My Guest on the podcast this week is Chris Goodman, Co-Founder & Director of Focus Group, a UK Comms & IT business. Employing over 800 staff across 9 offices, Focus Group delivers innovative solutions to over 30,000 businesses, and has annual revenue in excess of £130m. 

For two decades his leadership experience in the IT and telecoms sector covers everything from the development of effective sales teams, cohesive people and culture strategies and robust financial analysis, together with having led and completed numerous M&A and private equity transactions.

He remains deeply committed to ensuring Focus Group has a positive and sustainable impact on those in and around our community, leading on agendas such as employee wellbeing and business culture. 

Despite such huge success over the past two decades, it has come with sacrifices, along with his on battle with mental health. Today on World Mental Health Day, he shares his story with us in this truly open and honest conversation. To share a quote from his blog, 'It's good to squawk'

Chris shares how during his life he had followed the script, worked hard, built a multi-million pound business but after realising his dreams and achieving financial freedom he felt unfulfilled, because he'd failed to invest in the most precious commodity...himself!

This is a truly eye opening episode that will resonate and hopefully have a great impact on many people on a journey of self discovery, as it did on me.

Chris is a truly inspirational business leader and one I learnt so much from during this episode. He recently founded the Focus Foundation, a charity designed to connect the Focus Group community of employees, customers and industry partners in order to make a positive impact on people’s lives. By Chris also sharing his story, he is doing just that.

Everyone had a story to tell... Happy Listening

Watch the Episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/EMPngHvf-SA

Read Chris's Blog Here ➡️ https://www.mysquawk.co.uk/post/where-does-your-ladder-lead

OUR SPONSORS

Picture Book Films ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk/

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

My Guest on the podcast this week is Lyndsey Clay, a Qualified Coach, Networking Champion and Social Concierge, who is passionate about connecting people through supporting local businesses to create lasting personal and professional relationships, right here in Brighton & Hove.

Lyndsey's fascinating journey into entrepreneurship started during lockdown, but this is not just a story about business, as Lyndsey shares her personal journey through infertility, miscarriage, IVF and divorce, and how her experiences over the last few years have impacted her sense of self and of belonging. 

Lyndsey shared how during some dark times, her road to recovery started by listening to others' stories, realising she was not alone, and in March 2017 she started a blog on Instagram promoting her newfound ethos with the motto:

For me her story highlights that when life does not go according to plan, if you have enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards life and embrace it, you can change direction and find true happiness. She has started something extremely special with Connected Brighton as she builds her community, and I wish her continued success. 

Everyone has a story to tell... Happy Listening 🎧

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/Brtw4hBuT-E

Find out more about Connected Brighton ➡️ https://www.connectedbrighton.com/

OUR SPONSORS

https://picturebookfilms.co.uk/

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

My Guest on the podcast this week is Marc Convey, former MD of 23D and Co-Founder at Thrive Now, a collective movement connecting a community of people who desire to create a better world by being better, happier humans.

Marc's story is truly inspiring, he talks about how his life changed at 14 when he suffered severe burns in an accident in Ireland, how he nearly died twice and how that first day back in school after the accident was the one of toughest of his life. Yet his determination and positive attitude to make the most of life took him on a journey into the world of poker to starting his own business 23D in 2017. Then during Covid after losing nearly 90% of planned revenue in a week he had to once again adapt and pivot. As he has learned so many times in life, opportunities can present themselves in even the bleakest of circumstances.

Fast forward to 2022 and on a journey of self discovery Marc decided to step away from 23D and is now in a place where after 30 years since the accident he feels he has got everything he needed back from life, to finally even up the score with what the universe had thrown at him at 14, and he is ready to truly ThriveNow.

This is truly one of the most inspirational episodes I have recorded and I thank Marc for sharing his story with me.

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/H4JVRYwaE94

Find out more about Marc Convey ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-convey/

Find out more about ThriveNow ➡️ https://www.thrive-now.org

OUR SPONSORS

https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

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

This week I was joined by my co-host, SBT Sports Editor Laurence Elphick for our Sports edition of the podcast. We had the great pleasure of chatting with the inspirational Aneela Rose, founder of Rose Media Group and GB Powerlifting gold medalist.

