The Parenting Business

Summary

Stuart and Ben catch up on family life, business-owner challenges, and Ben’s first overseas trip with the children. They swap stories about half-term childcare, a troublesome bulky delivery, fish-tank mishaps, and debate the possible effects of minimum-wage and tax changes ahead of the UK budget.

Don't forget that you can email us with your questons, stories, hints and tips on [email protected]

Chapters

00:00 Stuart and Ben return for a parenting-and-business catch-up

03:02 Ben’s high: a daughter’s sweet declaration

05:04 Fish-tank guilt and a tribute to Andy’s Man Club

09:28 Half-term at work and Stuart’s oversized delivery headache

16:45 Ben’s first overseas trip with the children

19:33 Why the Algarve’s laid-back family atmosphere worked

24:02 School-holiday routines and a potty-training pause

27:13 Planning October half-term and Easter breaks ahead

30:22 Dad jokes give way to UK budget and wage concerns

Keywords

parenting and business, family travel with kids, Algarve holiday, working parents, small business challenges, bulky parcel delivery, UK budget, minimum wage

Summary

Stuart's flying solo and this week (while Ben has another week off) he shares his usual highs and lows; one of which leads him into our topic for the week about managing a small business during challenging times of being super busy. Stuart shares his top 10 tips for what he implements (most of the time!) which helps him manage and support his team and provide support to his customers, as part of his textile manufacturing business.

Don't forget that you can get in touch with the show, to ask questions, share your stories, hints and tips about your own Parenting Business, by emailing us at [email protected]

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and episode overview

00:29 Why managing small business pressure matters

01:26 The importance of family time during busy periods

02:20 Challenges of being overwhelmed at work

04:10 Managing pressures through systems and routines

06:08 Daily team involvement and short production meetings

09:19 Using visual workflow boards for ownership

11:33 Prioritizing customer deadlines and flexibility

13:21 Protecting focus time and encouraging solutions

15:16 Planning production capacity and managing expectations

19:43 Delegating ownership and team empowerment

20:45 Managing customer expectations proactively

22:25 Weekly management reviews for continuous improvement

24:50 Recognizing when to increase capacity

26:12 Decision-making capacity and daily planning

27:30 Supporting staff and maintaining morale

30:24 Wrapping up and final thoughts

31:03 A light-hearted dad joke to end

Keywords

small business management, productivity tips, team leadership, operational efficiency, business resilience

Summary

Ben's Gone! But where? This week Stuart is joined by a new co-host. Chris Morris is a former guest of the show, has been through A LOT of co-parenting challenges, in similar ways to Stuart, so seems to be the perfect replacement.

In this episode, Stuart and Chris delve into the emotional and legal challenges of co-parenting after relationship breakdowns, sharing personal stories and insights into navigating court processes, parental alienation, and the impact on children. In this episode, Stuart and Christopher Morris delve into the complexities of family court systems, parental alienation, and the emotional toll of custody battles. They share personal experiences, critique systemic flaws, and discuss ways to navigate and improve the process for parents and children alike.

Don't forget that you can get in touch by emiling us on [email protected] or by joining "The Parenting Business" LinkedIn Group.

Keywords

co-parenting, relationship breakdown, court battles, parental alienation, legal challenges, fatherhood, family law, mental health, child custody, family dynamics family court, parental alienation, custody battles, legal system, parenting, mental health, family law, child welfare, court system critique, parental rights

Summary

This week Stuart and Ben chat about the importance of reflection and how reflecting on the lows can really help us see how far we've come, rather than how far we fell. Both lost businesses, within months of each other and it dramatically changed their live - initially for the worse and now for the better.

This coupled with the guys regular babble about their business and personal lives, as well as Ben's usual Dad Joke!

If you want to get in touch with the show, you can email us directly at podcast@parenting business.com and you can also now sign up to our LinkedIn group. Just search "The Parenting Business" and click to join.

Keywords

reflection, personal growth, business challenges, mental health, self-awareness, resilience, success stories, self-improvement, motivation, leadership

Summary

This week Stuart and Ben chat with Dr. Ben. Physchotherapist and author of A Real Man's Guide To Becomming A Terrific Dad.

Dr Ben, shares his wealth of knowledge and experience around how male and female roles have become very different and the effect it is having on children growing up. We then discuss how we can change that and parents can work together to ensure children can gain the best support possible to build amazing futures.

This is all coupled with Stuart and Ben's usual weekly catch up, their toughts on their conversation with Dr. Ben, as well as Ben's usualy (high quality) dad joke!

You can reach out to Dr. Ben via his website at beaterrificdad.com and book in your first free online chat with him, to find out how one of his support groups coul very likely help you become not just a better dad for your children but also a more supportive partner.

