The Enterprise Doctor Business Show

Mark Harris

Do you run a small business? Would you like loads of free advice from business experts from across the spectrum of business skills? Want advice you can implement right now, for free, to make your business better? Then this is the show for you.This is a serious business show, but with a not so serious feel to it, very much a cafe culture, chatting about business, and both informing and entertaining listeners. Mark Harris is the Enterprise Doctor - he does mentoring and coaching for small businesses. In this series he talks business with a range of business experts. He teases out their secrets of success - how did they do what you're trying to do? Along the way he gets lots of great advice for his business, and of course for yours. read less
BusinessBusiness

Episodes

Why a business benefits from EDI accreditation
1w ago
Why a business benefits from EDI accreditation
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.
Running a business or running a charity – the similarities and the differences
13-04-2024
Running a business or running a charity – the similarities and the differences
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.
How will Slack develop in the foreseeable future?
31-03-2024
How will Slack develop in the foreseeable future?
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.
To what extent has the events industry recovered from Covid?
06-03-2024
To what extent has the events industry recovered from Covid?
On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show my guest was Claudia Hall, Event Director of IBTM World – a global event for the events industry. IBTM World 2023 was the biggest edition yet, with over 60,000 appointments between 4,700+ high profile buyers and 2,200+ exhibitors over the three-day event. During Covid the events industry was clearly decimated, so what’s the situation now? You can connect with Claudia via https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiaihall/ and if you’re interested in next year’s event you can find out more at https://www.ibtmworld.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.
Nikki Burns and Tony K Silver guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 29th February 2024
02-03-2024
Nikki Burns and Tony K Silver guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 29th February 2024
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 29th February 2024, my guests were LinkedIn profiler Tony K Silver, and business consultant Nikki Burns, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  As I was jetting off the day after the show, my first music choice had to be the Peter Paul & Mary version of “Leaving on a jet plane” – https://youtu.be/IVEATF7VNTk?si=MnOtyfHISy7FyvW4.Tony then spoke about his work in the world of LinkedIn, helping clients to maximise the benefits of having a profile, which he starts by asking why they have one at all!Connect with Tony via https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyksilver/ .Nikki then spoke about her work as a business consultant, as well as her role as Chair of the FSB for the Thames Valley.Connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-burns-a784999/.Her music choice was “All you need is love” by The Beatles, because people do business with people, and it’s all about love.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/_paPrw0gAUo?si=dXh1_oc_6NQmADJL .She then chose a story featured at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/networking-building-relationships-yourvirtualpeople/ which tied in with the other article she found at https://speednetworking.com/the-value-of-face-to-face-meetings-why-in-person-is-better-than-online/ - how is networking coming along post Covid, and is f2f better than online?We then played Tony’s choice of music – “When I’m 64”, also by The Beatles.  He chose it because he’s nearly there!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/HCTunqv1Xt4?si=ozO8oh5wiBVYn9GS.We talked a little about whether LinkedIn is networking, and then moved on to Tony’s story, which you’ll find at https://gijn.org/resource/tipsheet-investigating-ai-audio-deepfakes/.  Are AI generated deep fakes a threat to democracy, and to business?The last song was another for (and from) Hilary – XTC with “Making plans for Nigel” – you can hear it at https://youtu.be/n-X3Wy-svIY?si=-uPTD4FxfGnqkQ8.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.
What’s the impact on work of the viral spiral?
24-02-2024
What’s the impact on work of the viral spiral?
On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show (recorded a little before Christmas) my guest is mother, lifestyle advocate and “Made In Chelsea” alumni, Millie Mackintosh. The ‘viral spiral’ is becoming increasingly more prevalent with almost half of people (45%) saying they enter a vicious cycle of falling ill throughout the winter, and over a third (38%) feeling as though it takes them longer to recover from illness since the start of Covid.  The research by Sambucol shows there is also a fear factor as 3 in ten are concerned about infecting other members of their family if they get sick and 23% worry about repeatedly falling sick. We talked about the impact on working people (starting with Millie!) of being ill, the importance of preventing that from happening, and how to do so. The Sambucol website is at https://sambucol.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.
