What really changes after another year of running a business?

In this end-of-year reflection episode of What One Thing, Hayley Baxter and Phil Davenport look back honestly on the past year — what surprised them, what challenged them, and what genuinely shifted how they now run their businesses.

This isn’t a highlight reel or a list of wins. It’s a real conversation about growth, visibility, accountability, and the lessons that only show up when you’re deep in it.

In this episode, they talk about:

What they thought would be hard in business — and why it wasn’t

Why time, energy, and focus are still some of the hardest things to manage

The reality of team management versus expectations

How peer groups, collaboration, and asking for help changed everything

Why visibility in numbers and decisions matters more than growth alone

What they would do differently if they could start the year again

The importance of consistency — and how hard it actually is to sustain

If you’re finishing the year asking “What have I really learned?” or “Why does this still feel harder than it should?” — this episode will resonate.

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-davenport-affirmit/
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-baxter-/
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram: @whatonethingpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-one-thing/
YouTube: Subscribe here

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

Chapters

• 00:00 Reflecting on the Year
• 08:36 Key Learnings and Changes
• 15:51 Reflection and Planning for the Future
• 21:29 One Word to Describe the Year
• 29:32 Pride and Achievements

This episode is a little different.

As the year comes to a close, Hayley and Phil take time to reflect — honestly — on what the past year of running their businesses has really been like. Not the polished version. The real one.

They talk openly about the things that surprised them, the challenges they didn’t expect, and the lessons that only became clear once they slowed down enough to notice them.

This conversation explores:

• The gap between expectations and reality in business growth
• Why managing time, energy, and focus is an ongoing battle
• The emotional side of leadership and decision-making
• How peer support and collaboration changed their confidence and direction
• What visibility actually means — beyond just numbers
• What they’re proud of, what they’d change, and what they’re carrying into the year ahead

If you’re a business owner who feels like growth is less about big wins and more about learning, adjustment, and consistency — this episode is for you.

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

What’s one thing about starting a podcast that you thought would be easy… but wasn’t?

In this behind-the-scenes episode of What One Thing, hosts Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) reflect honestly on what it’s really like running a weekly podcast alongside two busy businesses.

They share what surprised them, what took far longer than expected (editing, captions, clips, admin), how tough audience growth can be without consistent marketing, and how they’ve embraced AI tools (Riverside transcripts + GPT) to save time and tighten up the show.

If you’re a business owner considering launching a podcast — or you’re trying to build your brand through content without burning out — this episode is packed with real-world lessons.

⏱️ Episode timestamps

00:05 – What seemed easy but wasn’t?
 00:10 – Audience growth struggles
 00:44 – Editing + admin reality
 01:58 – Why structure matters
 02:38 – The surprising part: enjoying it
 03:07 – Guest lessons that changed how we run our businesses
 05:07 – Unexpected benefits (collaboration + confidence)
 08:13 – Playing the long game + consistency
 09:05 – ROI and the “soft introduction” effect
 12:24 – What we’d do differently if we started again
 15:25 – Using AI to speed up content creation
 18:58 – Final thoughts: make it enjoyable or you won’t stick with it

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a business owner who’s thinking about hitting “record.”

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

What do you do when your business looks successful on the outside… but the numbers tell a very different story?

In this episode of What One Thing, Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) talk to Jo Simpson, an accountant who grew multiple businesses – including two multi–seven-figure ventures – before the 2008 crash exposed just how fragile things really were. 

Jo shares:

• How she realised strong revenue was hiding weak financial foundations
• Why she spent months blaming the government, banks and everyone else before accepting that nobody was coming to save her 
• The “stop it and tidy up” approach she used to face every number, cost and commitment in both life and business
• How honest conversations with suppliers, clients and even HMRC helped her keep going when most businesses folded 

Phil and Hayley use Jo’s story as a springboard to talk about:

• The difference between blame and responsibility for business owners
• Why knowing your numbers and having solid IT systems is essential if you want a resilient, scalable business
• How strong relationships – with suppliers, clients and your team – can carry you through a recession, a pandemic and everything in between 

If you’re a business owner in the East Midlands (or anywhere else) who wants to grow and sleep at night, this episode will challenge how you think about responsibility, risk and leadership.