Aneela, from Burgess Hill, has been running her own successful PR agency for 18 years. However her sporting journey began after the London 2012 Olympics when she was inspired to start throwing the javelin again after a 25 year break, but after repeated shoulder injuries she was advised to take up strength training to help her shoulder. Her coach quickly realised that she was ‘freakishly strong’ and encouraged her to enter a powerlifting competition. She switched from spear throwing to lifting heavy weights and the rest is now history!

In this truly amazing episode we hear from this incredible women about her sporting journey from starting out in powerlifting to winning a gold medal at the British Powerlifting Finals in May 2018, at the Bodypower Expo, NEC Birmingham. We discuss some of the challenges she has faced along the way, in both her business and her sporting life, how she manages to juggle between family life, running a successful PR agency and being a team GB powerlifting-powerhouse. Her laser focus, grit and determination to achieve her goals is truly inspiring and this amazing episode is one not to be missed..

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/dkRK28MNgJc

Find out more about Aneela Rose ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneelarose/

OUR SPONSORS

https://jamesrossjewellers.co.uk

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

My Guest on the podcast this week is Fiona Anderson. She has been helping entrepreneurs to kick start and launch their businesses for many years. After a long career as a relationship and business development director with Royal Bank of Scotland she spent 2 of those years involved in setting up and managing an entrepreneurial accelerator working with over 1,000 entrepreneurs at all stages of growth from pre-revenue to high growth and scale businesses. The accelerator  helped generate around £12m of turnover and £7m of Investment.

Through management of the key partnerships with University of Sussex and Brighton university the accelerator created internship opportunities and generated over 300 jobs within Brighton. 

After moving back to Cape Town where she grew up in 2018 for a few years, in October 2020 she returned to the UK, and the Sussex Business community is lucky to have her back. 

This brilliant episode is a fascinating story from someone that has been entrenched with the Entrepreneurial community for many years. Fiona discusses what it was like growing up in South Africa during the apartheid before coming to the UK to start a career in banking. Then during the launch of entrepreneurial spark she supported thousands of start ups and entrepreneurs as we find out some of the key traits she looked for throughout the initiative. We delve deep into a tough period for Fiona when she returned to South Africa in 2018, a move that didn't work out and she hit an extremely low point in her journey. But through resilience and a strong network, that she had built up right here in Sussex, she returned to Brighton and is looking once again to support entrepreneurs and start ups with her new role at Plus X. 

To find out more about Fiona Anderson Click Here ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-anderson-uk/

OUR SPONSORS

Check out our sponsors Picture Book Films ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

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

My guest on the podcast this week is Tom Hooper, someone I have only met a few months ago but have been inspired by his journey. He has been described as a force of nature, someone that is motivated, determined, focused and a larger-than-life character.. Getting to know him and following him on social media I know he has had his own personal struggles with mental health and we both share a passion to change the narrative out there, especially amongst men that vulnerability is a sign of weakness.

I believe everyone has a story to tell and sometimes the lessons we learn in the harsh reality of life can be applied in business as well, such as resilience, determination and a positive mindset. With the podcast I have always asked my guests to come with an open mind and be as honest and authentic as possible. During this conversation Tom did just that. He shared his story from growing up in an orphanage, getting involved in drugs and alcohol, being arrested too overdosing, but ultimately making a choice to use the negative situations in his life as fuel to motivate him and start a new chapter.

At the time of recording this episode he was due to launch his new business, but has since been thrown a new curve ball and circumstances have changed, we therefore had to cut some elements of the episode out. After listening to his journey and what he has been through, this is just another challenge that I know he will face head on and will bounce back to start a new faze of his life and write the next chapter.

This is one of the most raw, brutally honest episodes`I have recorded and I am grateful to Tom for sharing his story so openly. This hopefully will inspire others that are maybe feeling in a dark place or going through a difficult period, to hopefully they find the strength to reach out and ask for support in whatever form that may be, and realise that we do have a choice.

