In this episode I talk to Soraya Karimi-Ghovanlou. Soraya is the supply chain director at Smithfield Foods. 

Smithfield Foods is part of a global business that puts food (predominantly meat) on our dinner tables. 

We talk about the challenges Smithfield foods has and still are facing due to Brexit and Covid and what effect this has had on prices for us as consumers. We are all aware that the cost of living is increasing and Soraya tells us some of the reasons why. 

We talk about pivoting, the relationship between different departments in the business specifically the operations and finance of course and what is success. 

Hope you enjoy

AW

In this episode I talk to Jim Grigoriou. Jim is a director of Movo Insurance brokers, he possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience securing accurate, appropriate and competitive insurance cover for a huge number of businesses and their owners. 

Insurance is one of those overheads that's ignored, often forgotten about and left to auto-renew each year. This is a mistake.... and could be putting your entire business, your staff, your customers and ultimately you as the business owner at risk. 

As your business changes and grows the insurance needs will change also and yet many business owners assume the business is adequately covered with what was put in place years previous! Business owners are too busy running the business and will actively avoid dealing with their insurance renewals, but it could be business critical.

In this episode Jim and I talk about the different types of business insurance, what's new on the scene and why it's important to at the very least consider outsourcing your insurance renewals and engage with a broker. 

If you are interested in speaking with Jim you can email him on [email protected] 

If you'd like to understand more about Movo Insurance Brokers their website is https://movoinsurance.com/movobranches/cowbridge/ 

Hope you enjoy

AW

In this episode I interview Fanny Snaith a Certified Money Coach. Fanny is a business owner, a self made millionaire and is fiercely passionate about helping us understand our emotions and behaviours around how to earn, spend and save money. Her goal is to increase financial literacy, and on that journey help us build our wealth and often fix our relationship with money. 

Fanny talks about the 10 different personalities when it comes to money and business. 

Business ownership is a rollercoaster ride and money is at the epicenter of it. In this episode we talk about several of the business money archetypes. How many do you recognise and relate to?

If you want to find out more about Fanny Snaith and how her Money Coaching can help you please see the links below. 

Hope you enjoy

AW

Website: https://fannysnaith.com/

If you'd like to take the Money Type Quiz you can do so here: https://bit.ly/FSnaithMoneyTypeQuiz

In this episode I talk to Richard Carter. Richard is the CEO of lopay an entirely new payment app that's just come to market to compete with the big boys. Lopays payment options are innovative enabling you as the business owner to both choose when you get paid and keep more of your money. Their tagline is 'You've earned it' and they're passionate about you keeping as much of it as possible! 

This disruptive business is at the forefront of changing the archaic banking industry. 

Business owners have become used to paying charges for using card readers or apps such as Paypal, Square, Zettle and various others. But this industry is in a period of transition, it's becoming far more competitive and where there's competition theirs benefits to be had for the consumer i.e. you and your business. 

Lopays value proposition is unparalleled, make your mind up if it's a no brainer when you listen to Richard here.  

Hope you enjoy

AW 

If you want to find out more about lopay their website is https://lopay.com/

The app can be downloaded at the Apple Store (https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/lopay-merchant/id1565369434) or from Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.checkfer.lopaymerchant) 

In this episode I talk to Kevin Ludford. Kevin is the CEO of Fumopay an innovative, secure, card-free payment app that's built on open banking enabling your customers to instantly pay money to your business. Fumopay is new to the market and it could be a game changer; you guys are hearing about it first here. 

The Fumopay payment option is less than half the price of other payment options! These guys are disrupting a well defined marketplace and they have some behemoth competitors that we all know and use on a daily basis. 

In this episode we talk about automating your customer payments to help both your customers and you as the business owner. 

If you're interested in understanding more and incorporating Fumopay into your payment options their website is www.fumopay.com/merchants

Hope you enjoy

AW

In this episode I talk to Pete Garvey. Pete is a friend and an ex colleague and for the second week I talk about wellness. Pete is a qualified coach, his knowledge and experience is reflected in the success of those he has worked with and I've seen first hand how his care and attention has helped many. Pete works tirelessly to empower people at all levels of a business and when you listen to this episode you'll hear how passionate he is about the wellbeing of everyone and importantly, how this correlates with the success of the business.  

