abandoned former department store. Firefighters have been working through the night at the site of the old Debenhams – one person has been treated for smoke inhalation. Also in today's podcast, you can hear from a man who was fined for driving on a street where traffic is banned during term time even though the school was on holiday.He says he drove down the road in Chatham when the school was on half-term break and was shocked when he received the fine in the post. Two secondary schools could be closed by the government and reopened under new bosses after damning Ofsted inspections pushed them both into special measures.The sites were rated inadequate and have now been issued “termination warning notices”.Plans to turn an abandoned nightclub into flats have been scrapped as developers claim the housing market “isn't particularly strong”.Bosses in Ashford had given the green light for the transformation of the old Liquid site into housing, but it's been confirmed that's no longer happening. And a work is well underway to transform a former Kent gaol into a bustling cafe. It's all part of the £10.5 million renovation of Dover's Maison Dieu – you can hear from one of the coordinators about what it will all look like when it's finished. 

Approximately 29% of entrepreneurs are neurodivergent, revealing a strong link between neurodiversity and entrepreneurial drive.  In Ep 167 Nicole Chats with Dr Lauren Breese experienced Clinical Psychologist and founder of & Psychology and Co-founder of The neurodiversity practice along with other co-founders Dr. Siobhan Higgins and Dr Jo Muelller  Together, they explore ADHD symptoms, varying diagnoses and tips and strategies for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs.  Lauren discusses why awareness and reduced stigma have led to more adult ADHD diagnoses, rather than an increase in cases. They touch on the unique challenges faced by women with ADHD, particularly concerning reproductive cycles, and the dual responsibilities of entrepreneurship and family. Listeners will gain valuable tips for managing ADHD through mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and practical strategies for maintaining focus and organisation. Lauren and Nicole also address workplace inclusivity, emphasising the importance of understanding and accommodating neurodiverse employees. Some of the key areas discussed are  Understanding ADHD ADHD and Burnout Coping Strategies Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness Harnessing ADHD  Seeking Help Assessments and Support Inclusivity in the workplace for those diagnosed with ADHD   Guest Links  Dr Lauren Breese https://andpsychology.com/about https://www.theneurodiversitypractice.com/ Neuro Diversity in the Work place - checklist  https://www.theneurodiversitypractice.com/neuroinclusivity-checklist Neuro Diversity for Parents https://www.theneurodiversitypractice.com/book-list-parents Host  Nicole Higgins  has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.   Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.   Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.    At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.   If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.   https://runwaytoresults.com/ https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/  

In this episode, host Jason Foster sits down with Paula Bobbett, Chief Digital Officer at Boots. They discuss her extensive digital experience, which includes roles at Dixon's Carphone, British Airways, Debenhams and Avon.   They also explore the importance of an omnichannel strategy that bridges online and in-store customer experiences, using customer insights and AI tools. ***********    Cynozure is a leading data, analytics and AI company that helps organisations to reach their data potential. It works with clients on data and AI strategy, data management, data architecture and engineering, analytics and AI, data culture and literacy, and data leadership. The company was named one of The Sunday Times' fastest-growing private companies in both 2022 and 2023, and recognised as The Best Place to Work in Data by DataIQ in 2023 and 2024.  

With Black Friday just around the corner, I know you're probably gearing up for one of the biggest shopping events of the year. To help you navigate this competitive landscape, I'm chatting with Anna Frapwell founder of Neon Digital Clicks and sponsor of the podcast. Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the scene, these expert tips are sure to help you crush your sales goals. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. It's Never Too Late to Prepare Anna emphasises that even if you feel behind, it's never too late to start prepping for Black Friday. Whether it's building your audience or strategising your ads, every bit of effort counts. 2. Understand Your Goals Before diving in, be clear about what you want to achieve. Is it clearing stock, acquiring new customers, or boosting lifetime customer value? Your goals will shape your strategy. 3. Customer Retention Ensure your Black Friday customers stick around by enhancing their post-purchase experience. Excellent customer service and targeted email marketing can turn one-time buyers into loyal fans. 4. Ad Strategy Insights Anna provides a treasure trove of advice on maximising your ad spend while navigating the competitive Black Friday landscape. From clear messaging to vibrant visuals, discover what works best. 5. Post-Purchase Strategy The sales don't end with Black Friday. Utilise customer loyalty programs and nurtured email campaigns to keep the momentum going through the holiday season. I've created a FREE Checklist & Guide for you to action before during & after Black Friday https://nicolehigginsthebuyerandretailcoach.lpages.co/black-fridayplanner/ Your black Friday Checklist PDF HOST BIO Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories   Nicole Higgins Links https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/   Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns. Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of. Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition. At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth. If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck. https://runwaytoresults.com/  

Live shopping is set to hit £5 billion in the UK by 2025 with fashion and beauty being the key categories. But what converts and why should it be part of your marketing strategy. In todays episode of Podcast Start Scale Succeed I'm joined by Macdara Duncan International Director of Live Shopping Platform Sprii. https://sprii.io/ Key Highlights to help you understand what works in Live Shopping are below  Authenticity in Content MacDara emphasizes the importance of maintaining authenticity in live streams, presenting an in-store experience that feels real and unpolished to viewers. Campaign-Led Approach: Discover the advantages of using themes or campaigns over discounts to attract and retain viewers during live streams. Engaging Through Gamification: Learn how to incorporate interactive elements like quizzes, raffles, and polls to keep your audience entertained and engaged. Structure of Live Streams: Get tips on structuring your live sessions effectively, typically lasting 45 minutes to an hour and featuring numerous interactive components. Continuous Viewer Engagement: Understand the necessity of repeating themes and products to cater to viewers joining at different times. Production Quality Flexibility: Explore the range of production qualities, from casual setups to professional environments, suitable for live streams. Alternative Hosts: Learn why it's not always necessary for founders to host live streams themselves and how knowledgeable staff can be excellent hosts. Content Reusability: Discover strategies to repurpose live stream content for various promotional activities post-event. High Conversion Rates: Hear about the impressive conversion rates in live shopping, thanks to detailed and engaging presentations. Engagement Over Audience Size: Understand why a smaller, engaged audience can be more valuable than a larger, unengaged one. Sprii Platform  https://sprii.io/ Learn about Sprii, a streamlined live shopping tool, and its role in enhancing live shopping experiences. Host  Nicole Higgins  has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns. Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.   Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.  At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth. If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck. https://runwaytoresults.com/