To watch the episode on YouTube Click Here ➡️ https://youtu.be/IeyC7sZqf7Y

To find out more about Tom Hooper Click Here ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-hooper/

OUR SPONSORS

Picture Book Films ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

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

My Guest on the podcast this week is Ed Chinn, Associate Director at EY Breakthrough Incentives. He has had a variety of marketing roles, worked on an airline and ran his own video production company for over 6 years with his brother.

He left the business in 2020 to start a new career at EY and during lock down was diagnosed with ADHD, today he shares his story, challenges and experiences throughout his journey.

In this amazing episode, Ed drops the bomb early about his recent ADHD diagnosis and shares some of the challenges he has faced. It was fascinating to listen to the variety of experiences he has had from working on an airline to following his love for motor racing. He discussed some highs and lows of running a business with his brother and how building relationships and always being open to an opportunity has led him to his current career, where he feels he can have a real impact, especially when it comes to sustainability and the planet, something he is clearly passionate about.

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/Jp42FWUkzE4

To find out more about EY Breakthrough Incentives Click Here ➡️ https://www.ey.com/en_uk/tax/ey-breakthrough-incentives

Our Sponsors:

Picture Book Films ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

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

My Guest on the podcast this week is Ed Chinn, Associate Director at EY Breakthrough Incentives. He has had a variety of marketing roles, worked on an airline and ran his own video production company for over 6 years with his brother.

He left the business in 2020 to start a new career at EY and during lock down was diagnosed with ADHD, today he shares his story, challenges and experiences throughout his journey.

In this amazing episode, Ed drops the bomb early about his recent ADHD diagnosis and shares some of the challenges he has faced. It was fascinating to listen to the variety of experiences he has had from working on an airline to following his love for motor racing. He discussed some highs and lows of running a business with his brother and how building relationships and always being open to an opportunity has led him to his current career, where he feels he can have a real impact, especially when it comes to sustainability and the planet, something he is clearly passionate about.

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/Jp42FWUkzE4

To find out more about EY Breakthrough Incentives Click Here ➡️ https://www.ey.com/en_uk/tax/ey-breakthrough-incentives

Our Sponsors:

Picture Book Films ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My Guest on the podcast this week is Ed Chinn, Associate Director at EY Breakthrough Incentives. He has had a variety of marketing roles, worked on an airline and ran his own video production company for over 6 years with his brother.

He left the business in 2020 to start a new career at EY and during lock down was diagnosed with ADHD, today he shares his story, challenges and experiences throughout his journey.

In this amazing episode, Ed drops the bomb early about his recent ADHD diagnosis and shares some of the challenges he has faced. It was fascinating to listen to the variety of experiences he has had from working on an airline to following his love for motor racing. He discussed some highs and lows of running a business with his brother and how building relationships and always being open to an opportunity has led him to his current career, where he feels he can have a real impact, especially when it comes to sustainability and the planet, something he is clearly passionate about.

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/Jp42FWUkzE4

To find out more about EY Breakthrough Incentives Click Here ➡️ https://www.ey.com/en_uk/tax/ey-breakthrough-incentives

Our Sponsors:

Picture Book Films ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My guest this week is Sam Murphy, MD of award-winning brokerage - Mortgage Medics who help people buy and refinance property as efficiently as possible.

Sam is a strong advocate for Diversity & Inclusion within the LGBTQIA+ community and ahead of Brighton pride in August, I was truly honoured to have this conversation with him.

In this amazing episode Sam shares his story, from starting a business at 23, some of the challenges he has faced along the way and how there is always a learning point. From a fraudulent business partner to how being a gay man in business has been a superpower. We discuss culture and how from day one Sam's primary goal is to look after people and treat them with respect. A fascinating point was around work life balance and the unhealthy narrative that to be successful you have to work 16 hour days on 4-5 hours sleep. Sam is living proof that is not the case, as he mentions we all go through periods of graft as he has, but it's far more important to be consistent and he has consistently grown a successful business over 15 years, and happiness is where we find true success.

Watch the episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/3bDLq4A8ohA

Find our more about Mortgage Medics ➡️ https://www.mortgage-medics.com/

Our Sponsors ➡️ https://picturebookfilms.co.uk

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