Don't forget you can also reach out to us directly by emailing [email protected]

Summary

In this episode, Stuart and Ben delve into the world of business mentors and coaches, exploring how to find the right support, the differences between mentors and coaches, and the importance of sector-specific experience. They share insights on avoiding common pitfalls and making the most of mentorship to grow your business effectively.

Key Topics

The importance of sector-specific experience in mentors and coaches

The difference between mentoring and coaching and when to use each

How to find and evaluate potential mentors and coaches

The role of peer groups and networking in business growth

Common pitfalls and red flags when selecting mentors or coaches

The value of sector experience and real-world success stories

How to leverage multiple mentors for different aspects of your business

The importance of ongoing support and accountability in mentorship

Summary

This week Stuart and Ben catch up as usual and then chat about dealing with their kids both starting school and going back to school. Ben shares what his girls first few days were like and how he's managing it, whiclst Stuart shares his experience of the first few days back and missing out on his girls first days at a school.

That, along with other back to school related topics and things that they've seen, heard and tried, as well as Ben's usual dad joke.

Don't forget, you can get in touch with the show by emailing us at podcast@parenting business.com or join our LinkedIn group "The Parenting Business".

Summary

In this episode, Stuart and Ben delve into the complexities of hiring staff, sharing insights on recruitment strategies, red flags, and the impact of recent legal changes. They explore practical tips for hiring, trial periods, and managing staff issues, offering valuable advice for business owners navigating the hiring minefield.

00:00 — Weekly catch-up and why routine matters in busy periods01:38 — Staff absences, holidays, and why normality helps productivity03:58 — Factory move chaos and the upside of tidying the workplace05:27 — How supplier holidays still affect delivery timelines07:10 — Introducing the episode topic: hiring staff08:50 — Stuart’s accidental Indeed advert and unexpected applications10:54 — Trial shifts as part of the interview process11:52 — Hiring for social media, marketing, and sales support12:49 — The red flags that appeared during a trial session14:51 — Why someone complaining before being hired is a warning sign15:19 — Younger, less experienced hire or older, more experienced candidate16:26 — Ben’s focus on experience, tools, and attitude over schemes18:25 — Why overqualified candidates may not stay long19:35 — How Ben’s approach to hiring has changed over the last year21:14 — Why a bad hire can still be kept too long if performance dips later22:23 — Bottlenecks, backup plans, and keeping production flowing23:03 — Policies, warnings, and why follow-through matters
24:22 — Stuart’s long-serving employee from a youth unemployment scheme25:15 — Younger versus older workers and different patterns of letdown

28:33 — Employment law changes and shorter dismissal timelines
31:43 — Why paperwork and absence procedures matter more than ever
36:42 — Ben’s biggest mistake: letting problems fester too long
39:15 — Stuart’s biggest mistake: rushing to hire and employing a mate
43:28 — Top tips for hiring staff without rushing the process
44:56 — Ben on paid trials, CVs, and spotting genuine interest
47:02 — Red flags in job history and why repeated job changes matter
48:17 — Stuart’s takeaway: hire slow, fire fast
49:37 — Dad joke break and sign-off

hiring staff, recruitment, trial periods, staff management, employment law, business tips, hiring mistakes, staff red flags, employment regulations, business growth

We’re back for season two, and it feels like we’ve got a fresh start! Stuart and Ben reflect on their summer breaks while promising a more focused and engaging podcast this time around.

Stuart and Ben have had some time to think over the summer, and they’re excited to share that this season will be more structured. “We’re going to try and stay a bit more focused, a bit more on topic each episode,” says Stuart. They plan to alternate between parenting discussions and business topics, aiming for deeper dives into each subject.

As they reminisce about their summer breaks, Ben shares memorable moments from his time at Peppa Pig World. “It’s about making memories,” he notes, emphasizing the priceless photographs created during these outings. Stuart echoes this sentiment, sharing his own experiences of family adventures, but also expresses a longing for more time spent with his loved ones during the holidays.

Episode Chapters00:00 — Season 2 kickoff and a more focused format
01:57 — Summer holiday catch-up04:18 — The challenge of August and keeping things running05:17 — Parenting through the summer holidays10:08 — This week’s topic: holidays13:12 — Managing long car journeys with kids18:40 — Service station stops and holiday travel hacks24:01 — Caravan holidays, parks, and entertainment costs32:34 — Booking early vs last-minute holiday deals35:48 — ChatGPT-planned trip to Paris37:15 — Top tips for travelling with kids42:11 — Dad joke43:07 — Parenting Business LinkedIn and listener call to action

Stuart and Ben had a chat, wanted some time with family and so decied that it's time to take August off! So with that, we wanted to send you a quick message to let you know that Season 1 has ended. But don't worry (or maybe do worry!) because Season 2 is coming in September.

The promise is that Season 2 will be more thought out, more planned and maybe a bit better than season one... thats only a maybe though!

So, don't forget to get on touch with your stories, ideas, jokes and anything else, by either leaving us a comment or sending an email to [email protected]