The Enterprise Doctor Business Show

On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest was Grace Hardy, of Hardy Accounting, which focusses on helping young business owners navigate the world of accounting. We started by talking about why she didn’t go to university and went the apprenticeship route instead. We went on to discuss the pros and cons of apprenticeships, and how much that has changed since I was a lad! But what about the skills needed to run a business, as well as those required to be an accountant? You can connect with Grace at https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-hardy-maat-b3a6a91b4/ and their website is at https://www.hardyaccounting.com/.  Her podcast can be found on all major platforms by searching “The Unconventional Podcast” (the word “The” is important!). If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/. To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released.   These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 7th November 2024, my guests were marketing expert Vicky White and solicitor Erika Moralez-Perez, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  I started the show with one from the Hilary playlist – Road Rage from Catatonia.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/U_bL0EqlDEk?si=hDjWvaEPRtup8q5E.Erika then spoke about her work with Iconos Group, including that they only work with businesses, providing outsourced in house legal services.  Much of their work is about prevention rather than cure, and we talked about the wisdom of businesses going that route.You can connect with Erika via https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikamoralezperez/and her website is at https://www.iconos-group.com/.Vicky then spoke about her work for White Communications, a digital marketing agency working with startups and SMEs to help them accelerate their growth.  It’s so much ore than building a website.  You need a marketing strategy, and have to draw people to the website.For more see https://whitecommunications.co.uk/ and you can connect with Vicky at https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickyannewhite/ .Vicky’s music choice was Firework by Katy Perry, because it’s just the week to play it!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/QGJuMBdaqIw?si=jjJNUclUW_7DoDRd.The business news story chosen for us by Vicky was https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14039891/Blinds-company-goes-viral-adding-touch-Gen-Z-riz-marketing-campaign.html - what a fab way to go viral – what can other businesses do to go viral?We then played Erika’s choice of music – Survivor by Destiny’s Child, because it’s been one of those weeks, and she feels like a survivor!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/Wmc8bQoL-J0?si=etPNs1VDEhsBAXuP.Erika then chose for us the story at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxj700pxpdo - a great story, and so is the AI business angle that we discussed in some detail.The last song is another from the Hilary playlist – I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas - you can hear it at https://youtu.be/uSD4vsh1zDA?si=H8uCVFxiBL4F4HJ0.You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   My website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/.  Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

In today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest was Emma Sweet, Founder of Ace Places Playing Cards, which celebrate the best bits of places worth visiting. We started by talking about what the point is of the packs of cards – almost a travel guide to the hidden gems of a town, as well as of course being able to be used as a pack of cards, be that for poker or snap! We went on to discuss the business model, the ten thousand packs sold in the first twelve months, the lack of logos on the cards and why some of the cards are deliberately mysterious. But how did the business get started?  And how did it reach such heights so quickly? You can connect with Emma at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-sweet-rg10/ and their website is at https://www.aceplaces.co.uk/ . If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released.   These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 24th October 2024, my guests were financial advice expert Gemma Wass and marketing expert Sarah Fletcher, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  I started the show with one from the Hilary playlist – Uptown Funk from Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars.  Listen at https://youtu.be/OPf0YbXqDm0?si=LBBtN5w_1nbgSdy9 along with the other 5.3b views.Sarah then spoke about her work with Mushroom Soufflé, including why that’s the company name, and the work the do with authors of non-fiction and business books to build their “cookie jar” of marketing content.Connect with Sarah via https://www.linkedin.com/in/mushroomsouffle/ and her website is at https://mushroom-souffle.co.uk/.Gemma then spoke about her work for Harding Financial, a firm of independent financial planners who look after private clients with everything from retirement planning to enabling their dreams, as well as helping business clients from start-up to around 300 people with a pick and mix comprising pensions, payroll benefits and more. For more see https://hardingfinancial.co.uk/ and you can connect with Gemma at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-wass-previously-ryeland-180a3611/ .Gemma’s music choice was Cold Heart by Elton John & Dua Lipa, because it reminds her of being in a beach bar with a cocktail and a beautiful summer vibe. Hear it at https://youtu.be/qod03PVTLqk?si=4WNY5lojqNVlmA8C.Sarah's business news story was https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/in-togo-these-school-uniforms-are-at-the-center-of-a-movement-offering-girls-and-women-a-chance-to-build-better-lives/ - a great solution with incredible benefits for people in a very difficult environment, starting by understanding a problem and developing a business to solve that problem.  