David Bell is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, business leader, and technology consultant, helping ambitious organisations grow, scale, and innovate. As Founder of Simboc, he works with startups and SMEs to unlock opportunities through strategic advice, leadership support, and practical digital solutions. 

David is also an Entrepreneur in Residence at Anglia Ruskin University, a fellow of several professional bodies, an experienced keynote speaker and chat show host. 

Join co hosts Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker David Bell  for our latest podcast/Youtube release as they discuss whether entrepreneurship is innate or can be learnt, the key drivers of successful entrepreneurship, and why we need to create a better environment to support new businesses.

What is Strive & Thrive?

Get ready for more powerful conversations - if you are an SME business leader, or have a general interest in entrepreneurship, you can learn from others who have been on the journey and have valuable insights to share. Our podcast  aims to provide key learnings for Founders with a fun, friendly & conversational approach. 

Set your reminder, grab your headphones and tune in - please follow us on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite platform to stay up to date with every new episode.

Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared​

Website: striveandthrivepodcast.com 

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

Dan Davies is  an SME champion, innovation specialist, a problem solver and a hands-on business development manager helping companies to develop and bring in more sustainable business. 

Regardless of the industry sector, the product you sell or the people who buy from you, Dan believes there is always a way to improve and ensure a healthy business future. 

Join co hosts Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Dan Davies for our latest podcast/Youtube release, dropping on 14th April as they discuss how quality trumps quantity in networking, the importance of understanding your customer and market, and how to navigate the tension between technology and compliance.

What is Strive & Thrive?

Get ready for more powerful conversations - if you are an SME business leader, or have a general interest in entrepreneurship, you can learn from others who have been on the journey and have valuable insights to share. Our podcast aims to provide key learnings for Founders with a fun, friendly & conversational approach. 

Set your reminder, grab your headphones and tune in - please follow us on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite platform to stay up to date with every new episode.

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

Join co-hosts Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Fiona Scott for our latest podcast/YouTube release  - dropping on 31st March - as they discuss Fiona’s numerous learnings from building her business, and the importance of storytelling to help your business grow.

Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared​

Website: striveandthrivepodcast.com 

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

We are proud to announce that Strive & Thrive is joining podcasters around the world in raising awareness for causes that we care about - and the organisations that are addressing them -  in #Podcasthon2026! 

Podcasthon is the world’s largest podcast charity initiative, bringing together podcasters globally to raise awareness for charitable causes.

We have dedicated this special episode of Strive & Thrive to a cause that we deeply care about and will be highlighting SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse.

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Nikki Kelly as they discuss the issue of domestic abuse, how leadership and innovation is being enacted in the charity sector, and how we can help.

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

Creating a world full of possibility in a business means constantly balancing vision with reality. Leaders must inspire bold thinking while navigating constraints like budgets, market competition, and operational limits. It requires cultivating a culture where creativity is encouraged, failure is treated as learning, and diverse perspectives are valued, all while still meeting performance targets

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Alan Evans  at 12pm on 12th March , as they discuss why coaching is so important, how you can realise self belief and potential, and the challenges of working for yourself.

LinkedIn Event: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7434690338079911936?viewAsMember=true YouTube stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mT4lVNGwBM 

Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared​

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

It becomes difficult to step back and work on the business rather than in it, especially when revenue depends directly on your time and energy. Fear of slowing down, delegating, or changing long-standing processes can keep you stuck in familiar patterns, even when they’re unsustainable. Escaping that cycle requires intentional strategy, systems, and often the uncomfortable shift from operator to true business owner.

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Lambros Photios as they discuss the importance of letting go, taking a step back to see the bigger picture, and how to embrace the challenges that AI presents.

Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared​

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

Moving from an apprenticeship to buying a global business is a leap that comes with steep challenges, from closing massive knowledge gaps to managing financial risk at an entirely new scale. What once involved learning under guidance becomes making high-stakes decisions across cultures, markets, and legal systems, often without a safety net. The shift demands rapid development in leadership, strategic thinking, and resilience, while unlearning the comfort of being “in training.” Balancing ambition with humility, and vision with operational reality, is often the hardest part of the journey.

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Alun Tribe  on 12th Feb, as they discuss the value of good apprenticeship programmes, being open to advice and support, and how to buy a global business.

Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared​

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker John Diack as they discuss how to amplify a founder in growing with their company, and remove stuff they’re not good at by getting them to be self aware and focus on their strengths. They also cover how to build high trust and how governments can encourage entrepreneurship.
​
Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

We are excited to announce that our guest speaker for episode 28 is Chris Wilson !!!

Speaking with authenticity and impact in an SME can be challenging because leaders and employees often juggle multiple roles, tight resources, and constant change. There is pressure to sound confident and professional while also staying true to personal values and the realities of the business, which can lead to overly cautious or generic communication.

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Chris Wilson on 15th January, as they discuss how to speak with impact and authenticity, embracing the true you to connect emotionally with your audience - be it your team, your customers, or your peers.

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Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​

Join co-hosts Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam and Mike Oliver on 1st January, as they discuss the many insights and key learnings they gained from the Strive & Thrive podcast in 2025, and what they hope to achieve with their businesses and the podcast in 2026.

Mike and Romesh draw on the huge experience, expertise and journeys of their many excellent guests in 2025. 

LinkedIn Event: ​https://www.linkedin.com/events/s-tepisode27-whatinsightscansme7407503696307105792/theater/
YouTube stream:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ua05j74gUU
​
Subscribe and follow us for more Strive & Thrive content at Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.​
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cEcnsZUk8pQFPbP6wrT33​
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strive-and-thrive/id1814865101​
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@striveandthriveseries?feature=shared​

------------

Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all three. ​

​Join founders Mike, Romesh, and their amazing guests, as they discuss the mindsets, skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to Strive & Thrive in an ever-changing world. ​