Change Makers: Leadership, Good Business, Ideas and Innovation

In the the final episode of Goldman Sachs Stories of Generation Growth, Michael Hayman and Charlotte Keenan reflect on what we’ve learned throughout our the series with seven incredible Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumni.

From the importance of personal stories and purpose-driven leadership to the shared challenges in accessing talent and finance, each interview revealed critical lessons that highlight both the strength and the needs of the small business landscape in the UK.

In the final alumni episode of Change Makers: Stories of Generation Growth, in partnership with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Byron Dixon OBE, CEO of Micro-Fresh®, discusses what it takes to build a global brand with purpose.

Micro-Fresh® is known for its unique antibacterial technology which extends product lifespans, preserves freshness and promotes sustainability across 50+ major footwear, home textiles, hospitality and healthcare brands.

We're joined this week by Alice Rivers-Cripps, the founder of Posh Totty Designs, which has been serving Brighton, Britain and many more places besides with original hand-crafted jewellery for 20 years.

Alice joins Michael Hayman and Charlotte Keenan to share her journey, which started on a soul-searching trip in Mexico and today, sees her run "a destination company for personalised gifts" where she employs an almost all female team of 50.

She outlines the ups and downs of that journey, how she has remained committed to the values her business was founded upon and the challenges she has faced in securing the talent she needs to grow Posh Totty Designs to become the largest jewellery workshop in the south of England.

This week, Michael is joined once again by Charlotte Keenan, Managing Director, Head of Corporate Engagement International at Goldman Sachs, as well as CEO of Forster Communications, Amanda Powell-Smith.

Forster is a specialist consultancy, supporting organisations in ensuring they approach sustainability with authenticity. They discuss why this is a challenge for so many leaders, particularly in the small business space, and why a sustainable mission is important for business growth. 

In this episode of Change Makers, Michael Hayman sits down with sporting legend and disability rights advocate, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, at the iconic London Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - home of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

During their conversation, Tanni reflects on her extraordinary career as one of Britain’s most celebrated Paralympians, with 11 gold medals and 30 world records to her name. She shares the personal stories behind her successes, revealing the grit, determination, and resilience it took to reach the pinnacle of elite sport. Beyond the track, Tanni discusses her lifelong advocacy for disability rights and the importance of continuing to fight for equality and justice.

“You've got to keep changing and evolving."

Today's Change Makers is a lesson in adapting to change as you grow your business, as we're joined by Naynesh Karia for the latest episode of our collaboration with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Stories of Generation Growth.

Naynesh is co-founder of Food Attraction, the manufacturer behind brands including on-the-go hot snacks Jake & Nayns.

A Leicester-based family business that has constantly found itself evolving and finding opportunities in new markets, Naynesh speaks with Michael Hayman and Charlotte Keenan about his journey, knowing when to disagree with your family, and how you ensure those family values are the foundation of your company's culture.

A passion for her product and bringing it to as many women as possible is what drives the latest guest in our Change Makers collaboration with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, Stories of Generation Growth.

Darcy Laceby is co-founder of Absolute Collagen, the UK’s best-selling collagen drink, and a business with an incredible growth story.

Hear all about it from Darcy, alongside Michael Hayman and Charlotte Keenan, as they explore what gave her the passion to go from university student to startup founder and recognition as one of the UK’s brightest young entrepreneurs.

In this week’s Stories of Generation Growth, Michael Hayman is joined by Goldman Sachs' Charlotte Keenan, alongside Gori Yahaya, founder of UpSkill Universe – a training provider dedicated to helping businesses bring key skills to their workforce. 

In this discussion, Gori shares how he works to support organisations to adapt to the changing nature of skills requirements, connecting businesses with talent who can help to supercharge their growth and maximise their use of emerging technologies like AI. 

For the first episode of Stories of Generation Growth, Michael Hayman is joined by Head of the Office of Corporate Engagement International and 10,000 Small Businesses UK at Goldman Sachs, Charlotte Keenan, alongside Roni Savage, Founder and Managing Director of award-winning engineering and environmental consultancy, Jomas Associates. 

Together, they explore Roni’s business journey over the past 15 years, establishing and growing one of the UK’s leading environmental and engineering consultancies. What has enabled her growth? Where has she faced challenges? What can other business leaders learn from her resilience?

In this episode of Journeys of Discovery, Michael Hayman sits down with Petroc Trelawny, classical music broadcaster, and the voice behind BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast programme. 

Petroc reflects on the influence of music and music performance, classical and otherwise, on identity and emotions, and discusses his new book, Trelawny’s Cornwall, a part history, part memoir, which explores the past, present and future of the region.