BOSS IT with Carl Reader

"Quality never goes out of style" - a great mantra that my guest Alex Hall lives by.

Alex has a phenomenal CV - Microsoft, Samsung, Nike, GoPro and Muc Off to name a few. But what does Alex think really makes a great brand? Very simple - take away the money, the travel, the people who interviewed you, and think - is this brand a brand I want to work for? Is it a brand that represents you?

Recently though, Alex decided it was time to be his own boss. We talk about the risks of starting his own business (especially with a newborn baby on the way!) and the new business journey he's setting out on.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

Vice president of Global Brands and Creative, Dany Atkins is in charge of transforming Kodak's brand. Guiding the heritage brand through a challenging time, Dany is guiding Kodak in redefining itself, collaborating with huge names - Marc Jacobs, Selfridges and Forever 21, to name a few. From spending summers travelling in a campervan with her Dad, to heading up EMEA Marketing for Beats for Dre, and now bringing back the colour into Kodak - Dany has had a tremendous journey! Encouraged from an early age to 'pin your colours to your mast' by her father, Dany has never let anything stop her - especially not being the only woman in the room (not uncommon in the tech space). Dany talks of challenges she's faced along the way, and how she's overcome them.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

Caffeine Partnership CEO and author Sophie Devonshire is on today's show, talking business acceleration. One of Sophie's key focuses are senior leaders who are impatient but excited about the future of their business. The world is moving so fast, but the challenge is to keep businesses continually moving forwards. Realising that this is a surprisingly common issue, Sophie researched and produced her book, Superfast Lead at Speed. A great quote from Sophie - "Learn from other peoples mistakes - because life is too short to make them all ourselves." Some wise words, applicable to most businesses, in this one.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

What if I told you that the key to selling is to listen, not talk? I'm joined by Alison Edgar, sales expert & the entrepreneur's godmother. Alison talks us through her journey in sales and how she transformed into sales coaching. Alison believes that everything we do in life is sales. From trying to bargain a good deal from an independent business to just getting somebody to make you a cuppa! An interesting listen, especially if you want to know how to up your sales game!

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

I'm joined by Chris Williams, LinkedIn Guru (although he doesn't like that term!). We talk about how LinkedIn can improve your business when used in the correct way. There are many 'wrong' and 'right' ways of using LinkedIn, which we explore in this episode. We also touch on clickbait, polarising your audience and trolling! A really insightful episode, with some key takeaway points for all LinkedIn users.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

I'm joined by entrepreneur Richard Beese in this episode. Richard has - quite literally - had his life flash before his eyes. Hit by a London tube train, with devastating consequences, fomer stockbroker Richard found himself caught up in a horrific accident. The trauma totally changed his mindset - and his life. Now 37, Richard has a quite impressive business and life story to tell. An inspiring listen you need to hear!

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

What can YOUR business do to make your customer feel special?

We're all guilty of giving a fake email when the sales assistant asks us for one. Nobody wants repetitive junk filling up their email! Adapting how you communicate with your customers can totally change their perspective and put a genuine smile on their face. Sometimes it can be as simple as a simple text or email - think of this when adapting it to your business. I talk my personal experience and top tips for going the extra mile.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

Jeremy "Jem" Nicholas's voice will probably be very familiar to you (especially if you've ever played any of the FIFA 06 - FIFA 16 games!) With 27 years working at the BBC as an award-winning broadcaster, presenter and comedian under his belt, Jem has hosted a multitude of interview, quiz, radio, sports and chat shows. Growing up as a West Ham fan in East London, Jem had told his teachers he wanted to talk about sport as a job, but was quickly told that wasn't a proper job. He certainly disproved that one - he's now spent 16 years as West Ham's stadium announcer! We chat through his career, business and journey - and why it's so vitally important to "do what you love".

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

Georgie Frost returns! Last time she came on my show, Georgie spoke to me about the power of saying yes. This time around, Georgie's explaining how her 'Year of Yes' turned into not just one or two, but THREE years of saying yes. She talks about what made her keep at it, some of the choices she's made, and what she's learnt along the way.

The key lesson? You don't need a business to "be your own boss" - actually, being your own boss in life is just as satisfying.

A great story about how one woman's decision, on one simple thing, led to a huge life change.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.

"Businesses that 'do good' do better!"

Today I'm joined by my friend and fellow accountant, Steve Pipe. Steve built a 40-strong consulting business, then sold that business to management aged 50. Now 57, the family man and author encourages businesses to focus on making a change in the world. He explains why businesses (no matter how big or small) should be doing good in every transaction of the business, to ensure their businesses thrive. Find out more in this **short/meaty** episode.

This podcast is brought to you by d&t advisory, helping you unlock the magic of your business, and sponsored by QuickBooks – helping UK small businesses stay on top of their finances.

For more The Carl Reader Show, follow me on social media @CarlReader.