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

Can you really scale from 4 to nearly 40 people and keep a calm, positive, nice culture?

In this episode of What One Thing, hosts Hayley Baxter (Corbarr Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) talk with former MSP owner Neil Shaw about growing an IT business fast – without losing your values or your mind.

Neil shares how he:

• Grew an MSP from 4 staff and 25 clients to nearly 40 staff and 150+ managed clients
• Used systems, processes and documentation to stop everything falling apart
• Developed leaders from within the team using management and leadership training
• Built a culture that kept staff churn incredibly low over 7 years
• Balanced being “nice” with still being clear, fair and commercially focused

If you’re an IT business owner, accountant, or run any growing SME, this episode will help you think differently about what leadership looks like – especially if you don’t fit the traditional “hard-nosed” mould.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The first steps to systemising your business as you scale
• How to avoid departments becoming disjointed as you grow
• Why regular, focused meetings beat complicated management fads
• The power of being transparent with your team and your clients
• The one piece of advice Neil would give any business owner on a growth journey

🎧 Listen now and find your “one thing” to move your business forward.

About Neil

Been in the IT industry for 30 years. Various roles including PC builder, onsite engineer, consultant, and director, throw in a failed MBO and then having a silly idea to start an MSP - Co-founded True MSP in 2017 and exited in Jan 2025.

Neil Shaw - LinkedIn

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

Traditional recruitment is broken – especially for small businesses. In this episode of What One Thing, hosts Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) talk with Rebecca Morris from Benchmark Recruit about why “bums on seats” hiring is costing businesses far more than they realise.

They dig into:

• How commission-led recruitment encourages poaching and churn
• Why values-led hiring matters so much for small businesses with small teams
• The real cost of getting recruitment wrong (beyond the invoice)
• What a good induction process should look like from day one
• How AI and automation are changing recruitment – and why human relationships still win

Hayley brings the financial and commercial angle – looking at the true cost of a bad hire and why cheap routes like job boards aren’t always cheaper in the long run. Phil adds the IT and systems perspective – from having laptops and tech ready on day one to using tools properly without losing the human touch.

If you’re a business owner in the UK with a growing team and you want to recruit better and keep great people longer, this one’s for you.

👉 Listen, follow, and share with another business owner who’s about to make their next hire.

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

In this episode of What One Thing, Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) sit down with entrepreneur Stuart Mason to unpack a business collapse that no one saw coming—until it was too late.

This conversation isn’t about doom and gloom. It’s about the real risks small and medium-sized businesses face, especially around discounting, cashflow, pricing pressure, and over-stretching for growth. Phil and Hayley break down the lessons through the lens of IT, Accounting and everyday business decision-making—so East Midlands business owners can take action before problems escalate.

⭐ What You’ll Learn

• Why discounting is far more dangerous than most businesses realise
• The real maths behind discounting (and how much more you must sell to break even)
• How profitable businesses still end up in cashflow trouble
• Why asset-rich companies aren’t as safe as they seem
• How Phil handles discount pressure in IT support without damaging long-term client relationships
• How Hayley coaches business owners to make financially intelligent, data-led decisions
• Why confidence in your pricing is a business superpower

💬 About Your Hosts

Phil Davenport is an IT specialist supporting East Midlands businesses with secure, reliable systems that prevent costly surprises.
Hayley Baxter is an accountant who helps business owners understand their numbers, build sustainable pricing strategies and stay cashflow-strong.

Their mission? To help business owners grow with fewer headaches—and a lot more confidence.

🎧 Perfect for:

Manufacturing and professional services businesses · SME owners with 5–50 staff · Business leaders who want to price properly, protect margins, and avoid cashflow traps.

If you’ve ever wondered whether discounting is harmless—or “just what the industry does”—this episode will change the way you think about pricing forever.

Connect with Stuart LinkedIn

Buy Stuart's book here

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

This week on What One Thing, Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) sit down with leadership consultant Angela Hodgson (Ignite Improvement Ltd), who went from leading a global team through Barcelona riots, burnout and personal loss… to rebuilding her career with clarity, courage and a brand-new purpose.