Deb Mason and Beverley Kaye guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 15th February 2024
19-02-2024
Deb Mason and Beverley Kaye guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 15th February 2024
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 15th February 2024, my guests were Beverley Kaye, Chief Commercial Officer of Factotum, and social media queen Deb Mason, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  My first music choice from the Hilary Playlist was New Order with “Temptation” - https://youtu.be/xxDv_RTdLQo?si=rM1Q7oZV8bK1VQbG is where you can hear the full 7 minute version (which I didn’t play!).Deb then spoke about her work in the world of social media, and the questions that are very common to hear from her contacts.  And she had an interesting answer to whether what she does is a science or an art.You can connect with Deb via https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahvmason-socialmediaconsultant/ .Beverley then spoke about Factotum, who are a multi-disciplinary outsourcing firm, and what the role of Chief Commercial Officer actually means!Their website is https://www.factotum.com/and you can connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverley-kaye-76b20723/ .Deb’s music choice was “The Best” by Tina Turner, because the best thing to do is work with people, which is what she does.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/GC5E8ie2pdM?si=QJK4dKwp6S-Dj5B9 .She then chose a story featured at https://www.marketingweek.com/communication-skills-marketing/ - do today’s marketing people have the right communication skills?We then played Beverley’s choice of music – “Never give up on a good thing” by George Benson.  She chose it because we need to hang on to what’s good.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/UNU3OPbeaJw?si=h2Dtf_Yuh9N2serB.Her story for us to discuss can be found at https://www.independent.co.uk/world/avon-recruitment-russia-ukraine-b2486137.html - is this still a valid business model, and what about the reputational damage of being where they are?We finished with my story at https://news.sky.com/story/santander-goes-to-war-over-nationwide-attack-on-high-street-banks-13066717 - two competitors going head to head – is that a good thing to do? The last song was the second for (and from) Hilary – Pixies with “Monkey gone to heaven” – you can hear it at https://youtu.be/OncDlwNH9F0?si=O3rgTak68cTq6LUz.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.
Making shipping parcels easy
16-02-2024
Making shipping parcels easy
On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show my guest is David Saenz, Chief Growth Officer at Evri.For the first time its 360-year history, the Post Office will sell end-to-end services fulfilled by Evri rather than exclusively by Royal Mail. Evri deliver more than over 730 million parcels each year and delivered up to 3.5 million parcels every day between Black Friday and Christmas Day. We talked about what Evri do, and why this new partnership is so good for businesses.  We also speculated about the future of deliveries, with some interesting insights shared!You can connect with David via https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-saenz-5513841/ and their website is at https://www.evri.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.
Gemma Wass and Martina Swinburn guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 1st February 2024
05-02-2024
Gemma Wass and Martina Swinburn guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 1st February 2024
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 1st Feb 24 my guests were Gemma Wass, Associate Director at independent financial advisors Harding Financial and counsellor Martina Swinburn, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  My first music choice from the Hilary Playlist was Crowded House with “Weather With You” - hear it at https://youtu.be/ag8XcMG1EX4?si=4o3mbkg8ldTyk7w2.Gemma then spoke about Harding Financial, covering the two streams of their work – support for businesses and working with private clients.  Their website is at https://hardingfinancial.co.uk/ and you can connect with Gemma via https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-wass-previously-ryeland-180a3611/ .Martina then spoke about her counselling and psychotherapy business based in Henley, and how her Irish upbringing led her to be doing what she does today.Her website is https://www.martinaswinburn.co.uk/ - connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-swinburn-b6327119/ .Her music choice was “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, because it’s about the help she gives people climbing from where they are to where they want to be.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/NG2zyeVRcbs?si=p-ZJO-fGEK91NNaf.Martina chose a story featured at https://www.ivyhouse.co.uk/news-views/articles/five-wellbeing-trends-in-2024/ - where is wellbeing going in 2024, and how does that help businesses?  We then played Gemma’s choice of music – “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.  She chose it because it just makes her happy, and it makes her dance around the kitchen!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/ZbZSe6N_BXs?si=YDK-cZYNYDWmW-6-.Her story for us to discuss can be found at https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/22/mental-health-uk-burnt-out-nation - how should businesses support their staff?We finished with my story at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67911127 - can pop-up shops help to regenerate our High Streets? The last song was the second for (and from) Hilary – Joy Division with “Love will tear us apart” – you can hear it at https://youtu.be/zuuObGsB0No?si=PEqpuYgXlJnOaenp.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.
Steering business leaders through a crisis
26-01-2024
Steering business leaders through a crisis
On today’s episode of The Enterprise Doctor Business Show my guest is Leah Brown of Broadstairs Consulting.   They are a crisis advisory and mediation practice, they run a local mediation centre and they have a weekly leadership podcast called “The Longest Day” – you’ll find it wherever you listen to podcasts. We had a great conversation about how to plan for a crisis, as well as how to behave when that crisis happens.  As covered off within the episode, this needs to be of interest to solopreneurs and micro businesses as well as larger businesses. You can connect with Leah via https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-brown-frsa-b71b0844/ and their website is at https://broadstairsconsulting.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.
