This week I chatted to Anna Sutton, who is the co-founder and CEO of Leeds based tech start up The Data Shed. Anna and I used to work together around 5 years ago, and it was great to have an excuse to catch up and see what she’s been up to since then. And it’s safe to say she’s been a very busy lady - she’s now running a thriving business, with an ever growing team of 30 people.

We chatted about what it’s like to start a business with your partner, how she’s built her network as a woman in tech, and what’s coming next for The Data Shed. I really loved recording this chat with Anna and I felt so inspired afterwards - I’m sure you’ll all enjoy it too.

Hi everyone, and welcome back to the This North Works podcast. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my friends, Victoria Jackson, who is a former magazine editor, multi award winning blogger, freelance content creator, and interior style guru.

Victoria made the leap this year from traditional employment to running her business full time, and it has been so inspiring to watch her career go from strength to strength. We chatted about why you don’t need to live in London to have a career in the publishing industry, the lessons she’s learned since becoming self employed, and the importance of having an accountability partner. Enjoy the show!

This week, I’m thrilled to be chatting to the lovely Rachel Beattie, who is the co founder of fashion business, Careaux. Careaux combines Rachel’s two passions - maths and fashion - to create beautiful dresses that fit perfectly, and Rachel had the idea for the business when she was just fourteen - how amazing is that?!

We had a great conversation about how she turned her teenage idea into the business it is today, how Manchester’s textile heritage has inspired her, and how initiatives like the Northern Powerhouse have allowed her to propel her idea forward. I think Rachel is the youngest guest we’ve had on the podcast so far, and I was totally blown away by how smart, focussed and ambitious she is. I hope you all really enjoy the show.

This week I’m chatting to the very lovely Cat Byrne who is in Manchester. Cat has been running her branding and design business Gatto Web for 3 years now, and she’s worked on some awesome projects, from the recent launch of clothing line Saturday by Megan Ellaby, to major website redesigns.

We chatted about how Cat made the transition from a degree in Maths to a creative career, what it’s like to start out in business on your own, and why she turned down the opportunity to move to London. We also talked about Cat’s brilliant new project, DIY design school, which I’m sure loads of you will be interested in! Enjoy the show.

I’ve got another brilliant episode for you all this week with Russell Bissett from Northern Monk, a brewery based here in Leeds. The business has grown incredibly quickly over the past few years, and it’s safe to say that they’re putting the north on an international stage within the beer world.

I had a great chat with Russell about why he decided to shape his brand around the north, the transformation of the business over the past few years, and why Northern Monk are so passionate about giving back to the local community. I think this episode really gets to the heart of what we’re truly capable of here in the north, and I think you’ll all take a lot away from it. Enjoy the show.

This week I’m chatting to Charlotte Speak, who is a strengths coach and consultant working here in Leeds. Charlotte specialises in coaching parents who are returning to work after maternity, paternity or adoption leave, and also works with businesses to help them see the benefits of flexible working.

Char and I had a really interesting chat about her transition to being self employed after working in the corporate world for over a decade, how she’s found her own tribe of cheerleaders here in the north, and why she’s so passionate about coaching. Even if you’re not a parent I think you’ll really enjoy this episode - its crammed full of wisdom and insight!

As ever, if you’re enjoying the podcast, please do consider leaving us a rating and a review on itunes, or feel free to share it with your friends. It would really mean a lot! Enjoy the show.

This week I’m chatting to Marko Husak, who is the co-owner of Bundobust, an Indian street food and craft beer restaurant with locations in Leeds and Manchester. We talked about how the idea for Bundobust came about, the realities of launching a bar or restaurant, and their plans for expansion across the north.

For me, Bundobust represents what I love about the north, from the unique idea, to the warmth and personality it’s executed with. I thoroughly enjoyed recording this episode with Marko, and I think it really shows how exciting it is to be a business owner in this region right now. Enjoy the show!

We’ve got not one but two guests for you this week! I headed across to Wizu Workspace, a co-working space in Leeds city centre, to talk to Tom Almas and Caroline Day. Tom is the founder of Wizu Workspace and Caroline is their community and events manager.

We chatted about the rise of co-working spaces, the impact they can have on the local community, and why Wizu Workspace are concentrating their rollout plan on the North, rather than heading down to London. I loved chatting with Tom and Caroline, and if you’re on the lookout for a flexible working space, I couldn’t recommend Wizu more - it’s the most Instagrammable office I’ve ever seen!

Today I'm chatting to Simon Fogal, who is the founder and director of new PR and communications agency Chapter 81, drummer in band I Like Trains, and the mastermind behind brilliant food events like Leeds Indie Food and Chow Down.

We talked about how a community spirit has driven the burgeoning food and drink scene in Leeds, the importance of co-working spaces for bringing people together, and how working hard at a less than glamorous day job can benefit you in the future.

I really enjoyed this conversation with Simon and I think that his passion and enthusiasm for Leeds really shines through. Hopefully it will have you all wanting to visit soon! Enjoy the show.

This week I’m speaking to my friend Emma Louise Trotter. Emma is a freelance creative consultant working with independent businesses located both here in the north and down in London. We chatted about her transition from running a cupcake business to forging a career in digital, the joy of working with independent businesses, and why being located in the north has been her freelancing superpower.

I loved chatting to Emma and this episode is full of brilliant tips and tricks for anyone who runs their own freelance business or wants to in the future. Enjoy the show!