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast, and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.Today's episode features the Alshaya Group which is a dynamic family-owned enterprise first established in Kuwait in 1890.Alshaya Group is now one of the world's leading brand franchise operators with thousands of stores, cafes, restaurants and leisure destinations across MENA,Turkey and Europe, as well as a growing online and digital business, featuring a total of 70 brands including such iconic names as Starbucks, H&M, Debenhams, The Cheesecake Factory and Boots.The loyalty brand that powers this incredible retail network is a digital programme called Aura, which this year won the 2024 International Loyalty Award for Best Loyalty Programme in the retail sector, and joining us today are two of the leaders of that loyalty business.Nida Unas is the Director of Loyalty and Joanna Witsch is the Head of Loyalty Product and Operations for the Alshaya Group and the Aura programme.Please enjoy our conversation. Show notes:1) Nida Unas2) Joanna Witsch3) Alshaya Group4) Aura

Ultimate Black Friday Strategy: How Brands Can Maximize Sales Before, During, and After First off I want to say participating in Black Friday may not be right for you, you might not have enough margin or stock or  it may not sit right from a sustainability or mass consumption point of view but if you have decided to join the countless brands that will be discounting over BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) Then this episode is for you where I will share tips and tactics to help you before during and after Black Friday.     Some of the areas I chat about today  Setting Clear Goals & KPI's for Black Friday  How to Plan your promotions and what promotions work.  Optimizing your website and email marketing.  Black Friday can be a whirlwind, but with the right preparation and strategies, it's a huge opportunity for your business. Focus on planning ahead, executing smoothly during the rush, and following up afterward to keep the momentum going.  I've created a FREE Checklist & Guide for you to action before during & after Black Friday  https://nicolehigginsthebuyerandretailcoach.lpages.co/black-fridayplanner/ Your black FRiday Checklist PDF  Host  Nicole Higgins  has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.   Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.   Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.    At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.   If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.   https://runwaytoresults.com/

I'm all for advice that is  easy to understand and implement and was delighted to chat with Alice Benham author of the recently released The Digital Marketing Handbook for this weeks podcast  Some of the areas we chat about  Why Marketing Strategies Often Feel Overwhelming (00:03:16): The pitfalls of jargon-filled advice and the importance of understanding the core elements of a strategy. Marketing strategy simplified: plan with an end goal in mind. Three Steps to Building a Marketing Strategy (00:05:28): Clarity: Determine your marketing goals, brand identity, and target audience. Planning: Decide where and how to show up online, and create relevant content. Implementation: Establish processes, timelines, and methods to execute and measure your strategy. Setting Financial and Personal Goals (00:07:40): Integrating financial targets and personal lifestyle goals into your overall marketing strategy. Using marketing as a tool to achieve both business success and personal fulfilment. Standing Out and Connecting with Consumers (00:12:13): Understanding what makes your brand unique through customer feedback and storytelling. Case studies of successful product businesses, like Partner in Wine and Pearl Cosmetics. Identifying and Understanding Your Target Audience (00:17:35): The difference between demographic and psychographic targeting. The importance of constant learning and adapting based on consumer behaviour and feedback. Reviewing and Adjusting Your Marketing Strategy (00:20:13): The right intervals for evaluating and tweaking your marketing strategy. Buy the digital Marketing Handbook  https://amzn.eu/d/iNK80CV Find out more about Alice Benham  https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/alice_benham/ https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/about Host  Nicole Higgins  has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns. Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of. Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.  https://glowwithus.neondigitalclicks.co.uk/runway-to-results-page681429

How about growing to 50K followers in 6 months, well that's just what this weeks guest did Martha Keith Founder of stationery brand Martha Brook London and her new account Business Secrets Club where Martha shares great tips and advice for small businesses particularly focusing on social media.  I recently had the pleasure of recording this episode Live on the stage at Top Drawer and it was so great to get the interaction and questions from the audience, (you can watch the full episode on You tube on the link below) We chatted about growing your business on Instagram,  and connecting with your customers along with driving sales on the Instagram platform.  For real tangible advice hear how you can  Create "bingeable"  content that leaves followers coming back for more  Understand what content pillars are and how to use them effectively for your brand  What trends are working now on Instagram   Understand what strategies are most effective for driving growth and sales  Give value to your audience and what that actually looks like in practice.  Include storytelling in your business. Adapt to the changing algorithm to enhance your  content's reach and visibility Guest  Martha Keith. Founder, Martha Brook and Business Secrets Club Martha is the founder and CEO of award-winning stationery brand Martha Brook. After her own experiences growing a business, she now helps and advises other entrepreneurs and start-ups. She is a member of the British Library Advisory Council and is Ambassador for their Business & IP Centre. In 2024 she founded Business Secrets Club, growing it to a community of 50K in six months. Last year she was awarded Consumer Goods Businesswomen of the Year at the Great British Businesswomen Awards. https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn https://www.instagram.com/businesssecretsclub/ https://www.businesssecretsclub.com/ https://www.marthabrook.com/ Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams. She now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns. Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of. Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.  https://glowwithus.neondigitalclicks.co.uk/runway-to-results-page681429    

Anxiety, Self-doubt and lack of confidence are all things as business founders we can experience. Today's  episode of start scale succeed I chat with Life Coach, published Author  & NLP Practitioner Holly Matthews about Finding your Confidence.  Holly has just released her new book Find your confidence (see link below)  She shares tips and tactics to help build and create confidence in several different situations  Areas we chat about in the podcast are  Building Confidence: Combining external body language techniques with internal mindset work. 'Fake it till you make it' approach while working on internal self-esteem. Developing self-belief through continued efforts and tools. Visualization and Scripting: Regular practice of visualization, especially before bed. Importance of scripting for public speaking and confidence in various scenarios. Anchoring Techniques: Methods like pressing fingers together to reinforce positivity and reduce anxiety, particularly effective for public speaking. Real-life Examples and Practical Tips: Holly shares her TED Talk experience and the role of visualization and anchoring in overcoming last-minute challenges. Handling Anxiety and Mindset Shifts: Techniques like breathwork, meditation, physical exercise, and EFT tapping for managing anxiety. Recognizing and challenging limiting beliefs through positive affirmations and real-time interventions. Setting Boundaries: Differentiating personal and business boundaries to maintain balance. Assertiveness in boundary enforcement to avoid passive or aggressive behaviours. Appearance and Self-Image: Addressing internalized critical messaging about appearance affecting public confidence. Striving for a balanced and authentic online presence. Moving from self-critique to neutrality and acceptance. Self-Compassion and Overcoming Negative Thoughts: Importance of challenging negative, fear-based stories and reframing failures with compassionate self-talk. Techniques for real-time thought interruption and adjusting self-perception. Guest Bio  Holly Matthews  Holly is a qualified Life Coach, NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist and Intuitive Psychology Coach. She has coached thousands of people across the world (across all walks of life, from Mums on the school run to Brit winning pop stars). Her debut book The Happy Me Project- A no nonsense guide to self development won Health and Wellbeing Magazines best wellbeing book of 2022 and hit number #1 on Amazon the day it released. Holly's relatable and raw approach to self development has her teaching people how to feel ‘more happy and less crappy' in a way that reaches those that never thought ‘self development' would be for them.  Www.iamhollymatthews.com  Buy Find your Confidence  https://amzn.eu/d/09gFk3Hy  Host  Nicole Higgins  has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.   Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.   Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.    At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.   If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.

If you are a product business up to 70% of your yearly turnover can come during Q4, I chat with previous Guest Hannah Spicer on how you can ensure you are getting the most out of your emails to drive your sales. Areas we chat about Approaching Black Friday and deciding on your sales & promotional strategy for the quarter Reviewing  what worked the previous year, testing and warming up your email list Key Metrics to track and how they might be slightly different this time of year. Reviewing your segmentation Frequency and timing of emails Post Black Friday & Christmas strategies  Emerging trends in Email Marketing Emailing on Christmas Day what works and what doesn't Retaining new customers gained during the Christmas season and transforming them into loyal repeat buyers   Guest Bio Hannah Spicer is a Klayviyo  email marketing expert having worked with Premium and Luxury ecommerce brands on email marketing from 2005. With 20 years experience consulting & supporting businesses in the fashion beauty and lifestyle sector to maximise their own email marketing   Listen to Hannah previous episode https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mastering-email-marketing-for-your-business-with/id1577771045?i=1000647463616   https://www.instagram.com/hannahspicer_consulting/ https://www.hspicerconsulting.com/             Host Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories         Host Nicole Higgins The Buyer and retail coach Nicole Higgins Links https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/     Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.   Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.   Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.   At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.   If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.

Removing friction and making it easier for your customers to buy is key if you have a product business. This weeks episode I chat with Mel Eilers a Many chat expert where we talk about Chat funnels and why you should be using them and how they can benefit your business  Benefits of Using Manychat     - Mel breaks down what Manychat is and its compliance with Meta, highlighting its approval and the rules to abide by.      Use Cases and Examples     - Nicole and Mel discuss successful use cases of Manychat, including Instagram Live events and story mentions that drive engagement and increase sales.      Components of a Chat Funnel:     - Key components are discussed, such as personalization, the importance of re-engagement and pivoting conversations to maintain customer interest.      Integration with Existing Strategies     - Mel provides insights on how to integrate Manychat with your existing marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement and conversion rates.      Analytics and Measuring Success     - The importance of analytics in Manychat and how brands can track the effectiveness of their chat funnels to optimize their strategies. Preparing for High-Traffic Seasons:     - Mel discusses the importance of list-building and strategic planning using Manychat, especially heading into high-traffic sales periods like Black Friday. Guest Mel Eilers   The “Manychat queen” – Mel Eilers is a Manychat Messenger Expert and Agency Partner who works with coaches, personal brands and retailers to help them maximise their sales and leads from Instagram, all whilst freeing up the to-do list and saving time in the DMs. Mel helps brands personalise their connection with followers through Manychat automations, helping to boost reach and engagement, leading to higher conversion rates through a seamless customer journey. She has shared the online stage with Amy Porterfield and Michael Hyatt at the Rise Above Summit; spoken on the Chat Marketing Podcast and also delivered various masterclasses and webinars. Mel is recognised as a go-to expert for Manychat, building automations for clients such as online business coach Teresa Heath-Waring, mentoring site Photography Farm and the Resilient Retail Coach, Catherine Erdly. IG: https://www.instagram.com/socially_sound/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanieeilers/ Website: www.sociallysound.co.uk Email: mel@sociallysound.co.uk Freebie: Manychat Starter Kit - https://sociallysound.thrivecart.com/ig-chat-funnels-starter-kit/ NEW: Manychat Beta Course https://sociallysound.thrivecart.com/manychat-ig-accelerator/ Host  Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns. Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of. Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.  At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth. If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.