It’s a powerful conversation — but as always, Phil and Hayley bring it back to what really matters for small business owners across the East Midlands: your people, your values, and the way you lead when pressure hits.

In this episode:
The moment Angela realised corporate cared more about products than people

What it’s like leading a team through real-world crisis — and why clear communication matters

How burnout, grief and Covid created a complete reset moment

The leap from corporate into the SME world (and why it’s more relatable than you think)

Why building visibility online is essential before you ever quit your job

How to find your niche — and the freedom to change it later

Phil’s IT perspective: why “you’re on your own in a crisis” is exactly why SMEs need resilient systems & communication tools

Hayley’s accounting lens: how financial clarity (and partner support!) shapes every big career leap

Whether you’re in corporate and dreaming of your own thing, or already running a business and trying to build a stronger team, this conversation is packed with insight, honesty and proper real-world lessons.

⭐ Your hosts — share their big takeaways:

You can go through more than you ever expected and still come out the other side stronger

If your values and your work don’t align, staying put is often the bigger risk

Visibility matters — online presence, networking and conversations are business gold

You don’t need the perfect niche from day one. You just need to start.

🎁 Angela’s Free Team Performance Assessment
Free gift for the listeners: POWER Framework 

🔧 Who This Episode Is For

Business owners in the UK with 5–50 employees who want to:

Build high-performing teams

Strengthen leadership skills

Prepare for growth

Improve communication and resilience

Learn from real stories, not theory

Perfect for manufacturing, professional services, IT-heavy teams, and founders ready to step into leadership.

Connect with Angela 

Facebook

LinkedIn

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

When everything seems to be going wrong, the hardest truth to face is that you might be the problem. 

In this episode, hosts Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) talk with Steve Knowles, who shares how a consultant’s brutal honesty turned his struggling accountancy practice around — and what that taught him about leadership, control, and trust.

Key Takeaways:

• How Steve recovered from losing £80K by bringing in the right outside help
• Why business owners need to know their weaknesses — and hire around them
• The power of values-based leadership
• Letting your team find their own way (even when it’s not your way)
• Why “delegating, not abdicating” is crucial for growth

Phil and Hayley’s reflections:
Phil connects Steve’s story to the importance of trusting your team and embracing marginal gains — those small, consistent improvements that build real momentum.
Hayley relates it to the emotional toll of leadership and the balance between structure and humanity when leading a growing team.

Whether you’re running a manufacturing firm, professional service business, or IT or accounting practice, this conversation is full of real-world lessons about growth, resilience, and staying human in a world of systems and automation.

🎧 Listen now to hear how to spot the warning signs before things go wrong — and how to build a business that runs on trust, not burnout.

#WhatOneThingPodcast #SmallBusinessGrowth #LeadershipLessons #Delegation #TeamValues #EntrepreneurMindset #EastMidlandsBusiness #AffirmIT #CorbarAccounting

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

AI isn’t just for big corporations — it’s for small businesses too.

In this episode of What One Thing, Phil Davenport, Hayley Baxter, and Craig Millar sit down with Neil MacDonald from Technology4Business to explore how small businesses can use AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to save time, simplify work, and get better results.

Neil shares practical, real-world examples of AI in action — from automating repetitive admin tasks to creating smarter systems that free people up to focus on what matters.

💡 You’ll learn:

• Why AI is your “junior colleague,” not your replacement
• How to get started with AI even if you’re not technical
• Why “60% done” is better than “perfect but never shipped”

🎧 Listen now to discover how AI can make your business faster, calmer, and more human.

Guest: Neil MacDonald, Technology4Business
Hosts: Phil Davenport (Affirm IT), Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting), Craig Millar (Portal Technologies)

🔗 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatonething

#AIForSMEs #SmallBusiness #WhatOneThingPodcast #TechMadeHuman #AffirmIT

What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley

Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.

If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!

Connect with the hosts

Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/

Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/

Follow What One Thing

Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness