Business Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs

What's complicated and costly for many companies? The energy market. But in today's show, practical advice on how to navigate your energy costs from Linda Spencer of Professional Energy Purchasing Ltd.

Energy companies seem to pass wholesale price rises on to customers immediately. Yet many businesses feel there's a big delay before their supplier passes on any drops in the wholesale price. Linda explains why. Her business helps customers reduce their overall energy usage too. She tells me how.

Alongside these and other energy saving and purchasing tips Linda offers a healthy dose of Yorkshire inspiration. She set up her business in 2013. Seven years later she has several members of staff and the business' growth has been entirely self-funded.

Also on the show:

• Book review: A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage
• Trials of electric vans for Sheffield businesses
• The Social Enterprise Support Fund
• The Well Rotherham Y Accelerator Social Connectivity Challenge
• Worrying GDP and employment data from the ONS
• The Job Retention Bonus scheme and the Kickstart scheme
• The Eat Out to Help Out initiative and the VAT cut

Hope you enjoy this episode – if so, please do leave a review or rating! Thanks for listening.

Timings:

• 0 – 1:47 Introduction
• 1:47 Interview with Linda Spencer of Professional Energy Purchasing
• 31:48 Electric vans for Sheffield
• 34:24 Business and social enterprise funding and support (Social Enterprise Support Fund; The Well Rotherham Y Accelerator Social Connectivity Challenge and more)
• 43:05 Book review of A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage
• 45:12 Wrapping up

An interview with David Hanney, CEO of outdoor equipment manufacturer and retailer Alpkit, plus business and social enterprise funding opportunities and two book recommendations.

David covers Alpkit's Foundation, funded by the business and making small grants with huge impacts; Alpkit's astonishing share offer success this week; the firm's commitment to sustainability and its journey to accreditation as a B Corp.

Alpkit launched in 2004 and designs, sources and sells outdoor equipment, clothing and bikes. Its Alpkit Foundation (a charity with nine trustees, funded by 1% of Alpkit sales) donates small grants to all sorts of projects across four themes: diversity and inclusion, participation, environment and health and wellbeing. "A small amount of money can build a lifelong love of the outdoors," says David.

David describes the phenomenal impact which small grants can make and how to apply to the Foundation. And he has a wonderful story of a key moment which led to formally launching the foundation.

As a business Alpkit is going from strength to strength with record sales over the last 12 weeks, where like-for-like sales were up 50 per cent to £2.3m. What's driven the growth? David explains.

And this week Alpkit launched a share offer on Crowdcube through which customers could become shareholders in Alpkit from just £10. This reached its target of £750,000 in eight minutes and went on to hit its £1.5m cap 44 minutes later.

It brought in nearly 1400 new share owners: customers and members of staff. "We've been completely overwhelmed by the support," says David, "at one point there were five people investing per second...it was like watching Glastonbury tickets sell out." He also has advice for other businesses considering making this kind of public share offer.

Alpkit itself is on the way to accreditation as a B Corporation (a business meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose).

We cover how businesses must take responsibility for driving positive changes, Alpkit's environmental sustainability reporting, and David's ambition for Alpkit to be a world-class B Corp by 2023. There's another lovely story featuring a Blue Peter annual too.

Also in this week's programme: three business funding opportunities; events; an important call for social enterprises; two book recommendations (Women of Steel by Michelle Rawlins and Figuring by Maria Popova) and more.

Timings and links to resources mentioned in the show at https://www.jamieveitch.co.uk

Music Broth is a magnificent social enterprise in Glasgow, making musical instruments accessible to people across Scotland.

Jen O'Brien, its co-founder, tells me how Music Broth's music instrument and equipment library works. Two and a half years ago it started with eight instruments – now there are over 1400 items available, from tin whistles to pianos, amps to drumkits, a clàrsach (harp), a double bass and more.

Jen covers where the instruments have come from; how Music Broth generates income through memberships and other revenue streams; its hardship and access fund; how it has adapted during lockdown and launched a no-contact instrument delivery service; and how and why it all began.

Jen also describes collaborations with Music Beyond All Borders, Zero Waste Scotland and more; why media coverage and exposure has been vitally important to Music Broth; its legal structure and why this was chosen; and some of the inspirational people in the music scene in Glasgow and Scotland.

I was grinning all the way through this interview – it was fantastic to hear about Music Broth's truly life changing impact, enabling so many people to experience the thrill and joy of making music.

Yasin El Ashrafi left school aged 15 and did a series of stopgap jobs before figuring out what he wanted to do.