Sarah’s choice of music was Lone Digger by Caravan Palace because she loves the band and loves the clarity of each instrument.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/UbQgXeY_zi4?si=lm6avFpNpGKz2U6y.Gemma then chose https://www.independent.co.uk/business/what-could-an-increase-in-employer-national-insurance-mean-for-businesses-b2629476.html - has the Government got it right, or are there better ways to raise money from businesses?The last song is another from the Hilary playlist – Roar by Katy Perry - hear it at https://youtu.be/0Af7ayYIJ9w?si=EfAN82ivmcAxQ6Ay.You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   My website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/.  Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 10th October 2024, my guests were branding expert Mark Baxter and behaviour change, energy and wellness coach Sheila Docker, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  I started the show with one from the Hilary playlist – Siouxsie And The Banshees with Hong Kong Garden.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/Y-l9GQJRl9Y?si=a-7grzfJbg3WTKf7 .Sheila spoke about The Primal Zone, her coaching business.  She works mainly with men and we talked about why it may be that men need / want her help, as well as how attainable their objectives are.Connect with Sheila via https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheiladocker/ and her website is at https://www.theprimalzone.com/ .Mark then spoke about his work running brand design consultancy Baggi.  He describes the three things that make an effective brand and we talk about why the Marlow FM logo is good, but as he made clear, a brand is so much more than a logo.For more see https://www.baggi.co.uk/ and connect with Mark at https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbaggibaxter/ .Sheila’s music choice was Highwomen by The Highwomen, because it’s a brilliant song by a supergroup and is the female version of a song released by a male supergroup.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/7D-6nklMMbM?si=hmRn9TKN_lRkHax8 .Her business news story was https://www.fastcompany.com/91051135/what-going-to-the-gym-taught-me-about-running-a-business - the parallels were intriguing and useful to those running businesses. We then played Mark’s music choice – The Harry J All Stars with Liquidator, which I said I didn’t know but I do – I bet you do too!  Listen in to find out the link between the song, a certain football match, and the name of his business.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/OTn01jjEFfY?si=v92zesSRNJ7Jjc5J.Mark then chose https://www.creativereview.co.uk/burger-king-post-birth-ad-controversy/ - the ads have certainly got Burger King noticed, and our conversation covered a wide range, from marketing to breastfeeding and much in between!My story was https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/2024-09-25-upcoming-changes-to-sexual-harassment-legislation-everything-hr-needs-to-know - why do so few people know about this new law, and how can it be implemented, particularly by small businesses?The last song is another from the Hilary playlist – Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) by Buzzcocks - hear it at https://youtu.be/0Af7ayYIJ9w?si=EfAN82ivmcAxQ6Ay.Connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and here! Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

In today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest is sustainability brand ambassador Lynne Lambourne.We spoke about the potential for greenwashing as opposed to true sustainability, how small businesses can start going about becoming sustainable, how to market the ways in which you are sustainable, and a lot more!You can connect with Lynne at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynne-lambourne-90667b2/ and her website is at https://lynnelambourne.com/.  The link to the tool provided by the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce that I mentioned can be found at https://www.thamesvalleychamber.co.uk/sustainability/ .If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released. These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest was Rebecca Mian, Director of People Services at Benenden Health.We spoke about the campaign launched by Benenden Health, in partnership with the Fawcett Society and Cherry Healey, which shines a light on the gender health gap in the UK in a bid to break down the barriers that lead to poorer health outcomes for women.Identifying some of the key issues they face in the workplace, more than two thirds of women (70%) said they find it challenging dealing with periods at work, while 62% have faced challenges when pregnant. In this instance, almost half revealed that they have had difficulty when trying to conceal a pregnancy in the workplace and two thirds of women (64%) say they have struggled with the impact of the menopause at work.You can connect with Rebecca at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-mian-644a913a/  and the Benenden Health website is at https://www.benenden.co.uk/ .For more on the report and the associated campaign, go to https://www.benenden.co.uk/newsroom/gender-health-gap-2024/ .If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released. These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 15th August 2024 my guests were marketing expert Deb Mason and executive coach Amanda Bouch, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  I started the show with one from the Hilary playlist – “Oblivious” from Aztec Camera.