This week's episode, Steve chats with Oliver Towner all about what it's been like taking on a 150-year-old family-run business, the ins and outs of the funeral industry & its biggest misconceptions. Plus, Oliver shares what it was really like working his first funeral, navigating Covid & why sustainability is a growing factor in all funerals.

00:00 Intro

01:58 Growing up in a family business

03:12 What Oliver did before joining the business

05:30 First day working on a funeral & the day to day jobs

08:38 Biggest misconceptions about funerals & funeral directors

10:30 Furniture side of funerals

13:00 Oliver taking on the role as Managing Director & the transition from taking over from his dad

19:50 What covid was like in the funeral industry

23:35 Hardest point of Olivers time so far

25:31 Olivers release from the pressures

28:50 Olivers ‘Baptism of fire’

30:27 Olivers plans for the business

34:10 Biggest changes Oliver has made

35:20 Sustainability in the industry

38:52 Why Towners dont do any specific marketing

42:30 How data works in the funeral industry

44:54 Biggest risks going forward in the industry

47:00 Grief & Death - why dont we talk about it

53:00 Quickfire Questions

59:40 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on An Unorthodox CEO we are joined by Sarah Southerden Lee's wife and friend of Steve & Paula! Listen as Steve & Sarah chat all about how she found her way into finance & how she worked her way up. Plus, find out how Sarah met Lee & how many pairs of shoes she owns...

00:00 Intro

01:40 Sarahs life growing up

03:15 How she found her way into finance

08:15 Best part of Sarahs job

10:40 Working from home & productivity

13:40 Becoming a Team Leader

17:20 Anxiety & overcoming it

20:21 How Sarah met Lee

22:54 Sarah, Lee, Steve, Paula & their friendship

23:51 Sarahs thoughts on Lee joining the business

26:00 Looking in on the challenges of Sussex Beds

28:20 Quickfire Questions

34:30 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of An Unorthodox CEO, Steve chats with his friend Colin and original member of Sussex Beds all about what the business was like in the 80's and how its change to now. Plus, they chat about Colin's job in Windows, some contentious quickfire questions and how Steve & Colin work together on the Gangshow!

00:00 Intro

02:20 How Steve & Colin met

04:50 Why Colin ended up working at Sussex Beds

07:10 Colins jobs at Sussex Beds

08:10 What is was like moving from general furnishings to beds

10:20 Funny memories from the opening days

11:47 Opening ‘Little Bexhill’

13:10 How the opening of Haywards Heath changed the business

16:22 Colin became Steves manager

18:50 Hiding in wardrobes…

20:00 The opening of Eastbourne Shop & the sport shop

21:30 Colins jobs in the Window industry

22:50 Watching Sussex Beds evolve & what that was like & why good team is so important

24:10 Stage Managing Gangshow

27:19 Performing in Gangshow & other shows

28:54 Quickfire Questions

36:31 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this weeks episode, Steve and Mark chat through his life before Sussex Beds and the jobs that led him into sales, how he has worked his way up with at Sussex Beds starting as a Sales Advisor and his journey to Regional Manager, plus how he de-stresses after work!

Question: Ketchup on Lasagna? Yes or No... Let us know in the comments!

00:00 Intro

01:56 Life before Sussex Beds

04:38 How made his way into Sales

09:53 Starting as a sales advisor with us

14:40 Going from a big to a small business

16:20 Becoming Uckfield Store Manager

18:45 Taking the leap to manage a brand new store

20:37 Becoming a Regional Manager & the kind of manager Mark wanted to be

26:00 80% people management and how that works

27:10 Hardest part of his job

29:44 How Mark has changed over the last 10 years

33:40 Mark & his family

36:20 Hobbies & how he de stresses

45:55 Quickfire questions

54:00 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of An Unorthodox CEO Steve chats with Oliver Bowen all about the premium bed world. Oliver has been in the industry for over 20+, listen as they chat about how he got into the industry, the businesses he worked for and what he has learnt along the way.

00:00 Intro

01:50 How Oliver got into beds

05:50 His time at And So To Bed & why the business changed

11:00 Why looking for the ‘why’ is so important

13:10 Olivers role at Feather & Black 

14:19 Working out where the brand should sit in the market

18:24 Moving to Hästens - working in the luxury sector

22:30 Olivers job now working with Carpe Diem

23:50 How Carpe Diem design their beds

25:12 How Carpe Diem started

27:15 Biggest challenge of bringing in a premium supplier into the UK

29:30 Your team on the floor make a huge difference

31:30 What has changed most in the bed industry over the last 20 years

35:37 Quickfire Questions

44:30 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back! Its 2026, and season 3 is here! Listen as Steve and Shane chat through why he decided to take the job at Sussex Beds, how he moved through the roles and when he finally found his right seat!

