Costs are rising. Margins are shrinking. And it feels like another bill lands every week.Charlie kicks this one off with a proper rant about rising ICO fees (which gets awkward fast). But underneath the humour is something real — the cumulative pressure small businesses are feeling.Matt shares what it’s like watching a £500k VAT payment leave the account — and why “it’s not your money” doesn’t make it feel any better.Then the conversation turns bigger.Ireland is cutting hospitality VAT to 9%. The UK is still at 20%.With labour costs climbing, energy high and business rates biting — are we squeezing one of the country’s biggest youth employers into the ground?They break down:📊 Why VAT feels invisible to consumers but painful to founders☕ What’s really happening to pubs, coffee shops and restaurants👥 Why hospitality matters for young people and future entrepreneurs💷 Whether VAT thresholds should be scrapped or dramatically raised🔥 Why small policy shifts can change everything on the groundNo scripts. No spin. Just two business owners reacting to what’s actually happening right now.Follow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/