Today's episode of start scale succeed delves into the intriguing world of crowdfunding with our special guest, Danielle Wallington, the visionary founder of Flock here,  Join us as Danielle reveals her journey of raising over £20,000 in just over 30 days through crowdfunding.  Discover how she turned her idea, stemming from co-working meetups and the need for recommended workspaces for women, into a successfully funded project. In this episode, we unpack the essentials of launching a crowdfunding campaign, including setting precise funding targets, choosing the right crowdfunding model, and crafting a strategic marketing plan.  Danielle provides insights into  Her top tips for crowdfunding  The importance of mindset and positivity  Setting funding targets  Planning the campaign.  Post campaign   Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner looking to explore crowdfunding, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you achieve your fundraising goals.    Guest  Danielle Wallington is the founder of Flck here a coworking and community app, she is a  business mentor  &  tech founder   https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-wallington-22a13234/  https://www.instagram.com/flock_here /https://www.instagram.com/danielle_wallington_/ Host  Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.   Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.   Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.    At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.   If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.   Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off! https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/

With a low barrier to entry candle brands are an easy product to get started with as a business, but should you? and what do you need to make it a success, I chat with Samantha Johnson who tells it how it is in the candle industry what works and what doesn't and what you need to know.  We chat about  Brand Identity:    - The importance of knowing what your brand is and is not. Pricing and Regulations:    - Accurate product pricing to reflect true labour.    - Heavy regulation in the candle industry, emphasizing the need for knowledgeable operational staff. Market Insights   Trends in fragrance demand in Europe focusing on natural and herbal scents.    - The consumer's growing awareness and preference for branded experiences. Business Challenges    - The high cost and extended timeframes in product development.    - Challenges of gaining traction in a saturated market.    - Importance of a strong wholesale network and investment in branding and marketing. Operational Tips:    - Necessity for a solid operational person to navigate complex regulations.    - Tactical approaches towards creating a commercial product range. Guest Samantha Johnson  Retail CMO turned manufacturing Managing Director and co founder  Bringing making home to the North West of England via artisan production  Samantha manufactures interiors products, homewares and candles on a bespoke, private label and branded basis.  https://www.avalonhome.co.uk /https://pintailcandles.co.uk/  Host  Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.  She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids' and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns. Neon's new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand's true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of. Over the course of 60 days, Neon's expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.  At the end of the Runway period, they'll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth. If you're ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck. Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off! https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/

This week, the dynamic duo of the Southcoast ditch the sofa for the gaming chairs, as they discuss some of their all time favourite gaming moments - and thanks to the power of social media - some of yours too! From the shooty shooty bang bang of Red Dead Redemption and Halo 3, to the mystical glows of Final Fantasy VII and Zelda: Ocarina of Time, we discuss our top gaming moments. It probably should be saddest gaming deaths, it's a bit bleak - but look, they're memorable for a reason! Alex recalls a simpler time, running down to Debenhams for Call of Duty and Dan calls back to his retail days, "have you got THE game?". Take a trip down memory lane and enjoy some of yester-year's best gaming moments! #GITS

PJ hears from Mick Barry TD that liquidators are to appeal their recent victory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scoil Eoin in Ballincollig - when will they get their long awaited extension ...Why are so many parents still not talking to their daughters about periods - who else's job is that ..That video from inside the old Debenhams - the lads who made it were nearly caught in the act & lots more Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alistair from Urbandoned tells PJ how that great atmospheric video of the old Debenhams building in Patrick Street got made which you can see here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bastards, porn smuggling, at least two references to marionettes, Debenhams and the Downfall of the Gods as we we deep-dive the expanded 1980 European Championships in Italy. With James Cook and Paul Savage. Please share/like/follow/subscribe and shout it from the rooftops! Email your questions to worldcupofworldcups@gmail.com and donate at ko-fi.com/worldcupofworldcups.

This week's #LocationWeekly podcast features VEON launching “Geolocation Gateway”, Walmart acquiring Vizio, Debenhams launching an AI-driven personalized beauty service + L'Occitane launching a virtual store for Ramadan!

Matthew and Charlie's New Year's Eve Impressions Quiz made a return this week, as well as a trip down retail memory lane.Thanks for downloading the podcast – remember, you can be an Early Worm and catch the show live on Radio X every Sunday 8am – 11am.Get in touch on sunday@radiox.co.uk@EdGambleComedy@matthewcrosby

In this episode, Erim Kaur and I delve into her incredible journey from working at a nightclub to starting her very own 7-figure Luxury Hair & Beardcare brand, ByErim. She won the Middle East Beauty Influencer of the Year for 2023 with over 650k followers across socials. She is also a spokesperson for Pandora, Kiss Nails, Debenhams, Sky TV, and many other reputable major brands. She was also featured in several prominent articles, such as the Sun UK and Cosmopolitan Middle East, making her one of the biggest Sikh influencers in the UK. Additionally, Erim shares some incredible moments from her story, including how she suffered from hair loss with alopecia herself, the loss of her mother and what led to the birth of her world-famous luxury Hair and Beardcare Oil - ByErim! As the episode concludes, Erim and I engage in a super fun rapid-fire round, revealing many insider secrets and pro tips. So, don't miss out—stay with us until the end! We also talk about so much more, including: Her complete journey from working at a nightclub to launching ByErim with a turnover of over £2.1 Million in the 2nd year How the pandemic boosted her business due to the increased online presence Overcoming challenges of selling products internationally & the challenges that follow, from logistics to conquering and catering to all different Hair types A look inside launching her own app, diving into her successful daily "Appfirmations" to retain engagement, how she leverages QR codes to elevate the unboxing experience & how she minimised friction to purchasing via TapCart How to stay true to your values and decline Sponsorship deals despite the financial temptations The journey from perfecting a formula from her Grandma's kitchen to selling and distributing the product globally Explaining the importance of PR & Influencer agencies and why/when to leverage them How fake followers can affect businesses and tips for identifying them Some critical tips to grow a social media presence and following Thank you for joining us, and we hope you enjoyed the conversation as much as we did! Enjoy, and thanks for listening! Sonny

Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes spoke publicly about her sexuality for the first time last year. Her new memoir, Unique, details how serving in the military in the late 1980s - when it was illegal to be gay in the military – was a major factor in contributing to her decades-long silence. She joins us to speak about her experience. After a reshuffle that left the government with no women in the “big four” offices of state, we speak to Justice Secretary Alex Chalk about the impact of the reshuffle as well as sentencing reforms which will affect women. From Nefertiti to Amy Winehouse, what is the personal and political power of eyeliner? We discuss with Zahra Hankir, author of Eyeliner: A Cultural History. Tish Murtha is a celebrated photographer whose images of working-class life in North East England can be found in the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain. But in her lifetime, Murtha struggled to find work of any kind. Now her daughter, Ella, has made a film about Murtha's life and work. We speak to Ella and producer of the documentary, Jen Corcoran. How is our interaction with AI shifting our concepts of intimacy and sexuality as humans? We discuss with Kate Devlin, Reader in Artificial Intelligence & Society at King's College London, and to Trudy Barber, Senior Lecturer at Portsmouth University in Media Studies. In April 2020, Debenhams in Ireland closed all 11 of its stores, informing its staff they had been let go in the process. What ensued were pickets and protests across Ireland that lasted for 406 days. As a new film is released on the subject, we're joined by two women who were involved, Carol Ann Bridgeman and Jane Crowe.

The four top jobs in Rishi Sunak's new cabinet have all been filled with men. It's the first time this has happened since 2009. To unpack what this means, Emma Barnett is joined by Baroness Kate Fall, former deputy chief of staff to the newly appointed Lord Cameron, and Executive Editor of Politico Anne McElvoy. Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes spoke publicly about her sexuality for the first time in June last year. Her new memoir, Unique, details how serving in the military in the late 1980s - when it was illegal to be gay in the military – was a major factor in contributing to her decades-long silence. Dame Kelly joins Woman's Hour to speak about her experience and what it meant to hear the Government's apology to LGBT veterans. In April 2020, Debenhams in Ireland closed all 11 of its stores, informing its staff they had been let go in the process. What ensued were pickets and protests across Ireland that lasted for 406 days, 24 hours a day and through all weathers. As a new film is released on the subject in the UK, Emma is joined by Carol Ann Bridgeman who worked for Debenhams for 15 years and Jane Crowe who worked there for 23 years. Karuna Nundy is an advocate at the Supreme Court in India and has been leading legal campaigns to criminalise marital rape and to legalise same-sex marriage. She was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2022 and will be giving a speech on her career tonight at the Institute for Development Studies. She joins Emma to discuss her role in these high-profile cases. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lottie Garton

Sam Jameson is one of many UK-based, Black and female founders that are transforming the beauty and wellness space, one product at a time. A born creator and leader, Soapsmith isn't Samantha Jameson's first endeavour into the world of Entrepreneurship.  At the age of just 24, Sam launched and ran a successful event chocolate fountain business; the assets she later went on to sell to Thorntons Chocolatiers. Sam then turned her attention to starting the Soapsmith journey in 2010; marrying her talent for fragrances and desire to bring joy and new energy into everyday moments, through scent. Soapsmith is the result of Sam's true love; taking her hobby of artisanal soap making and scent creation, she soon transformed it into a viable business. In a true act of faith, Sam poured all her savings (topped up by cash made by pawning her engagement ring - that she later got back) into setting up a home in the Old Clockworks in Walthamstow. In 2012, Soapsmith officially launched with a small collection of products and just herself making each one. Sam sought inspiration for her scents from the real world around her. A born and bred Londoner Sam is constantly inspired by the raw, vibrant energy of the people and places she grew up around and still lives today. One of her first, and still best-selling scents is Hackney, which was inspired by Sam's childhood home. The fresh, grassy scent is evocative of Sam's teenage years and long summer days spent on the Marshes with her brothers and friends. Eleven years on the collection has grown exponentially, now offering a full range of products and 8 London scents and one international scent which is a limited edition Christmas scent, that has been brought back due to popular demand since its launch in 2022. Soapsmith has also launched their first ever homeware product, the limited edition Whitechapel diffuser. Products are stocked Nationwide in leading luxury retailers, hotels, restaurants and independent boutiques. The brand has also garnered a large, loyal online community through its online shops.Sam's love of bringing fragrance into tangible products comes from her innate curiosity and her ability to take huge inspiration from her surroundings and make something beautiful that reflects it.  A huge lover of travel and high-energy places (Las Vegas is her second love after London!) Sam and her team of Soapsmiths are developing the brand further with global inspiration as the world opens up again.Sam is also passionate that the business serves a purpose for the wider community. Soapsmith donates soaps and scents to charity; from mental health and homeless charities to a small charity set up to support parents who have lost their babies. Sam is a firm believer that scent can bring great comfort, solace or joy to people when they need it the most.Sam still resides in East London with her partner and little girl, Eva. After scent (and family), Sam's other great loves include music, discovering new places, fashion and mojitos! Soapsmith products are available to shop at soapsmith.com, Liberty London, Fenwick, and Debenhams to name a few.Find out more about Sam Jameson via: LinkedIn.Find out more about Soapsmith via: their website, Instagram and Facebook.A new episode EVERY WEEK, showcasing the journeys of inspirational entrepreneurs, side hustlers and their mentors. We discuss their successes, challenges and how they overcame setbacks. Focusing mainly on what they wish they had known when starting out. The podcast aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the c

