Get Better in Chelmsford

What if the best networking event you ever attended wasn't technically a networking event at all?

In this episode, Richard speaks to Chris Budd from CBHC Accountants about the communities he's built - not around PowerPoint and name badges, but around running shoes, shared values, and a genuine belief that patience is the best business development strategy there is.

Chris created the Runners Network - a lunchtime run open to anyone, starting and ending at Central Park Café - and the Golden Circle, a small, invitation-only group of business owners who share values and ambitions, and back each other up without the formality of BNI.

They also talk about CBHC's new concierge service, which takes a bespoke, personal approach to working with business owners - not just their year-end accounts. And about why an accountancy firm running a running club and a curated Golden Circle says a lot about what CBHC really is.
Fresh air. Good company. Free coffee. Leads that come when you stop chasing them.

If you want to join the Runners Network, just look out for it on LinkedIn and turn up. No fancy footwear required.

Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-budd-cemap-68307412/

Website:
​​https://www.cbhc.uk.com/

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

He set a goal in 2012 to buy a football club. He didn't know how much it would cost. He didn't know how long it would take. He wrote it down anyway. Years later, he bought Chelmsford City FC.

In this episode, Richard speaks to Spencer Gore - founder of EMJ (European Medical Journal), one of the UK's leading healthcare publishing businesses, and the man now trying to put Chelmsford on the map in a way that goes well beyond the birthplace of radio.

They cover Spencer's values-based approach to hiring - including a 90-minute values interview that shapes every appointment - how his dyslexia informed his relentless drive, and what it's like to take over a community asset rather than just a business. There's a walking football team with prostate cancer awareness built in. There's a Foundation feeding kids in school holidays who'd otherwise go without. There are fan forums every month.

This is the story of what happens when someone with big goals and strong values lands in the right place.

Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Instagram:
@chelmsfordcityfc

Website:
​​https://chelmsfordcityfc.com/

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

She texted a few friends, put a poster up in a coffee shop, and hoped for the best. Twelve women showed up. Two years later, the WhatsApp group has 560 members.

In this episode, Richard speaks to Megan, founder of Girls Run Chelmsford - the all-women running community that started as a Wednesday evening jog and has grown into something much bigger.

Megan talks about why running alone as a woman is genuinely difficult - the safety concerns, the motivation, the isolation - and why doing it in a group changes everything. She shares how Girls Run Chelmsford has evolved from five-kilometre loops into Pilates sessions, reformer classes, bracelet-making nights, and brand partnerships, all while staying free, welcoming, and firmly rooted in Chelmsford.
They also get into the friendships that form when people move alongside each other, the women who turn up solo and end up going on holiday together, and how Megan runs all of it while working full time in London.

If you've been meaning to try it - the door is always open. Just DM Girls Run Chelmsford on Instagram and Megan (or her sister) will get back to you.

Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Instagram:
@girlsrunchelmsford

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

Prevention, not cure. That's the message from Lucy at Tees Law - and it's one most business owners probably need to hear.

In this episode, Richard speaks to Lucy from Tees Law, a firm with over a century of history and a commercial practice that works with businesses from first idea all the way through to exit.

They get into the practical stuff - what micro businesses get wrong and why it matters, what buyers find when they do due diligence, and what happens when shares haven't been properly documented, liability hasn't been capped, or supply contracts are about to expire. Lucy explains how getting these things right isn't just about compliance - it's about building value.

They also cover Tees' unique wealth practice, which sits alongside the legal offering to help business owners think about personal finances and tax planning as part of the same picture, and why talking to a lawyer doesn't have to wait for something to go wrong.

There are 9,000 micro businesses in Essex. This one's for all of them.

Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Website:
https://teeslaw.com/offices/chelmsford/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-folley-2b64b721/

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

What does it mean to build a law firm in a city you genuinely believe in?

In this episode, Richard speaks to Andrew from Ellison's - a regional law firm that arrived in the city in 2018 with two partners, four people, and a clear set of values. Today, they have seven partners, 40 desks, and a full commercial and private client offering.

Andrew talks about why staying aligned to values - rather than chasing growth targets - has driven more sustainable growth than any spreadsheet could have. They cover the firm's academy for training and development, their approach to neurodiversity in the workplace, and why the firm's next generation of clients matter just as much as today's.

There's also a fascinating conversation about Chelmsford's history - from a freed slave buried on New London Road to the radio signals sent from Lower Anchor Street as part of Operation Fortitude - and why civic pride matters when you're trying to build something that lasts decades, not just years.
And yes, he really was on the first train from Beaulieu Park station. He has the LinkedIn post to prove it.


Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Website:
https://ellisons.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-fernandes-807b8546/

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

From celebrity photographer to beekeeper. And why that's not as strange as it sounds.

In this episode, Richard speaks to Tony, founder of Plan Bee - the Essex-based beekeeping project that's part business, part conservation mission, and part last line of defence for the honeybee.

Tony spent 30 years photographing the likes of Kate Moss, Ocean Colour Scene, and Bill Bailey before making the switch. Now he manages over 60 hives for around 20 clients across Essex and London, keeps bees on the roof of Chelmsford City Council, and is quietly working to breed a climate-change resistant strain of native Essex Black Bees.

This year has seen the highest honeybee mortality on record. One in three mouthfuls of food depends on pollination. And without beekeepers like Tony, the species would be in serious trouble.
They talk about what makes this a business, why businesses are getting involved, what a day with 50,000 bees actually looks like - and what you can do to support the project.

If you want to plant trees, you could. Or you could support a beehive and get raw honey straight from the source.

Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Website:
https://www.tonybriggs.com/planbee

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/tony-briggs-plan-bee/posts 

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

You've seen the lorries. But do you know the story?

Woodland Group is one of Essex's biggest businesses - a global supply chain logistics company with around 900 people across the UK, USA, Ireland and Asia, with Chelmsford at its heart. 

In this episode, Richard speaks to Jason Shuttleworth, who's been with the company for 21 years, to explore the journey from a Basildon phone number to a global business that moves everything from books under NDA to vinyl records on release day.

They cover what makes Chelmsford the right place to HQ a logistics company, why the culture hasn't shifted even as the headcount has grown to 900, and how Woodland's 15-year partnership with Essex Cricket and its work with the Panathlon charity reflect the values at the heart of the business.

There's also talk of life in New York, Essex's surprising global reputation, and why once you've met Woodland Group, you can't stop spotting the trucks.

Recorded at:
City Space:
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Website:
https://www.woodlandgroup.com/uk

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonshuttleworth/

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

What if the garden sold itself - you just had to get people through the gate?
In this episode, Richard speaks to Sue from RHS Hyde Hall, one of just five RHS gardens in the country and firmly on Chelmsford's doorstep. From the sweeping hilltop views to the plot-to-plate vegetable garden, Sue shares what makes Hyde Hall so much more than its horticultural reputation suggests.

They explore how Hyde Hall balances its national RHS identity with deeply local roots - with 80% of visitors coming from Chelmsford and Southend - and how the team is working to welcome new audiences through the pound-entry scheme, National Lottery access, school visits, and family events like the Great Garden Gameathon.

Sue also opens up about wellbeing, the quiet power of being in nature, and why a garden that's constantly growing never really stays the same.
With nearly 440,000 visitors a year - and a lavender walk on the horizon - the next milestone is half a million. Come and help them get there.

Hyde Hall is open every day from 10am. No booking needed. Just turn up.

Recorded at:
City Space
https://city-space.co.uk/
@city_space_chelmsford

Website:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall

Instagram:
@rhshydehall

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

Gareth Barton, Creative Director at Spacio, is on a mission to create remarkable workplaces that go beyond desks and design — crafting environments that inspire purpose, connection, and culture.

From post-conflict zones to boardrooms, Gareth’s career is anything but ordinary. Now Creative Director at Spacio, he channels 35+ years of experience in storytelling, strategy and design into building workplaces people actually want to be in.

In this episode, Gareth shares why branding belongs to the people, how workspaces can shape culture, and what it means to uncover a company’s “irreducible truth.” It’s an inspiring conversation about change, purpose, and falling in love with Mondays again.

🎬 Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency: @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

🎤 Recorded at
Studio 808: @studio808_

Where to find Spacio
🌐 Website: https://www.spacio.co.uk/
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spacio-design-&-build

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford 

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

What if your next best customer was already in your data?

In this episode, we dive into the world of business intelligence with James Neale, Co-Founder of Integra Data Solutions — the award-winning specialists who are changing how businesses find, understand, and reach their audiences.

From GDPR-compliant strategies to data enrichment and razor-sharp customer segmentation, James shares how Integra turns complex datasets into powerful, ROI-driven marketing campaigns. If you want to market smarter, not harder, this one's for you.

🎬 Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency: @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil

🎤 Recorded at
Studio 808: @studio808_

Where to find Integra Data Solutions
🌐 Website: www.integradatasolutions.co.uk
🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/integra-data-solutions/

Where to find Get Better in Chelmsford
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/get-better-in-chelmsford 

Created in collaboration with:
Better Agency @betteragency
Chelmsford City Council: @chelmscouncil