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/2B2Sc2G_5ZA?si=1fHmy9MFGLMGtC5N.Deb then spoke about her work with Clean Linen and Workwear, including how they professionally launder products for the hospitality sector, with a range of reasons that doing it at home is not a good idea!  We also talk about how they ensure they’re eco-friendly.  You can connect with Deb via https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahvmason-socialmediaconsultant/ and their website is at https://www.cleanservices.co.uk/ .Amanda then spoke about her work running Amanda Bouch Consulting including a discussion about the scale of businesses where she delivers coaching and the pros and cons of working with larger businesses, as well as the common theme within her work.For more see https://www.amandabouchconsulting.co.uk/ and you can connect with Amanda at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandabouch/.Her music choice was “We didn’t start the fire” by Billy Joel, because she loves him and loves the song, and it has a great message.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/eFTLKWw542g?si=UGXiuEBinrl3wuCQ.We stayed with Amanda for her business news story, which was https://hrzone.com/performance-management-doesnt-work-for-98-of-chros/ - what even is that, and why isn’t it working?We then played Deb’s choice of music – “Dirty Laundry”, by Nickelback.  No prizes for guessing why she chose it!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/9iUOFerRum8?si=RP_NJ-47xu_g_yIQ.Deb then chose for us the story at https://www.marketingweek.com/why-it-works-meerkats-insurance-memorable/ - it’s known as a fluent device and has had great success, but why?  And Amanda shared a very relevant and surprising part of her past with us, as part of the answer!We then talked about my story - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgedy443ldqo - how mad to make the decision the did with no consultation or announcement, but how great to then listen to their customers and do a U-turn.The last song is another from the Hilary playlist – Squeeze with “Cool for Cats”- you can hear it at https://youtu.be/uJ2cEc_TCH8?si=v1C0at4fTcUXkucn .You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   My website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/.  Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

Welcome to today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, with my guest Alice Beer, consumer expert and TV presenter.We spoke about the second annual report from Virgin Red, which looks at how consumers interact with loyalty cards (or, as I call them, lack of loyalty cards!).  Some great input for you as a consumer, but think about it from a business perspective – how can you motivate loyalty in your customers, and benefit from that?You can follow Alice at https://www.instagram.com/thisisalicebeer/?hl=en and the Virgin Red website is at https://www.virgin.com/virgin-red/ .If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 1st August 2024, my guests were marketing expert Vicky White and travel expert Janet Lacey, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  I started the show with a track from Kenny Rogers – “The Gambler”.  Just a small clue as to what I’d done the previous day.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/7hx4gdlfamo?si=-i-SRTwmC0ZyxNfO.Janet then spoke about her work with Not Just Travel, including how they turn your dreams and aspirations into an amazing trip.  You can connect with Janet via https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-lacey-stelling-24034911/ and their website is at https://thelaceys.notjusttravel.com/ .Vicky then spoke about her work running White Communications including a discussion about the importance of a marketing strategy, and whether you should rely on Chat GPT to write that for you. For more see https://whitecommunications.co.uk/ and you can connect with Vicky at https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickyannewhite/.Her music choice was Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & the Waves, because it’s a great song for this weather, and a regular song played for the family in the car.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/iPUmE-tne5U?si=Vn-Y92YzjXWT9Nd_.We stayed with Vicky for her business news story, which was https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/czrjz1zy3k1o - the first time the BBC Sport website has featured on The Business Show.  The power of social media was clearly demonstrated by the spread of this picture, doing good for everyone involved, and the conversation spread into the benefits of posting personal items on LinkedIn.We then played Janet’s choice of music – “Across the Universe”, by The Beatles.  She chose it because it paints a picture of what she does for her clients!