The Smart Life

From natural resource to business priority. In this special Earth Day episode of The Smart Life podcast, we explore a shift that is starting to reshape how businesses think about water.

Water is becoming a core part of infrastructure, with real impact on operations, risk and long term growth.

We are joined by Gert-Jan Maasdam, Partner at Blue North Partners, a leader in scaling high-impact water technology, and Paul Reig, Founder and CEO of Bluerisk, who specialises in translating complex water data into clear, actionable strategy for the world’s biggest organisations.

Together, we discuss why water is moving up the business agenda, how place based projects are changing local water systems, and what leaders need to do now to stay ahead.

From a large scale rainwater project in Madrid to innovative urban solutions in Rotterdam, this episode brings real examples of how businesses can take action.

If you are thinking about sustainability, infrastructure, or future planning, this conversation will give you a clearer view of what comes next!

Summary

Caroline Laurenson, founder of TL Tech Smart Home Solution and Kind Space, shares her journey of starting a family business and creating a wellbeing Alexa voice app. She discusses the inspiration behind her business, the challenges she faced, and the benefits of running a family business. Caroline also talks about the process of creating her first voice app and the importance of user feedback. She shares her advice for fellow founders and recommends the book 'Playing Big' by Tara Mohr. Caroline's favorite inspirational quote is 'Every cloud has a silver lining.'

Takeaways

Starting a business can stem from a personal passion or a solution to a problem.

Transferable skills from previous careers can be valuable in entrepreneurship.

Building a personal brand and sharing your journey can create connections and opportunities.

Facing fear and taking risks can lead to personal and professional growth.

User feedback is crucial for improving products and services.

Every cloud has a silver lining - finding the positives in negative situations can lead to growth and resilience.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Series Overview

01:55 Caroline's Journey and Inspiration for TL Tech Smart Home Solution

07:38 Creating the Wellbeing Alexa Voice App: Kind Space

10:09 Challenges and Process of Creating the Voice App

14:04 Transitioning from a Career in Engineering to Entrepreneurship

17:29 The Impact and Rewards of Running a Family Business

21:13 Balancing Motherhood and Business Ownership

23:32 Financial Considerations and Advice for Entrepreneurs

27:06 Writing a Book and Future Plans

31:47 Pass It Along Questions: Advice, Book Recommendation, and Inspirational Quote

37:12 Conclusion

In this episode, Jess and Laura interview Angela Garwood, a writer and blogger, about her journey into journalism as a mother. Angela shares that she didn't always want to be a writer, but writing was always a passion of hers. She talks about the importance of having mentors and seeking guidance from experienced professionals in the industry. Angela also discusses the challenges of being a freelancer, including the uncertainty of income and the need to constantly learn and adapt. She emphasises the importance of delegating tasks and seeking help when needed. Angela shares her favourite inspirational quote: 'Clarity comes from engagement, not thought.'

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:35 Angela's Journey into Journalism

03:19 Discovering a Passion for Writing

09:10 The Importance of Mentors

13:30 Accidental Entrepreneurship

17:39 The Superpower of Being Present

19:47 Challenges and Strategies for Freelancers

22:43 Navigating Fear and Taking Action

27:14 Marketing Yourself and Your Business

33:16 Favorite Inspirational Quote

Summary

In this episode of the Smart Life podcast, Jess and Laura interview Charlotte Boundy, the founder of Bright Sparks PA. Charlotte shares her journey from being an actress to starting her own personal assistance company. She discusses the challenges she faced as an accidental entrepreneur and the importance of believing in yourself. Charlotte also talks about the training process for her PAs and her vision for the future of Bright Sparks PA. The episode concludes with quick-fire questions and valuable takeaways for fellow founders.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

03:00 From Actress to Entrepreneur: Charlotte's Journey

09:25 The Challenges and Joys of Being an Accidental Entrepreneur

12:23 Training PAs and Building a Vision for Bright Sparks PA

18:08 Believing in Yourself and Trusting Your Own Vision

20:59 Flexibility and Adaptability in the Ever-Changing Business Landscape

25:59 Embracing Rejection and Seeing 'No' as a Next Opportunity

27:58 Book Recommendations and Top Quotes

31:05 Supporting Women Returning to Work After Having a Family

33:41 Conclusion

Summary

In this episode, Jess and Laura interview Louise Ralphs, the creative mastermind behind Lou Paper, a custom wedding stationery studio. Louise shares her journey from studying graphic design to working in fashion buying and marketing before finally pursuing her passion for illustration. She discusses the challenges of running her own business, the importance of having a support network, and the joy of being her own boss. Louise also talks about the difficulties of balancing work and motherhood, and the need to carve out time for herself. In this conversation, Louise discusses the importance of setting goals and the value of writing them down. She also talks about the benefits of getting outside help to evaluate different aspects of her business. Louise shares her experience of balancing work and motherhood, emphasizing the importance of finding trust in childcare and the power of saying no. She offers advice to fellow founders and recommends the book 'Little Black Book' as a valuable resource for working women. Louise's favorite inspirational quote is 'She believed she could, so she did.'