But when his son was born with a cord around his neck and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Yasin lost his job because he wanted to look after him and attend his medical appointments.

He decided he didn't want to go back to working for someone else – and would build his own business, allowing him to set his own hours – and based on his own passion.

Yasin piloted his first music project, which led on to him attaining a teaching qualification, starting more projects teaching music and enterprise skills, and taking on a professional recording studio.

Now Yasin is the Managing Director of HQ CAN Community Interest Company and the owner of HQ Recording Studio and HQ Familia in Leicester.

Over the last 8 years, Yasin has offered free studio space to unemployed young people to explore their talents. HQ Creative Arts Network supports vulnerable and unemployed adults, using music and spoken word creation, music studio recording, events, and performances to combat mental ill-health, addiction issues and low confidence.

The business, a social enterprise, generates its own income streams through commercial studio hire, mastering and artist development services, and gives participants a way of making an income and a sense of purpose, with their activities often leading to employment. Yasin was named Mentor of the Year by The Prince’s Trust in 2018.

In this episode Yasin covers:

• how HQ supports people – and generates income
• the impact of being named Mentor of the Year
• generating multiple revenue streams
• ambitious but realistic advice for people wanting a career in the music industry
• how Covid-19 has affected the work he does
• his biggest sources of inspiration, advice and support
• the commitment to excellence in everything HQ does – and his longterm plans

It's a riveting chat and I hope you enjoy it.

Also in the show, updates about a green business recovery and more.

Tricia Smith is passionate about the power of apprenticeships, having started her own career journey through a work placement.

Now the CEO of The Source Skills Academy, in this interview she discusses:

• her charity's range of courses covering vitally important technical and 'soft' skills
• why apprenticeships are crucial
• how employers can engage with The Source and the benefits of doing so.

This episode of the programme also includes reflections on equality and representation, diversity and inclusion in business and the media, and a campaign in support of inclusive independent publishers.

Also in the episode: forthcoming events.

Full shownotes and links at https://www.jamieveitch.co.uk

Timings

• 0 - 1:56 Introduction
• 1:56 Black Lives Matter. Including in the media and how entrepreneurship is portrayed. I've written more about this here.
• 6:42 The power of books can create a better world by increasing understanding and respect through reading. Kids growing up can’t be what they don’t see. Details of a crowdfunding campaign for inclusive independent publishers.
• 7:43 Interview with Tricia Smith, The Source Skills Academy.
• 30:52 Update and a new guide to the flexible furlough rules from Jay Bhayani.
• 32:54 Business Sheffield's virtual business workshop programme.
• 34:49 Twinkl – the Sheffield-based global publisher – is making free books available to families across the region.
• 35:58 Get in touch!
• 36:20 Recap of last week's show with a heads-up of fundraising campaigns for The Big Issue North and The Suit Works
• 39:07 More details of the Inclusive Indies campaign to help diversity-led independent publishers, including Jacaranda Books and Knights Of, to tell more stories.
• 41:11 Wrapping up.

Fay Selvan is Chief Executive of the Big Life group, which employs around 500 people and turns over £20m, and joins me in this, the 300th episode of the Business Live radio show.

The Big Life Group is in the business of changing lives, creating opportunities for people who have the least. It runs schools, nurseries, children's centres and family support services.

Big Issue North and The Big Issue North Trust are also part of The Big Life Group. The Trust, a registered charity, raises funds to provide a range of support for Big Issue North vendors, including support accessing services, help getting ID, home furnishing packages and projects such as breakfast clubs.

Big Issue North is a ‘business solution to a social problem’ – a limited company employing staff to produce and distribute the weekly magazine (Big Issue North) sold by people who have limited other ways of earning an income in the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Fay describes:

• The group's services and how it has adapted in current times to ensure it can still provide support to people
• What happened when Big Issue North vendors had to stop selling the magazine because of the lockdown
• Getting vendors who want to sell the magazine back up and running in June
• Advice for other social entrepreneurs

We also cover Sheffield's Archer Project and The Suit Works.

If you run online workshops, meetings or events this episode is a must-listen: it's crammed with practical tips to ensure your events are interactive and effective from two brilliant guests.

Mihaela Gruia is founder and chief executive of Research Retold. Her business works with researchers to help them communicate their findings in effective ways.

One of Research Retold's activities is to run workshops with Universities. Mihaela has found the experience of moving her workshops online to be positive – mainly because she did a lot of planning to ensure they continued to be highly interactive.