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/90M60PzmxEE?si=xim5yxP0VKQnmx4Q.Janet then chose for us the story at https://ipsos-insight-llc.foleon.com/effie/ipsos-dynamic-effectiveness/breaking-taboos - is it a good marketing philosophy to shock your audience?We then talked about Vicky’s other story - https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/2024/apr/02/50-of-consumers-can-detect-ai-generated-content/ - that means 50% can’t!The last song is another clue as to what I’d done the day before the show – Lady Gaga with “Poker Face”- you can hear it at https://youtu.be/bESGLojNYSo?si=s7izXgsTaomAJod5 .You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   My website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/.  Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest is Dr Emmeline Taylor, Professor of Criminology at the University of London. She spoke about her report focusing on UK’s ‘out of control shoplifting epidemic’ and suggests solutions to tackle the issue – definitely an episode of interest to our listeners in the world of brick & mortar retail sales! You can connect with her via https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-emmeline-taylor-phd-8989b648/ and you can listen to The Retail Crime Podcast via https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpU4nUWSjxYNk2xmVfYFFtA/videos and all popular platforms. If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released.   These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 20th June 2024, my guests were marketing expert Sophie Comas and career coach Tanya Ces Maneiro, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a the business news.  I started with a track from the Hilary playlist - Martha and the Muffins with “Echo Beach” – listen at https://youtu.be/lpqDTQOFvf0?si=U73bgbcEbgu82tA .Tanya then spoke about her work with Vida Coaching, including the secret behind the name.  See more on the career coaching that Tanya delivers at https://vidacoaching.co.uk/ .Connect with Tanya via https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyacesmaneiro-careercoach/ .Sophie then spoke about her work running Rimu Marketing – as you might expect from the name, it’s a full service marketing agency, acting as a virtual marketing team for their clients.  Sophie did also explain where her company name came from!For more see https://www.rimumarketing.co.uk/ and connect with Sophie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiecomas/ .Her music choice was “I Want to Break Free” by Queen, because it’s one of her all time favourites - listen at https://youtu.be/f4Mc-NYPHaQ?si=XHcy2vrnmiVgx34Q – great video!We stayed with Sophie for her business news, which was https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/managing-the-school-holiday-juggle-bright-horizons - a range of conflicting factors – is working unsociable hours the answer?We then played Tanya’s music – “Mother”, by Meghan Trainor, chosen because she’d just been to a gig which included Meghan on the bill, and she was great!  Listen at https://youtu.be/9coyY-SPIXU?si=mNfyFyV-DWJ7NUzK.Tanya then chose for us the story at https://www.forbes.com/sites/lucianapaulise/2024/06/18/54-of-individuals-continue-to-work-on-vacation-what-is-the-cost/ - should you work when on holiday?  At what cost?We then squeezed in a short chat found by me, on entrepreneurs not worrying about being different as reported at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gg58j2yd0o .  Do we worry about being different?The last song is another from the Hilary playlist - you can hear Squeeze with “Cool for Cats” at https://youtu.be/uJ2cEc_TCH8?si=RyoOolKOOXfcT6XK.You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   My website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/.  Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 6th June 24, my guests were house sitting business owner Lamia Walker and business advisor Richard Knight, who joined me to talk about their work, and discuss a range of business news stories.  I started with a track from the Hilary playlist- The Cure with “Boys Don’t Cry” – https://youtu.be/9GkVhgIeGJQ?si=UshzWkp2oYNa3YyW is where you can hear it.Richard then spoke about his work with Bizpedia, a high-end business club, which is a networking group for people running medium to large businesses – see more at https://www.bizpedia.com/.Connect with Richard via https://www.linkedin.com/in/bizpedia-richard/.Lamia then spoke about HouseSitMatch – as you might expect it’s a cross between Airbnb and Match.com - an international network facilitating house sitting and pet sitting all over the world.  For more see https://www.housesitmatch.com and their reviews (4.9 / 5.0) are at https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/housesitmatch.com.  Depending on when you’re reading this, their 20% Off Discount code of PERFECT20 might still work!Connect with Lamia at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamia-walker/.Richard’s music choice was “Can the Can” by Suzi Quatro, because he heard it recently and thought we’d like to too - listen at https://youtu.be/7SXWgC0SLCA?si=-1rdvhgLMei_xYNX .His business story was https://www.fsb.org.uk/resources-page/how-to-tackle-mental-ill-health-in-your-firm.html - how does one do that, and is the answer different for small businesses?Lamia’s music was next – “Get the Party Started”, by Pink.  She chose it because she uses it to energise her.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/mW1dbiD_zDk?si=a9cdOtrRlP4V5uPX.She then chose https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/right-to-disconnect-rules-company-emails-wfh-0qb6qsk6r - should the onus be on the sender or the receiver?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrr5ee5zv8o was suggested by me.  Great story - large issue – think about value.  