Stephanie Buckeridge and Ali Crook guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 18th January 2024
24-01-2024
Stephanie Buckeridge and Ali Crook guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 18th January 2024
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 18th Jan 24, my guests were solicitor Stephanie Buckeridge of Gardner Leader and marketing expert Ali Crook of Idio Web Services, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  My first music choice from the Hilary Playlist was Harry Nilsson with “Everybody’s Talking” - https://youtu.be/55xQu9eIPIA?si=u8eX_Uw-rxmmJlub to listen.Stephanie then spoke about Gardner Leader, a full service legal firm with seven offices across the South East.  One of our chats was around pre-nup agreements, be they for a marriage or a business partnership.Their website is at https://www.gardner-leader.co.uk/ and you can connect with Stephanie via https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-buckeridge-05199923/. Ali then talked about Idio Web Services, their unique pricing model, and why they’re a web services company, not a web design company.Their website is https://www.idioweb.co.uk/ and you can connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisoncrook/. Her music choice was “Dressed for Success” by Roxette, because she loves a confident woman and it links with the next phase of her business journey!  Listen at https://youtu.be/kkxj5xVLyj0?si=RH_OuQp6oOWwyx8s.I chose a story at https://hbr.org/2024/01/how-to-intervene-when-you-witness-workplace-aggression - if you want to intervene rather than standing by, how do you best do that?We then played Stephanie’s choice of music – “Broken Strings” by James Morrison Ft. Nelly Furtado.  She chose it because it’s a great track, with great instrumentals and a great collaboration.  Listen at https://youtu.be/26PAgklYYvo?si=MFi3Bmc80Yi4HWwL.Her story can be found at https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/future-of-work/predictions-gen-z-will-need-employers-keep-board-2024/ - what do employers need to do to attract and retain Gen Z employees?That led nicely to her other story at https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/asda-walmart-four-day-week-b2478363.html - is this option more appealing to those from Gen Z?The last song was the second from Hilary – The Waterboys with “The Whole of the Moon” – listen at https://youtu.be/pu7AR0-FRro?si=vvRFM8elrZ8XN7SH .Connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisedoctor/ and join 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.
From teachers to business owners
13-01-2024
From teachers to business owners
My guests in today’s episode are the wife and husband team of Emily and Paul Hughes.   They are two former teachers who have put their combined 30 years experience in the classroom to set up The Parent Guide to Education.  There’s an array of help for all parenting issues from conception to toddler tantrums, but until now there was nothing to help parents guide their teens through the exam years, which is where Paul & Emily come in. As well as discussing what the business does, we talk about how they transitioned from being teachers to running their own business, carefully designing and engineering a business they can build. You can connect with Emily via https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hughes-339683165/ and Paul via  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hughes-8040a115/ and their website is https://www.parentguidetoeducation.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.
Amanda Bouch and Sheila Docker guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 4th January 2024
06-01-2024
Amanda Bouch and Sheila Docker guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 4th January 2024
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 4th Jan 24, my guests were coach Sheila Docker of The Primal Zone and coach Amanda Bouch of Amanda Bouch Consulting, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.  The theme for my 2 music choices was easy to choose, but hard to say – they're from my late wife’s playlist of favourites.  First up was Ed Sheeran with “Castle On the Hill” - https://youtu.be/K0ibBPhiaG0?si=kI8NfRw7AvmEqXbX is where you can hear it.Amanda then spoke about coaching for Amanda Bouch Consulting, and her specialism in leadership coaching, whether that’s leading themselves or leading the business.Her website is at www.amandabouchconsulting.co.uk and you can connect with Amanda via www.linkedin.com/in/amandabouch or take a look at www.facebook.com/AmandaBouchConsulting.Sheila then talked about coaching for The Primal Zone.  Having solved her own health problems, she now uses her knowledge and skills to help others to do the same, looking at nutrition, mindset and movement, as a behaviour change and wellness coach.Her website is https://www.theprimalzone.com/and you can connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheiladocker/.Her music choice was “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac, because it’s all about looking forward, not looking back.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/QV9JJmSCiI8?si=E9qldihjKsDVxMPd .Amanda chose a story featured at https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/mt-asks-leaders-will-doing-less-year/down-to-business/article/1851960 - what will you be doing less of this year?We then played her choice of music – “King” by Years and Years.  She chose it because it was number one in the charts when she formed her limited company.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/g_uoH6hJilc?si=xOKIKRYbDhdoIIdX.Sheila’s story for us to discuss can be found at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67828891 - some remarkable stats, but for businesses the message is to give your customers choices.That led nicely to my story at https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/23936191.every-new-business-opened-buckinghamshire-year/ - what tips do we have for people starting a new business right now?  Are they mad??The last song was the second for (and from) Hilary – The Cure with “Inbetween Days” – you can hear it at https://youtu.be/nJgRrjbRcmM?si=0uuZmO6qRL1RXSKI.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.