Welcome to another episode of Expert To Authority Show, brought to you by http://gtex.org.uk/,  I am your host, Simone Vincenzi, The Experts Strategist, and this is the podcast for experts who want to become the ultimate authority in their niche while making an impact in the world. We have created the Webinar Conversion Kit where you will get access to: The High-Converting Webinar Framework BONUS #1: High-Converting Webinar Slide Template BONUS #2: Pitch and Follow Up Templates BONUS #3: High Converting Webinars Case Studies BONUS #4: Our Trello Webinar Checklist All of this for only £29.99 for a limited period of time. Click here to download. https://webinarconversionkit.com/ Today I have the pleasure to Interview Jane McLelland As a long term stage 4 survivor, Jane mission is to empower other cancer patients to understand the abnormal cancer metabolism so they too can starve their cancer. This can be achieved with a combination of off label drugs, key supplements and a personalised diet. My second edition of How To Starve Cancer (published July 2021) and her online course includes how cancer can be killed by ferroptosis, 'death by iron'. Jane worked for many years as a Chartered Physiotherapist, then entrepreneur, winning Gift of the Year 2003 with my natural BATHrobics toiletries and home spa rituals. These were sold nationwide through major department stores (eg John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser) and chemists. Connect with Jane McLelland Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-mclelland-33b4774b/ Website:  https://www.howtostarvecancer.com/ Website: https://how-to-starve-cancer.teachable.com/p/how-to-starve-cancer-online-course   To become a GTeX Member, Apply here: https://gtex.events/call  ------- To receive daily support in your coaching and speaking business, join our private Facebook Group EXPLODE YOUR EXPERT BIZ https://www.facebook.com/groups/explodeyourexpertbiz/ ------- Take a full business assessment for free to have absolute clarity on your business with the EXPERT BIZ CHECKLIST. http://bit.ly/expert-biz-checklist-podcast ------ Also, make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any other episode.   If you want to reach out to me with your questions, you can email me at Simone@gtex.org.uk that comes right to my inbox --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/explode/message

Open Brands: A Chat with 7 Figure Seller Adam Jagot In this episode of Seller Sessions, we have Adam Jagot, an experienced Amazon seller in the clothing category, sharing his journey and insights.  Here are the key points discussed: Starting out on eBay: Inspired by the success of big clothing brands like Boohoo, Adam began his selling journey on eBay, primarily focusing on women's clothing due to the availability from manufacturers. * Learning the ropes: With limited knowledge about clothing styles, Adam had to learn from others in the industry and adapt to the demands of the market. * Expanding to Amazon: Adam eventually expanded his clothing business to Amazon, alongside his existing shoe business. Sales quickly skyrocketed, leading to the need for recruiting more staff for efficient picking and packing. * Dealing with challenges: Adam faced the issue of hijacked listings and price undercutting by other sellers. This prompted him to explore Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), which resulted in significant revenue growth. * European expansion: Seeing the potential for growth, Adam expanded his business to different European countries, translating listings for each market and experiencing unprecedented sales numbers. * Discovering new opportunities: Attending the Retail Without Borders trade event in early 2020, Adam stumbled upon new opportunities and learned about selling on multiple platforms. He successfully transitioned between inventory management systems. * Positive impact of COVID-19: The pandemic had a positive impact on Adam's sales as online shopping surged. He adapted to the changing landscape and benefited from increased customer demand. * Brand diversification: Adam ventured into the kids' clothing market, introducing additional brands to his portfolio. * Focus on staple garments: Adam's strategy revolves around offering staple and neutral garments that appeal to a wide range of customers, ensuring consistent sales. * Seasonal inventory management: Adam orders inventory in advance based on seasons and data, anticipating demand and preparing accordingly. * Managing returns: To mitigate returns, Adam implements careful inspection processes and donates unsellable items. * Manufacturing considerations: Adam shifted manufacturing primarily to Turkey for faster delivery times compared to China, given the importance of timely supply in the fashion industry. * Key sellers: Leggings and cardigans are standout sellers for Adam's brand, capturing customer interest and driving revenue. * Seasonal spikes: Adam's brand experiences spikes in sales during specific seasons, notably in February, summer, and October (Halloween), while Christmas and January sales are not significant for their brand. * Challenges of website sales: Despite having their own online store, Adam notes that revenue from websites is only about 10% compared to Amazon. Building and maintaining websites requires significant effort and driving traffic can be costly. * Influencer marketing impact: Influencer marketing can generate sudden sales spikes, but the window of opportunity is short. Collaborating with major influencers can attract attention from other influencers and retailers. * Brand partnership challenges: Adam shares an experience with a potential brand partnership with Debenhams, where a large stock investment was required. Ultimately, the partnership did not materialise. * Current challenges: The present year has proven to be the toughest for Adam's business, with various market challenges and obstacles to overcome. * Future plans: Adam is planning to pivot and explore other product categories while entering the US marketplace for further growth opportunities.   Tune in to the full episode to gain more valuable insights from Adam Jagot's journey as an Amazon seller in the clothing category.

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack On Friday I went into the Iceland Store on Talbot Street to speak with some of the workers who are currently occupying it as part of an ongoing and nationwide dispute with their employer over unpaid wages and many other breaches of the terms of their employment. The fact that we sat only a few hundred meters from where Debenhams workers were shafted was not lost on anybody. Staff member Donna and Independent Workers Union rep, Alex, talked to me about the months that built up to this action and how they've sought and received little or no support from Government nor the company's UK owner. A sincere thank you to Bernard Mulvany, for helping to arrange the podcast. Up the Workers. Support them at https://www.union.ie/ The Fine Gael, the far right and the Nature Restoration Law Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-85775565

This week on Screentime John Fardy talks to Oscar-Winner Daniel Kaluuya and Shameik Moore about voicing different Spidermen in the much-anticipated sequel ‘Spiderman Across the Spider Verse'. We hear from Director Tina Satter about her new film ‘Reality' all about the whistler-blower Reality Winner who want to jail for leaking documents concerning Russian interference in the 2016 US Election. Film-maker Joe Lee joins John to about his documentary ‘406 Days' which chronicles the Debenhams workers who wouldn't take ‘No' for an answer. Plus Film Critic Chris Wasser reviews ‘The Bogeyman' and a dancing Paul Mescal in ‘Carmen'

Neil speaks with people who had eggs thrown at their cars on the N25 near Youghal, Valerie Conlon on the new Debenhams documentary, and Chef Jack Delaney with some BBQ tips. Tune into the Neil Prendeville Show weekdays from 9am on Cork's RedFM.