Did you notice they’re all 5 letter words??We then talked about marketing in a downturn, based on https://www.fsb.org.uk/resources-page/marketing-tips-during-a-downturn.html which Richard found.  Should marketing be the first spend to be cut, or the last?The last song is another from the Hilary playlist - hear Joy Division with “Transmission” at https://youtu.be/6dBt3mJtgJc?si=hhG_pJlUe2SxLLV_ .Connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 23rd May 24, my guests were digital marketing consultant Leona Laurie and web developer David Horne, who discussed their work and some business news stories.  From the Hilary playlist, my first music choice was Orange Juice with “Rip It Up” – listen at https://youtu.be/UzPh89tD5pA?si=0Bo_6W_qDmU5mbwh.Leona then spoke about her work in digital marketing – that’s mainly B2B, aligning a digital marketing strategy to their specific business goals.  She elaborated on that, as well as talking about the ongoing value of blogs.Connect with her via https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonalaurie/ .David then covered his work running Kehorne and the difference between the web development that they do and the web design that others do – it’s about the tech.Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkehorne/ - his website is https://kehorne.digital/ .His music choice was “Hercules” by Aaron Neville, because this is better than the ska version - hear it at https://youtu.be/NGGRi2CEFu8?si=IjDeMi4R1anZSxFj .Leona stories were - https://www.chieflearningofficer.com/2024/05/10/spatial-computing-and-the-future-of-workplace-learning/ https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/niac-studies/pulsed-plasma-rocket-ppr-shielded-fast-transits-for-humans-to-mars/ and https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/mangalayaan-2-isro-mars-mission-sky-crane-helicopter-rover-2538652-2024-05-13 .It's all about AR, VR & MR – does that help you?  If not, have a listen – it’s worth doing!She chose “Ballroom Blitz”, by Sweet, because she thought her brother-in-law’s band would be great at playing it so they added it to their repertoire!  Hear it at https://youtu.be/mPQPdYttl7U?si=XjtYlKZZ0I_hFePg .David then chose https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2024-04-10/film-studio-goes-into-administration-following-writers-and-actors-strikes and tied in https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/areas/196501/marlow-residents-vote-no-to-multi-million-pound-film-studios-plan.html.  Do we need more studio space?  Or less??https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/24330458.marlows-pub-park-festivalgoers-share-experiences/ was my story - what a great business model!The last song was from the Hilary playlist - hear Aztec Camera with “Oblivious” at https://youtu.be/2B2Sc2G_5ZA?si=O9e6e_qjkeRCbs8j .Join our FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

In today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest is Sarah Dhanda, who at the time was Head of Policy and Partnerships at Enginuity.  Sarah has now retired – lucky her! Enginuity is a charity dedicated to finding new ways to close skills gaps in UK engineering and manufacturing, and their website is at https://enginuity.org/ .   This was recorded during National Apprenticeship Week, and we discussed Enginuity’s concerns about a 4% fall in completion rates of overall apprenticeships, a warning that the higher education sector is going to struggle to meet the government’s target rate of 67% achievement, if the situation isn’t tackled.   Furthermore, of concern is that the Engineering and Manufacturing achievement rates in England for females, non-white ethnic minorities, and learners with disabilities are consistently lower than their corresponding groups.    If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released.   These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

Welcome to today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show.  My guest today is former Coronation Street star Sean Wilson, who knows all about taking a leap of faith and switching career.  He’s sharing his story of how he left acting behind and started his own cheese empire as almost 7 million people are looking to switch careers this year.  Sean, who’s now won awards for his new business, spoke his switch from soaps to cheddar and his tips for having the confidence to try something new.  Along the way he extolled the virtues of the Association of Accounting Technicians, on whom you can see info at https://www.aat.org.uk/ , while Sean’s website is at https://www.artisan-farm.co.uk/ . If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released.   These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 25th April 2024, my guests were business finance expert Adam Cooper and professional organiser Helena McBride, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  As I was recently in Hong Kong, my first music choice had to be Siouxsie and the Banshees with “Hong Kong Garden” – go to https://youtu.be/Y-l9GQJRl9Y?si=LBhIN97nkueoh05F to hear it.Helena then spoke about her work as a professional organiser – it’s so much more than “a bit of a tidy up”!  We included an update on a range of her marketing activities, not least appearing on “The Hotel Inspector” as the expert specially selected by Alex Polizzi.Connect with Helena via https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenathespacemaker/ and her website is at https://thespacemaker.co.uk/ .Adam then spoke about his work running at team of fractional Chief Finance Officers and the advantages to businesses of 10-50 employees of using their services in this way.Connect with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfcooper/ and his website is at https://www.accfinancesolutions.com/ .His music choice was “Running up that hill” by Kate Bush, because his family (in particular his son) love the track.