This one’s about running — but also about running a business.After time off, marathon training, and a bit of a mental reset, we talk about the link between physical consistency and business clarity. No fitness preaching — just honest reflections on why your head performs better when your body’s not falling apart.Takeaways:🏃 Why training routines help stabilise your founder energy🧱 How fitness makes business decisions feel less overwhelming🎯 When discipline in one area spills into others (and when it doesn’t)🔄 What we changed in 2025 to feel sharper, calmer, and more consistent💬 Why your best business ideas come after the 5k, not beforeFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Tom:👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/

Black Friday brings the noise — and the pressure. Discount emails, sales FOMO, margin stress… sound familiar?In this episode, we talk honestly about what this season really does to small businesses. Is it worth playing the game? Are we training customers to wait for offers? And what happens when you try to take a stand and don’t discount?Takeaways:💥 Why discounting isn’t always the “easy win” it looks like📉 The hidden costs: margin, customer perception, and team stress🔁 What we’ve tried — and what we’d never do again🎯 How to stay commercially smart without racing to the bottom🧠 Building long-term customer trust in a discount-obsessed worldFollow Matt:📸 Instagram -   / mrmattholland  👨‍💻 LinkedIn -   / mrmattholland  📱 TikTok -   / mrmattholland  ❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Tom:👨‍💻 LinkedIn -   / tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555  

We made it to 40 episodes — a milestone Matt set back in December. But what happens when you actually hit your goal?In this one, we reflect on the journey so far: what’s changed, what we’ve learned, and why recording this podcast has become more than just content — it’s become part of how we think, lead, and grow.We also get honest about how it felt not doing the show for a bit, what we missed, and how to keep momentum once the “hype” fades.Takeaways:🎯 Why setting a goal matters — but hitting it isn’t the end🧠 What the podcast has taught us about business clarity🎙️ The difference between talking about business and doing it🔄 What we’d change if we started the show again💬 Why you should go back and listen to old episodes — and what to noticeFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Tom:👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/

If you’re growing a team while juggling cash, stock, and a hundred fires… this one’s for you. Matt and Tom break down the leadership mistakes founders keep repeating then get practical about how to fix them: consistency, time, feedback, and getting your head and body in shape. No jargon. No fluff. Just what actually works.Takeaways:💥 Why inconsistency kills trust - and how to steady your leadership🧠 Listening over lecturing: reading the “other side of the valley”🧱 Feedback without being a dick and asking for feedback back🏃 Fitness clearer decisions, lower stress, better leadership🔟 “Be a 10”: showing up with energy, standards and intentChapters:00:00 - Intro & why revisit leadership01:05 - Are we actually good leaders? Brutal self-audit04:45 - Listening lecturing; tailoring feedback to people08:10 - “Hurricane Matt” & the cost of inconsistency12:00 - Fitness vs mind: which comes first for leaders?16:40 - Stress, cash, stock - protecting time to lead18:50 - “Be a 10” - energy, standards, enthusiasm22:45 - SWAT yourself: strengths, weaknesses, threats27:30 - Are you at your potential? The push for better30:45 - Final word: stop picking the easy optionLinks🎧 Listen on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/4uqUUHL0KUZL2m9dLx9JvO📺 Watch all episodes https://www.youtube.com/@BritishBusinessPodcast🌐 Follow Matthttps://linktr.ee/mrmattholland🌐 Follow Tomhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/🎙 Morgan / Studiohttps://cheshirepodcaststudio.com

We talk real growth. Tom’s team just turned on TikTok Shop and did £100k in a week. Not hype - operations, fees, affiliates, product fit, stock, couriers, and the mindset to keep scaling without blowing up cashflow. Volume beats luck - but only if you survive the plateaus.What you’ll learn:🧠 How “volume negates luck” actually plays out day-to-day🛒 TikTok Shop vs Amazon/eBay - fees, ads, affiliates, who wins when📦 Stock, seasonality & couriers - why boring ops decide your margin💸 Growth vs cash: plateaus, VAT/corp tax, and not overtrading👥 Founder mindset: competitiveness, networking, and personal developmentChapters00:00 Welcome back 01:00 Goals, volume, and doing 40 episodes in 202503:30 Visiting TikTok HQ → why we waited (too long) to launch06:00 TikTok Shop mechanics: product fit, price bands, affiliates, caps09:30 Fees reality: TikTok vs Amazon vs eBay (+ ads effect)12:40 Why TikTok converts: in-app checkout & attribution15:00 Logistics: stock landing, Yorks, Royal Mail, negotiating rates18:30 Three very different AOV models (premium vs mid vs value)21:30 Marketplace as a lever — but don’t become dependent24:00 Competitor research, abbreviated accounts, copy & deploy27:30 Personal development → business growth (events, talks, networking)31:00 Responsibility to grow teams, not just revenue33:30 The cash trap: tax, VAT, corp tax, and consolidation phases36:00 Biggest regret: under-maximising the COVID boom39:00 Should AI write your 3-year plan? (and would you follow it?)41:00 Wrap & next week’s teaser: fixing UK tax incentivesLinks🎧 Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4uqUUHL0KUZL2m9dLx9JvO📺 Watch on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@BritishBusinessPodcast🌐 Follow Matt: https://linktr.ee/mrmattholland🌐 Follow Tom:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/🎙 Morgan / Podcast Studio:https://cheshirepodcaststudio.com