In this Film Ireland podcast, Gemma Creagh talks to Producer Fergus Dowd and Ex-Debenhams worker Carol Ann Bridgeman about 406 Days. The film tells the story of the 1,000 Irish Debenhams workers who were made redundant through a generic email on the 9th of April 2020 after Debenhams UK Retail Ltd closed all 11 Irish stores including their flagship store on Henry St. Dublin 1. The workforce, 95% female, had been denied an earlier agreed redundancy package. They voted to go on official strike and blocked stock being removed from the 11 stores by the liquidator. The workers remained on the picket lines, through the Covid 19 pandemic for 406 days, making it the longest industrial dispute in Irish labour history. It finally ended in May 2021 through a compromise government-sponsored proposal based on a retraining fund. But the telling of the very human stories of courage, determination, and friendship that lay behind the conflict are told here for the first time in ‘406 days-The Debenhams Picket Line'. 406 Days opens at cinemas across the country on 26th May 2023.

Henry Holland is the man behind fashion brand ‘House of Holland', known for its signature rhyming slogan t-shirts such as 'Cause me pain Hedi Slimane' and ‘“I'll Tell You Who's Boss Kate Moss'. At one point they had over a 100 stockists all over the world. Henry produced special collections for Debenhams and Habitat.  But at the start of the pandemic, Henry called in the administrators and left the world of fashion to go into ceramics. What happened? If you have any feedback, we'd love to hear it. What would make the show better? hello@secretleaders.com  Sponsor links: personio.com/secretleaders

Cabiri specialises in helping businesses through technology change and they have a lot of experience building composable solutions, which seems to be everyone's current architectural obsession. The project that caught our eye was the relaunch of Debenhams.com on a composable stack in an 8-week project, so we decided to find out how this was possible. The term composable is used a lot in the industry but there's still a lack of knowledge in many organisations regarding the operational, technical and financial implications of this approach, and it's not right for everyone. Indeed, amongst the success stories are a few car crashes where money has been burned and projects ditched. In this episode we sit down with Cabiri CEO and Founder Rex Bigger to get an expert's practical view on the implications of a composable project and how Cabiri is simplifying the migration towards this architectural approach. Tl;dr what we'll cover: Challenges and risks going composable How Cabiri simplifies project delivery Implications for resourcing and team structures

Filmmaker Fergus Dowd and former Debenhams worker Carol Ann Bridgeman join Ger & Shane on #OTBAM ahead of the release of '406 Days', a new documentary telling tales from the Debenhams Picket Line. Catch OTB's sports breakfast show LIVE weekday mornings from 7:30am or just search for OTB AM and get the podcast on the OTB Sports app or wherever you listen to yours. SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW the OTB AM podcast. #OTBAM is live weekday mornings from 7:30am across Off The Ball, in association with Gillette | #EffortlessFlow

If you need some quiet time from your kids, just play hide and seek. But don't look in the closet... Oh, and if your Baby Daddy suddenly ups and leaves, check he isn't hiding under the bunk bed. And finally, Sara Sarita tells us if Woolworths and Debenhams are due a comeback. Find us on: http://linktr.ee/ghosthunspod

Together with special co-host Sean Kelly we talk about all things redevelopment: from the strange sensation of taking things off display, to the joy of opening the doors, and why museum work never stops. Also tune in for interviews with Georgina Young from Manchester Museum, Alex Cropper from Manchester Jewish Museum, and Chris Weeks from Manx National Heritage. 00:00:51 What's happening in Paisley? 00:05:24 Putting collections in new places 00:07:44 The odd melancholy of a decant 00:13:47 Building design and collections care 00:19:21 How long does a big funding bid take? 00:23:04 Why do we redevelop and who decides? 00:29:06 The things people get upset about 00:39:51 How often do you redevelop? 00:45:27 Interview with Georgina Young 00:57:20 Interview with Alex Cropper 01:06:07 Interview with Chris Weeks Show Notes: - Paisley Museum and Art Galleries: https://paisley.is/paisley-museum-and-art-galleries/ - City of Culture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_City_of_Culture - Carmarthenshire Museums and an old Debenhams: https://newsroom.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/2022/08/former-debenhams-building-to-be-used-to-bring-together-key-public-services-all-under-one-roof/#.Y494XOzP2A4 - ALA projects: https://www.ala.uk.com/selected-projects/ - The Wellcome thread everyone got oddly upset about: https://twitter.com/ExploreWellcome/status/1596091202381975552 - Wellcome gallery closure statement: https://wellcomecollection.org/pages/Y4TdMBAAACMApB14 - Ipswich Museum redevelopment: https://ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk/ipswichmuseumredevelopment/ - People being angry at Ipswich redevelopment plans: https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/local-council/20706027.ipswich-museum-addresses-petition-reassures-history-will-preserved/ - Article Kloe was quoting: https://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news/ipswich-museum-under-threat-from-historically-insensitive-redevelopment - What's happening to the old Museum of London site: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/27/museum-of-london-plans-to-demlish-site-bastion-house-sheppard-robson-diller-scofidio-renfro-centre-for-music - Manchester Museum's Hello Future redevelopment: https://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/about/hellofuture/ - Manchester Jewish Museum: https://www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com/ - Manx National Heritage: https://manxnationalheritage.im/ - Isle of Man TT Gallery project: https://manxnationalheritage.im/about-us/isle-of-man-tt-gallery/ - Zenzie Tinker Conservation: https://www.zenzietinker.co.uk/ Support us on Patreon! http://www.patreon.com/thecword Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Sean Kelly. Intro and outro music by DDmyzik, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license. A Wooden Dice production, 2022.