People leave people and lets be honest at this time we all want to retain staff and empower them to achieve. So, in this final episode of 2021 let's take this opportunity to recognise how important mindset in the workplace is and how with simple 'motivators' you and your staff can be a fantastic and successful team. 

Happy New Year 

Hope you enjoy

AW

In the episode I interview Joe Rodgers. Joe is the MD of Recharged Health and Wellbeing, he's an expert at making leaders and their workforce well. When well we can be engaged, effective, productive and importantly valued. 

A business is an ecosystem and each person is a cog in that ecosystem, to give value to clients and customers we need people to work together, contribute and want to provide great services and products. If employees are not well mentally and/or physically they will invariably not be able to do so. How can we help ourselves and our colleagues?

This episode asks you to think about the culture of your business and how it starts with you as the business owner. 

Mental and physical health has taken a battering with Covid, the lack of human contact, the dramatic increase in communicating using tech in the workplace. More of us are working remotely which has only added pressure and strain to what pre-pandemic was already tough. 

I've put a few links below that were mentioned in the episode, please check them out:

Hope you enjoy

AW

Recharged Health and Wellbeing website - https://www.rechargedwellbeing.co.uk/

The Burnout Epidemic by Jennifer Moss - https://amzn.to/3sufP75

Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale: https://bit.ly/WEMWellbeingScale

In this episode I interview Julie Barber. Julie is an entrepreneur, mentor, speaker, the author of a number 1 bestselling book 'Investor Ready' (the guide for start ups in getting investors to say yes) and she's the CEO of Spark Consulting who work with start ups and scale ups on raising funds for business owners that are focused on growth, innovation and transformation. 

The cold hard fact is 70% of all businesses do not employ anyone aside from the owner. It's no wonder 60% of all businesses in the UK turnover less than £85K. The inability to grow a business is one of the major constricting factors; but to grow ordinarily money is needed. But how do you get it?

In this episode Julie and I talk about the fundamentals of getting funds. 

The final golden nugget of information Julie provides will certainly resonate!

Hope you enjoy

AW

The links to the Investor Ready book and Spark Consulting are below: 

- Investor Ready Book (which I highly recommend): Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Investor-Ready-start-ups-getting-investors/dp/1781334633

- Spark Consulting: https://spark-consulting.co.uk/

In this episode I interview a business associate and friend of mine Barry May. Barry is a independent financial advisor (IFA) and I wanted to speak to him about pensions. 

You may think pensions are a waste of your money and your time, you may love your pension and that you've been building it for years, either way this purpose of this conversation is to make you think. 

Pensions are a potential tax saving tool for a business and therefore it's owner hence why it's such an important topic to discuss on this podcast.  

I hope you enjoy

AW

Links:

OakIFA - https://oakifa.com/

Barrys' email: [email protected] 

In this episode I interview Pete Drinkwater. Pete helps service-based businesses optimise and build winning sales flows; aptly named Simple Sales. 

Sales can be tough, repetitive, time consuming and certainly frustrating if not successful. Pete's philosophy is to break the sales process down to simple, easy, repeatable, automated tasks in order to engage with your customer as early as possible and keep their engagement. 

This episode is for you to ask the question, do I have a sales process? and would I like one/need one? Knowledge is power and what you don't know you don't know. I rarely ask guests the cost of their services but on this episode I thought it appropriate, I wanted you guys to know that what Pete offers is affordable no matter which stage of the entrepreneurial journey you are at.   

The links/contact details to Pete, his Facebook group and the Simple Sales business is below. 

I hope you enjoy

AW

Instagram: @petedrinkwatersales

Facebook (Simple Sales): https://www.facebook.com/PeteDrinkwater

Simple Sales website: https://yoursimplesales.co.uk/

Email: [email protected]