Oli Sussat and Hilary Messer guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 14th December 2023
30-12-2023
Oli Sussat and Hilary Messer guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 14th December 2023
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 14th December 2023, my guests were Hilary Messer of Gardner Leader and Oli Sussat of Harding Financial, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.The theme for my two music choices was walking, and given I needed to be reminded of sunshine, I started with Katrina & The Waves and “Walking on Sunshine” - https://youtu.be/iPUmE-tne5U?si=uqJ3FHtQivv8tgNI is where you can hear it.Hilary then spoke about her legal work for Gardner Leader, and we talked not only about suing people (or being sued!) but how to perhaps avoid either of those things happening, with mediation being a key option.Their website is at https://www.gardner-leader.co.uk/ and you can connect with her via https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-messer-4393332/.Oli then talked about Harding Financial, a firm of independent financial planners, and we talked about their efforts to help people understand their financial options, as well as how they work with employers on employment benefits.Their website is https://hardingfinancial.co.uk/and you can connect with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/osussat/.His music choice was “Especially for you” by Kylie & Jason – because he watched Neighbours twice a day and wanted to actually write a song for Jason!  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/yalM-2ih7RU?si=aM5ac_f_bzOCA0xX.Hilary chose a story featured at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67623614 - have you made an online copy of yourself?  Is it lying to customers, or clever use of tech?We then played her choice of music – “All you need is love”, but very specifically the version from Love Actually.  She chose it because she loves that film. And we all need love right now.  You can hear it at https://youtu.be/m_2q1rclwNE?si=62gcrp5AkiN7sZWS.Oli’s story for us to discuss can be found at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67661494 - but why is this a business story?  What can businesses do to better serve distinct premium and best value markets?The last song was the second on the theme of walking – Aerosmith and Run DMC with “Walk This Way” – you can hear it at https://youtu.be/4B_UYYPb-Gk?si=b8XIxAm1RfjX_WRh. 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 2023. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.
How to become a best selling author
13-12-2023
How to become a best selling author
My guest in today’s episode is Vikrant Shaurya, CEO of Authors On Mission.  They help you become a best selling author, and then help you leverage that to build your brand, attract high-value clients, secure speaking gigs, and leave a lasting legacy. Vikrant’s opening comments about how the business works generated about 37 questions in my mind!  We didn’t cover them all off but by the end of the conversation I clearly understood the benefits of working with him and his team. Have a listen, to reach the same point yourself! You can connect with Vikrant via https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikrantshaurya/ and their website is at https://authorsonmission.com/ .  You can join their community at https://www.skool.com/authorsonmission/about . 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 2023.
Chris Bantock & Sophie Comas guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 30th November 2023
04-12-2023
Chris Bantock & Sophie Comas guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 30th November 2023
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 16th Nov 23, my guests were Sophie Comas of Rimu Marketing and Chris Bantock of Agency Local, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.The theme for my music choices was “yellow” - given that a road next to Watford FC has been renamed Yellow Brick Road, I started with Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” - https://youtu.be/B71PYsd8fG8?si=WNymDmXQpB68wodx is a live version filmed in Kiev.Sophie then spoke about her marketing agency, Rimu Marketing, which acts as a virtual marketing team for their clients, enabling them to explore and implement the whole range of marketing options for them.Her website is at https://www.rimumarketing.co.uk/ - connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiecomas/.Chris then talked about his business, Agency Local, a community for marketing and creative agencies, to support them on the commercial side of running a business.Their website is https://www.agencylocal.co.uk/ - connect with him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbantock/ .His music choice was “Cool for cats” by Squeeze because they’re embarking on their 50th anniversary tour and they were one of the first bands he saw live.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/uJ2cEc_TCH8?si=k1qIEacovxnMkbCo.Chris chose a story featured at https://www.agencybenchmarker.co.uk/ - click on the link there to download the report about hybrid working.  We talked about a range of options for businesses and for their people and concluded that one size does definitely not fit all.We then played Sophie’s music – “The Christmas Song” by Michael Bublé, chosen because he has a reputation for Christmas songs, so we played one.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/QJ5DOWPGxwg?si=NMP0M-N11sGuj6WG.  Sophie’s story is at https://www.marketingweek.com/coca-cola-aldi-christmas-most-effective/ - which Christmas ads are the most effective, and what does “effective” mean?Her other story is https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2023/10/30/top-5-marketing-trends-for-2024/?sh=2edb2614e437 which tied in with Chris’s other story https://www.cim.co.uk/content-hub/editorial/todays-top-five-marketing-challenges/ - what’s expected in the world of marketing in 2024?The last song was the second “yellow” one - Brian Hyland with “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” – hear it at https://youtu.be/ICkWjdQuK7Q?si=VCk-10jQnbCr9T3g. 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 within your podcast app!  Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2023. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.