We speak to our work and technology correspondent Brian O'Donovan

“I need to push myself to build that and get myself to a point where I feel that I am financially secure. And probably that's one of the main drivers for why I'm so passionate about encouraging people to learn about money and understand money and be empowered by it so that they can reap benefits later on.”Louise co-founded GoHenry in 2012 when she realised that her children needed to learn how to manage money in an increasingly digital world. At the time her son was eight and her daughter was 11. Louise was so frustrated by how much they were buying online without realising the implications that she would pin Apple invoices to the fridge door to help them understand why their £4 a week pocket money was now just 50p. Fast forward ten years and GoHenry now has a community of 2 million customers in the US and UK who fiercely believe that good money management is a vital life skill.“It's always fantastic when a customer contacts us and says that their kids' behaviors changed or decisions have changed since they joined goHenry.”  Louise is Crowdcube's top female fundraiser, raising £12m in four rounds on Crowdcube, including a single, record breaking raise of £6m in September 2018.In this episode we discuss:the launch of goHenry and the moment she realised it was bigways the company is empowering young people to manage their moneyinternational expansion into the US and Europe and the challenges brought about by the idiosyncrasies of these marketsLouise's own journey and how that's shaped her attitude to money plus more.  Louise has over 20 years experience in commerce and operations. Prior to goHenry, Louise was at the forefront of the retail industry's transition to digital, launching the first wave of ecommerce websites for some of the UK's biggest household names, including Next Directory, John Lewis, The Innovations Group, Past Times and Debenhams. “Prosperity to me means that point at which you feel you've got enough, you're financially secure. And I don't think I've reached that point yet. I wish I had started investing and saving earlier.” Louise is an authority on financial education and the youth economy and has made regular appearances on BBC radio and TV, including BBC Breakfast. Louise is a big advocate for the power of learning by doing and dedicates time talking to MBA groups at universities around the country.Find out more about goHenry on their website and Louise Hill on LinkedIn.  Support the show

Today's guest is Deb Farnworth-Wood from Issada Deb is an MBA graduate, a Certified Franchise Executive, and a serial entrepreneur. She holds over 30 years of experience in the management of large, complex, and multi-disciplinary healthcare organisations, including pharmacy, GP Services, surgical facilities, dietetics, podiatry, nurse practitioners, counselling and secondary care services. She also has significant experience in the multi-outlet retail sector having held a variety of store and head office roles in Debenhams as well as big shed DIY and home furnishings retailers. Deb's career has been punctuated by ‘firsts'. She was the first non-doctor to become a partner in a UK medical practice, and her group were the first non-pharmacist to own a UK pharmacy. She also opened England's first drive-thru pharmacy. It's a testament to her incredible vision and passion for the aesthetics industry that she continues to push the boundaries of business to this day. She purchased Issada in 2020 and has managed to continue to grow the business despite being in the midst of a global pandemic. Here to discuss business growth strategies and the importance of supplier relationships from Issada, today we welcome Deb Farnworth-Wood. This episode is brought to you by ISSADA. Enter the code ABIC201 at checkout to receive 20% off your first wholesale order or your first retail purchase from Issada. Become a stockist today! Beaute by ABIC Podcast is an independent podcast that operates with the support of our listeners (that's you!) So if you would like to support the show, we would very much appreciate that. Hit ‘subscribe' on Apple Podcasts or ‘follow' on Spotify, and leave a review if you're feeling especially generous and please follow us @aestheticbeautycouncil --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/beaute-industrie/message

★ PLEASE VOTE ★ Super elated to be nominated for the Creative Industry Awards "Best Content Creator." I value your support in voting for me. To vote, please click this link, scroll down to the Best Content Creator section and select my name: https://www.creativeindustryawards.co.uk/public-voting-1 Voting is closes midnight 28th Aug 2022 For the full show notes and transcription checkout: https://www.superpowers.school/ Watch episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/paddydhanda ★ BUY ME KO-FI ★ If you enjoy the podcast, then you can donate a small amount here as a token of your appreciation: https://ko-fi.com/paddydhanda Contact Paddy at: pardeep_dhanda (at) hotmail.com SONAMM SHARMA Sonamm Sharma or Zaffarah is a versatile and multi-talented artist with years of experience in numerous creative fields, ranging from modelling to acting, from writing to music, from graphic design to art. Sonam has worked with the likes of National Geographic, World Book of Beauties (Canada), Singapore Tourism (Sentosa), Brazilian Teenage Mag ‘Bliss', Top shop, Debenhams, a Scottish Educational Campaign, NDTV Prime, BSNL, Nissan Datsun, UNICEF, Canon India etc.. Sonam is also a theatre artiste (English plays primarily) currently based in New Delhi, India. She has been working as an actor for stage and camera for over 10 years now. Apart from plays & award winning short films, she has appeared on a TV show called 'airlines' on star plus, webseries called 'BAKED', ads, web videos (Scoopwhoop) & music videos. She has also worked in two Nollywood films, a web series called Made in Heaven directed by Zoya Akhtar for Amazon Prime, international short films and is also in the process of working on more international projects this year. Apart from acting, Sonam works as a Brand Architect and a Marketing Consultant to a range of businesses in India as also internationally. She offers a portfolio of skills given her background in Advertising and Marcom, and education in Design & I.T. from England and English Literature from Delhi University, India. Specialising in Creative Marketing/ Social Media Strategy, Copy writing, and Branding/ Personal Branding, Sonam has made noteworthy contributions in many Brand Building/ Brand Management/ ORM/ Digital Marketing Activations for companies like Microsoft, EMC, Apollo Tyres etc. apart from working closely with Hospitality, Fashion, Film & Lifestyle Industries. Sonam is the recipient of the Asdan Youth Achievement Award (Gold) for her creative contribution with a Yorkshire based charity (2008, UK). She was lauded internationally for her creative writing skills in the British Vogue Young Writers' Contest (2008) and won multiple academic bursaries to further her creative ambitions in the UK. She is a certified learning facilitator for the differently-abled (from the UK) and was also one of the 20 women handpicked from India (2016) to be acknowledged for her contribution toward women empowerment (using performance arts as a medium) at the prestigious 'Women in the World' summit held in association with New York Times. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/superpowers-school/message