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:49 Louise's Journey and Passion for Illustration

03:47 Transition to Self-Employment

07:59 The Challenges and Rewards of Running a Business

11:54 The Importance of a Support Network

14:08 Balancing Work and Motherhood

17:01 Being Your Own Boss: Freedom and Flexibility

19:18 Setting Goals for Business and Personal Life

20:40 Setting and Writing Goals

22:07 The Value of Outside Help

24:36 Balancing Work and Motherhood

26:59 The Importance of Saying No

30:26 Switching Between Mom Brain and Work Brain

34:25 The Power of Saying No

37:06 Recommended Resource: 'Little Black Book'

37:56 Empowering Mantra: 'She Believed She Could, So She Did'

Summary

In this episode of the Smart Life podcast, the hosts discuss mental health in the context of managing stress in a deadline-driven environment and navigating the complexities of remote and hybrid work. They also explore the challenges of maintaining balance as working parents. The guests, Jonathan Curtis and Laura Bull, share their personal experiences and offer strategies for thriving in high-pressure environments and supporting mental well-being. They emphasize the importance of self-care, setting boundaries, and building a support network. The conversation also touches on the unique challenges of managing hybrid teams and the impact of parenting on mental health.

Summary

In this episode, Jess Hadleigh discusses how technology can be used to achieve water sustainability with Gert Jan Maasdam and Adam Williams. They explore the pressing challenges of water scarcity and the impact of climate change on water resources. The conversation highlights promising water-saving technologies and innovations, such as digital monitoring of water networks, precise irrigation in agriculture, and wastewater reuse in industries. The speakers also discuss the barriers to implementing these technologies, including a focus on energy efficiency, conservatism, and a lack of digital adoption. They emphasize the need for regulations and long-term thinking to address water sustainability. In this episode, the conversation explores the barriers to adoption and awareness of water conservation initiatives, strategies for raising awareness and securing buy-in from the public and businesses, the role of government policy interventions, and the hope for addressing water scarcity in the future.

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:30 Background in Water Preservation

09:20 Promising Water-Saving Technologies and Innovations

27:18 Barriers to Adoption and Awareness

28:16 Raising Awareness and Securing Buy-In

30:11 Role of Business in Driving Change

31:49 Education and Behavior Change

34:12 Government Policy Interventions

39:14 Lobbying for Change

44:59 Hope for Addressing Water Scarcity

Having been our first ever guest on The Smart Life back in 2019, Delta Dore’s Senior Area Manager John Bradford is back to chat with us in the final episode of Season III. He reflects on how much the industry has changed since he last appeared on our podcast, when we were still pre-pandemic, pre-energy crisis, pre-cost of living crisis…

Against this backdrop, John discusses how much our attitudes towards technology are shaped by the stages of life we find ourselves in, which means as a result, the industry is growing up seemingly at the same time as the consumer.

Maybe it’s because they’re both sleep-deprived parents of young children, or maybe they’re onto something. But in our latest episode, it’s safe to say John and Sophie really took this metaphor of watching the smart home age in real time, and ran with it. They discuss the challenges for an industry still relatively in its infancy, and if it's ageing in real time, how do we coach it now to ensure a smooth transition into adolescence and adulthood beyond?

This and much more was the topic of conversation in our latest episode of The Smart Life, a smart home and internet of things podcast from Beacon Agency.

Throughout Adam Williams’ career has been an abiding passion for enabling technology that positively impacts on the way we live. 

Adam has over 25 years experience in delivering growth for new technology businesses across the UK and Europe. 

From a background with global companies including Samsung and Sony, he has broad expertise in the connected home space, including SmartThings, Enjoy Technology, Lightwave RF, and Mila.

Adam also has a long standing involvement with the Smart Homes and Buildings Association and is a board trustee of the Electrical Safety Board. In his current role as CEO of Hero Labs, Adam is helping to shape smart water management for a more sustainable future. 

He sits down with Sophie to discuss why he thinks the smart home is not a category in its own right, but rather an education exercise. Because, he says, technology is only as good as the value that humanity can extract from it.

Check out Episode 5 of The Smart Life now, a podcast that explores the latest in smart home and internet of things technology, from Beacon Agency.

John Steven has over two decades of experience in the home automation industry, and currently works as the EU Installer Channel Sales Director at tadoº, a leading smart thermostat and climate control company based in Munich.

He has come a long way since his first job out of school, selling bikes in Halfords. But he says the spark that started there and has followed him throughout his career in consumer electronics has been the joy of selling to people. 

He loves to inspire consumers on the benefits of products and to excite them about the potential good they can do for people’s lives. 

Which is why he is so passionate about smart technology, because of its ability to put the needs of the individual at the heart of everything.

This, and many more reasons, make him the perfect guest to sit down with Sophie in the latest episode of The Smart Life.