We’ve just spent 10 days in India meeting our offshore teammates — and it’s changed how I think about UK hiring, AI adoption, and where British SMEs find their next edge. In this honest chat, we cover the reality of offshoring (good and bad), why UK incentives miss the mark, and how AI will outpace cheap labour if you actually use it.Takeaways💡 Offshoring works when your systems & SOPs are tight (or it fails).🤖 AI augments good people one A-player can do the work of three.🌍 India’s talent pool is hungry, but AI adoption lags (your chance).💷 UK hiring costs/risks are real; be strategic with roles.✈️ Go see your offshore team culture + process clicks in person.Chapters00:00 Intro & why this topic now01:10 Travel stories (Indonesia, India, comfort zones)05:18 India first impressions: scale, talent, culture06:40 UK offshoring reality & incentives09:58 Remote work → offshoring: blessing & curse12:45 Work ethic, mindset & comfort in the West15:00 India’s stark contrasts & what it teaches18:30 Costs, hotels, value — and BA lost my bag19:55 Should you offshore? When, where, and how22:20 Systems, onboarding, accountability (or it fails)25:00 The AI gap in India (and why that matters)28:45 AI = augmentation → real efficiency gains31:30 Practical plan: train offshore teams on AI33:40 Travel for leverage (Canton Fair, sourcing)35:20 Question of the Week: 1 offshore hire vs 10 AI tools?36:14 Next week’s teaser: Tom’s TikTok Shop rocketLinks🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uqUUHL0KUZL2m9dLx9JvO📺 Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BritishBusinessPodcast🌐 Follow Matt (all links): https://linktr.ee/mrmattholland🌐 Follow Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/🎙 Morgan / Podcast Studio: https://cheshirepodcaststudio.com

We’re back in the studio after a long summer holidays, kids, flu, and a lot of thinking. Can founders ever truly switch off? What did time away change about how we lead, plan, and trade into Q4? Today’s a straight, unfiltered catch-up with real talk on decompression, pressure, and why this podcast exists.Takeaways🧠 You don’t need to “switch off,” but you do need to decompress to think clearly📈 Seasonal dips are fine set up compounding improvements before Q4🛠️ Leadership isn’t louder; it’s calmer after a reset🏝️ Time away = clarity to fix ops, SEO, and systems🎙️ Keep the podcast simple: shorter, focused topics that actually helpLinks🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4uqUUHL0KUZL2m9dLx9JvO📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BritishBusinessPodcast🌐 Follow Matt: https://linktr.ee/mrmattholland🌐 Follow Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/🎙 Morgan / Podcast Studio: https://cheshirepodcaststudio.com

Building a business is equal parts graft and grief. In today’s episode, Charlie Smith Workware Innovation breaks down how a family stationery company survived lockdowns, pivoted to branded workwear, and is now posting ~500% YoY growth while still in the “do-everything” phase. We talk real hiring beyond family, SOPs, content consistency, and resisting shiny-object syndrome.Takeaways:🧵 Pivot playbook: how they went from paper & pens to embroidery/print without blowing up the brand.📈 Compounding growth: consistent content + keeping customers beats new tricks.👨‍👩‍👦 Family first… until it isn’t: culture, loyalty, and hiring your first non-family member.🗂 SOPs save sanity: standardisation that lets you scale without losing your soul.🧠 Mindset: frustration, patience, and celebrating small wins on the way up.Guest / Resources:Workware Innovation: https://workwareinnovation.co.ukLinks:🎧 Listen on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/4uqUUHLdho0f9o3hc0WjLZ📺 Watch on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@BritishBusinessPodcast🌐 Follow Matthttps://linktr.ee/mrmattholland🌐 Follow Tomhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/🎙 Morgan / Podcast Studiohttps://cheshirepodcaststudio.com

Got cash sat in your business? Don’t let it gather dust. In this episode, Steph “The Property Teacher” joins me as guest & co-host to break down how founders can deploy profits into residential property safely, sensibly, and without wrecking your week. We cover strategy, area, property, the £30-£50k reality for a first BTL, and how to avoid the horror-story pitfalls (auctions, agents, and bad sourcing).Takeaways🧭 Start with strategy, then pick area, then the property💸 Cashflow + capital growth beats shiny liabilities🧑‍💼 Get a property-savvy accountant before you buy🧱 Avoid auction traps: due diligence first, emotion second📈 Don’t obsess over yield alone ROI & time-to-money-back matter

Where to find Steph + wrap-upGuest / ResourcesSteph “The Property Teacher”: Instagram & Facebook (search “Steph the Property Teacher”), LinkedIn (same), property-school.com

My links & show hub below 👇Links:

📺 Watch on YouTube (channel): https://www.youtube.com/@BritishBusinessPodcast

🌐 Follow Matt:

https://linktr.ee/mrmattholland

🌐 Follow Tom:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mcilvenny-b15b9555/

🎙 Morgan / Podcast Studio: https://cheshirepodcaststudio.com