The benefits of hiring older people
21-11-2023
The benefits of hiring older people
Given that this is National Older Workers Week, it seemed a good time to chat with Claire Hawkins of Phoenix Group, who has just launched the ‘Good Work for Longer Lives’ report, highlighting the diverse challenges facing older workers in the UK, from a lack of readily available career advice, the impact of managing long-term ill health and caring responsibilities, and the lack of career progression hampering mental health and motivation. As well as discussing the part that older people, employers, and indeed Government can play, we discussed age discrimination in job adverts and job specifications, caring responsibilities, and negative stereotypes about older people.You can connect with Claire at https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-hawkins-phoenix/ , the National Older Workers Week website is at https://www.nationalolderworkersweek.co.uk/ and the Phoenix Group site is at https://www.thephoenixgroup.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 2023.
John Pryor & Penny Heyes guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 16th November 2023
18-11-2023
John Pryor & Penny Heyes guest on The Business Show on Marlow FM 16th November 2023
On The Business Show on Marlow FM on 16th November 2023 my guests were Penny Heyes, the founder of The Trust Bridge, and John Pryor, the CEO of Exalt IP, who joined me to talk about their work, and to discuss a range of business news stories.The theme for my two music choices was boys and girls and I started with Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls just want to have fun” – listen at https://youtu.be/PIb6AZdTr-A?si=rsRDVYG5kjgYnH0w.John then spoke about his intellectual property business, starting with defining what it is and talking about trade secrets, brand value, copyright, critical assets and more.His website is at https://exaltip.com/ and you can connect with him via https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-pryor-gb/ .Penny then talked about her business, which originally just helped organisations comply with GDPR, enabling businesses to be trusted by their clients (hence the company name) but now works in the broader area of cyber security.Their website is www.thetrustbridge.co.uk and you can connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennyheyes/.Her music choice was “We are family” by Sister Sledge because it’s always played at family parties.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/uyGY2NfYpeE?si=dZDXblEIHpJOgH6o.John chose https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/may/28/social-media-sites-wild-west-shopping-uk-bank-facebook-instagram to discuss – businesses must protect themselves against fraud, and protect their customers.We then played his choice of music – “Shape of you” by Ed Sheeran.  He chose it because Ed has spent a lot of time fighting claims that he’s stolen the intellectual property of others.  Hear it at https://youtu.be/JGwWNGJdvx8?si=lnecq9Wp_g0OvyQK.Penny’s story for us to discuss is at https://www.digit.fyi/62-of-cisos-concerned-about-personal-liability-for-attacks/ which tied in with her story at https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/sec-hits-solarwinds-and-ciso-with-9744385/ - CISO’s fear of being sued is based on fact as that second story shows. My story at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67377140 underlined the personal financial risks involved in being careless with data – Alison Rose is £7.6m worse off than she might have been!The last song was the second on the theme of boys & girls – Thin Lizzy with “The boys are back in town” – you can hear it at https://youtu.be/5_xqb416S7o?si=1pCxlUPrxvVuuBM_.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 2023. Reproduced here by kind permission of Marlow FM Ltd.
The past and the future of food retailing
14-11-2023
The past and the future of food retailing
Today’s short episode is a recording of a conversation with Cherry Healey.Best known for her hugely successful BBC documentaries including “Inside the Factory”, Cherry is insightful, witty, challenging and compassionate about the subjects she covers,   This was recorded on 1st November 2023, when the Co-op was celebrating 75 years since a momentous moment in UK retailing history - the opening of the first convenience store. As well as discussing the leading role of the Co-Op in the food retail sector, we discussed where the sector might go in the future, with robot and drone deliveries just two of the possibilities, along with the importance of quality of service. You can connect with Cherry at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherryhealey/  and follow her at https://www.facebook.com/CherryHealeyOfficial/ https://www.instagram.com/cherryhealey/?hl=en or https://twitter.com/cherryhealey?lang=en .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 2023.