Plus, like cooking steak? Listen for Shane's top tips!

00:00 Intro

01:31 Shanes life before Sussex Beds

04:00 How he ended up at Sussex Beds

05:55 Why did the initial job appeal to him

07:01 Working with Sarah (his fiance)

10:40 Working in sales as a ‘Sleep Consultant’

11:50 Moving on to being a Store Manager

14:31 A move into the office working on the website

18:50 The catalyst of becoming IT Manager

23:30 Benefits of in-house skills

24:17 Working with Matt & Chris in IT

27:28 Learning to train someone

29:30 Quickfire Questions

36:52 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Its our final episode of 2025! So we thought we would share with you our goals & aspirations for 2026. Listen as Steve and Victoria share their 2025 goals and if they completed them, plus their goals & the office team's goals for 2026. Have you got a goal? You can share with us in the reviews!

00:00 Intro

02:30 Goals & SB Meetings

03:20 Steve's Goals for 2025

03:30 Steves' 1st Goal

06:30 Steves' 2nd Goal

08:02 Steves' 3rd Goal

09:00 What Steve wanted to do as a leader in 2025

11:20 What Steve wanted to spend more time on in 2025

14:30 Steves 3 Personal Goals for 2026

18:25 Steves' 3 Goals as a Leader

22:40 Victoria Goals for 2025

25:20 Victoria's Goals for 2026

28:18 Sarah's Goals 

33:23 Grace's Goals

39:25 Paula's Goals

45:15 Matt's Goals

50:39 John's Goals

56:20 Sue's Goals

1:00:56 Lees' Goals

1:08:39 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Steve is joined by one of his best friends, Sam! Find out more about how they produce the Hastings Gangshow, Sam's family life and their joint love for amateur dramatics. Plus get a Gangshow exclusive!

You can find out more here - https://whiterocktheatre.org.uk/whats-on/event/hastings-gang-show-2026/

00:00 Intro

02:05 Sam’s family & work life

06:40 The Hastings Gangshow & what its like to produce

08:50 How Steve & Sam became friends

10:00 Why the arts is so important

12:06 Scouting is so inclusive

13:00 Gangshow dates - 7th, 8th, 9th May 2026! 60th Anniversary

14:30 Gangshow exclusive!

16:30 Stresses, pressures & fun

18:10 Thank you to Gangshow Team

20:48 Am Dram & their escapes!

25:25 Quickfire Questions

35:30 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen this week as Steve chats with Andrea Randall-Smith, the CEO of Little Gate. They talk all about the work and the people who make Little Gate a success, what it's like being a CEO for a charity and her escapes! Plus, find out how you can support Little Gate!

00:00 Intro

01:14 Andreas journey to CEO

04:00 Life & work before Little Gate

07:14 Andreas introduction to Little Gate

10:35 The purpose of Little Gate

13:30 How their work transforms lives & success stories

18:20 How you can find Little Gate

21:00 What are the biggest challenges

25:00 How her family supported her

27:39 Changing from working in the organisation to on it

31:05 How they deal with loneliness in the job

32:30 How Vistage has helped both Steve & Andrea

35:24 Where she would like to see Little Gate in 5 years

38:40 Quickfire Questions

44:36 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of An Unorthodox CEO, we chat with Joe, Grace's Fiancé, all about how he supports her, what it's like working with his family and how he is building a career for himself in the construction industry. Plus, find out how Joe ended up living with Steve & the Pickerings and their favourite memory together.

00:00 Intro

02:10 Growing up & School Life

05:53 College Courses & First Job

09:15 Working with his Grandad & Dad

12:51 New opportunities

14:00 Difficult decisions & his Dad leaving the business

17:20 Taking the leap to a new business

18:10 Progression through the ranks

20:00 Pressures in the construction industry

27:08? - How Joe met Grace

33:50? Dinner table business discussions

36:10? How Grace & Joe support each other

38:44 How being involved in dinner table discussions has helped Joe in his career

39:45 Holidays together on the business rollercoaster

44:20 Joes escapes from work

45:45 Quickfire Questions

53:05 Tip of the week

54:40 Outro

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.