You can use the native functions of the technology platforms to facilitate this. Her tips cover what to do before, during and after your online workshop with lots of ideas which will really boost a workshop's effectiveness and the engagement of participants.

Jill White is an entrepreneur and business champion, well known by hundreds in the Sheffield City Region. Lately, Jill has been running a number of online events helping business leaders to stay connected, to collaborate and to identify new opportunities. There's been real impact as a result.

Again Jill has plenty of ideas about how to make online get-togethers effective. And she describes how her business, Andy Hanselman Consulting, is pivoting and helping other businesses to identify new opportunities too (plus flags up some excellent and highly subsidised online training).

Listeners are also welcome to participate in Jill's forthcoming groups, including 3DConnect, the female entrepreneurs and directors group, and the next unLTD Business Magazine online event.

In this episode I also run through some new sources of funding and support for businesses and social enterprises.

Links in the show-notes at https://www.jamieveitch.co.uk/category/interviews

Why give radio or podcast interviews about your business? And how can you prepare most effectively so you will give a fantastic interview?

Many hugely accomplished business leaders and social entrepreneurs are nervous about doing radio interviews. 

But there are five powerful reasons why giving a radio interview can help propel you closer to your business goals, which we cover in this programme.

And I run through the essentials about how to prepare for radio (or podcast) interviews.

Follow these tips and you'll be more confident when you are interviewed, whether live in a studio, over the phone or pre-recorded. You'll sound friendly, authoritative and approachable. And you'll be able to make clear, interesting and memorable points.

In this episode:

0 - introduction
2:30 two business leaders on the benefits of giving radio interviews
5:55 why radio presenters don't (usually) want you to be uncomfortable
7:15 five compelling reasons to seek the opportunity to give radio interviews
11:01 how to put yourself forward to be a guest on my radio show
12:24 essential preparation: practical tips on what you must think about before you give any interview – and how to practice to make your interview a huge success.
19:30 dealing with umms, ahhhs and other verbal tics
22:25 coping with nervousness and anxiety
24:40 do you need notes or a script?
25:28 how to make any statistics and data you mention memorable and relatable
31:45 what to do to promote your radio or podcast appearance in advance
34:02 wrapping up and a tale of a BBC radio interview I gave with an angry cat attached to my leg

This is the first in a series of episodes about how to give fantastic radio and podcast interviews. Subscribe to the podcast to ensure you don't miss the next one.

Don't try to help everyone – it's absolutely exhausting. When Wendy Ward came to this conclusion it gave her business, Let's Save Consultancy Services an instant boost.

Wendy specialises in saving money for charities, third sector organisations and social enterprises by slashing utilities costs, phone bills and other fees. She helps them raise money too, through grant and funding applications.

Many sharks swim in the same sea as charities, especially in the telecoms and utilities industries, she says. Wendy explains common ways organisations end up overpaying and how you can reduce your 'phone and utility bills.

She covers how she's tightened up the focus of her business and why this is so important; and her work writing effective bids too.

Wendy launched her business when her career in recruitment, with a FTSE100 firm, was foreshortened by a long-term health condition. She was even told she'd "never work again." Not an appealing prospect, so she decided she would work for herself.

Wendy is frank about the challenges of running a business while living with a health condition and the dramatic difference in skills required when you move from working for a corporate firm to being your own boss.

It's an episode to inspire with a sizeable dollop of practical advice you can use to save money or generate income. As ever, I hope you'll enjoy it and do get in touch.

We often describe this as the show for 'curious entrepreneurs' a description which fits today's guest perfectly.

Jamie Hinton is CEO and co-founder of Razor, which works with businesses from start-ups to FTSE100 firms. He's also a former young musician of the year finalist, a mountain biker and an incomparable enthusiast for the brilliant manufacturing geniuses of Sheffield.

Razor - named because it works at 'the cutting edge, the bleeding edge' of new technology - is enabling more efficient manufacturing thanks to digital technology, as Jamie describes.

He tells us about an exciting project connecting digital and manufacturing industries, and lots about how Razor's work reduces risk, boosts businesses and more.

This episode also covers:

• Business lessons from learning an instrument and purposeful practice
• How machine learning will affect us all and why Jamie is optimistic about it
• Jamie's mindset and how his parents fostered this
• Building a business culture without egos and open to learning from failures
• Razor's culture and how the firm adapted before the lockdown - including its recruitment processes
• Jamie's 67-book year: what was his favourite and why?

it's a brilliant ride - enjoy this episode of Business Live.