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/wp43OdtAAkM?si=ktCmIYXRgoVQHN_t .  He then chose a story featured at https://bmmagazine.co.uk/in-business/smes-see-strong-start-to-2024-despite-hiring-caution-and-sustainability-concern/ - he wanted to highlight this positive news, but we did dig in to some of the negatives too.We then played Helena’s choice of music – “Locked out of heaven”, by Bruno Mars.  She chose it just because it’s such a great song!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/e-fA-gBCkj0?si=IVuurQ30W9q8LTOL to add to the billion plus views there.She then chose for us the story at https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/24267297.tried-morrisons-good-go-bag-quality/ - is this a good way to deal with the financial risk of having to dispose of unsold goods?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68850766 was my story for us to discuss – was this the second great business pivot by Netflix, or was it their plan from day one?The last song is for me inextricably linked with Australia, another country I recently visited.  You can hear Midnight Oil with “Beds are burning” at https://youtu.be/ejorQVy3m8E?si=8o-MQjJmzYdUbZLb.You can connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/.   My website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/.  Clips of all episodes are at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor/ - please subscribe there, and within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2024. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.

On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest is Liz Mayers, Co-founder and Director at EDI Accreditation,  a firm providing accreditation for organisations, large and small, committed to improving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for their people. The business benefits achieved by having a diverse team, who are treated equally and fairly, in an environment where they can flourish as their authentic selves, are well documented. We talked about how the business came to be, and the expertise that the founders bring to the table, as well as some detail on the benefits to businesses of gaining the accreditation.You can connect with Liz via https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizmayers/ and their website is at https://ediaccreditation.com/ .If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released. These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

In today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show, my guest is Steve O’Connor, Director of the Rover & Rowing Museum in Henley-upon-Thames. I know Steve as I belong to the Henley Business Partnership and their lovely venue hosts the Partnership’s monthly networking events. We talked about the museum, what it does, and for whom.  And it’s quite a broad offering! But the meat of the conversation focussed on the flow of Steve’s journey from the world of business into the third sector and we explored how that business experience has been of value to the charity, and the differences between the two. That included the challenge of balancing loss-making projects of benefit to the wider community against those losses – how do you value an intangible? You can connect with Steve via https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-o-connor-a14b1a6/ and the museum’s website is at https://rrm.co.uk/ . If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ .  To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there!   And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released.  These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.

In today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show my guest is Chris Mills, Global Head of Customer Success at Slack.Towards the end of 2023 they did some research into the plans for 2024 of small businesses, and the skills required.  Changing how business conduct internal communications came out as one of the most important things to do, but how do we do that?And how will Slack change to stay at the forefront of technology? These questions and more were addressed! You can connect with Chris via https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwmills/ and if you’re not yet a happy Slack user like me, the website is at https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/ . And if you want to come up with your own reasons for the company name, please do let me know, but keep it both clean and polite! If you want to connect with me, to talk about the mentoring and coaching I deliver to small businesses, or if you think you'd be a good guest on the show, please do let me know. You can do that via https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ . To contribute to (or just read) conversations about this episode, please join the podcast's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enterprisedoctorbusinessshow/ .And my website is at https://enterprisedoctor.co.uk/. On the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/EnterpriseDoctor you can hear clips of other episodes – please subscribe there! And within your podcast app, remember to like this episode (if you like it!), leave us a great review, and please do subscribe there too, to ensure new episodes hit your app as soon as they're released. These words and the content of the podcast are © Enterprise Doctor 2024.