After a bit of a hiatus, we are back on the case again with an episode about sustainable fashion and the need for a green post-pandemic recovery, no matter what walk of life you are in. We speak with Vanessa Barker of Bedstraw + Madder about her business journey, and co-founding a company that makes garments from sustainably sourced fabrics that are plant dyed without the use of chemicals. Useful linksLenzing HKRITA Green Machine Renewcell The Sustainable Angle - Future Fabrics Expo 9.5 Tersus Solutions Bolt Threads Ellen MacArthur Foundation Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustaina ..read more

In this episode we speak with friend of the podcast, Sophia Procter, about the process she went through to get her prodcut from idea to sales success, national newspaper coverage and award recognition. Useful links Mark Sheahan, inventor in residence, The British Library British Plastic Federation Amazon Accelerator Programme Enterprise Nation The Lean Startup ..read more

The coronavirus pandemic has meant that tens of thousands of business owners have gravitated to online selling in a way that could not have been foreseen at the beginning of the year. Many are combining virtual shopfronts with trading through online marketplaces, of which OnBuy is a British-made up-and-comer. In this interview we speak to OnBuy's founder, Cas Paton, about the trends he has seen emerge since the onset of the coronavirus crisis, and what he thinks the future of retail is going to look like in Brexit Britain. Useful links: OnBuy  ..read more

In episode three of this series, we spoke with the head of healthcare at GS1 UK, Glen Hodgson about the our recently released report on the Scan4Safety programme in six trust across NHS England. Off the back of that interview, we received some questions on the reports findings, so we asked Glen to come back and answer them via the wizardry of Microsoft Teams. It also transpires that Glen's is a fan of the post-punk and alternative rock movements, and that wonders will never cease.    Useful linksA scan of the benefits: the Scan4Safety evidence report GS1 UK Healthcare Conference 20 ..read more

As we exited a detested 2020 into the fresh and undiscovered Hades of 2021, we thought it wise to go back and speak to one of our first interviewees from the sunlit uplands of March last year, when the world was a decidedly less difficult place, and interviews could be conducted in person. When we first spoke with food mentor, Karen Green, we asked her for her top tips for crafting the perfect pitch to prospective buyers. Ten months later, we went back to ask the same questions for success in the pandemic continuum, and to see how things had changed.        Useful linksMa ..read more

At one of the most uncertain times in the history of forever, what would possess you to think of launching a prodcut to market?  We ask somebody who's done just that, Sophia Procter of children's tableware company, Munchy Play. With the coronavirus pandemic only set to abate with a vaccine, and the end of the EU transition period on the horizon, Sophia tells her story and highlights the influences and expertise that she's leant on along the way. Useful linksMunchy PlayAmazon Small Business Accelerator Small Business Sunday Holly & Co ..read more

Scott manages corporate teams at Seedrs, the leading equity crowdfunding platform and the most active funder of private companies in the UK. He helps all types of investors to invest in businesses they believe in and share their success. Seedrs enable all types of growth-focused businesses to raise capital and a community in the process ..read more

The UK's exit from the EU's internal market will profoundly change the environment companies operate in and Sietske is perfectly placed to help your business understand what is happening. With two decades' experience with EU legislation and years of working with governments and businesses in the UK and on the continent she knows Brussels inside out and is also well-versed in the nitty-gritty of EU trade negotiations because of past involvement with talks on the previous EU-US Free Trade Agreement. Thanks to her expertise, she can anticipate which rules could change and which detailed topics ..read more

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic sent shockwaves through the business world, as the way we've traded for millennia ground to a sudden halt.  As doors closed, so did businesses, and small towns and small businesses were hit the worst. At a time when the company owners and conurbations felt cut adrift, online business communities began to spring up across the United Kingdom in an attempt to weather the crisis. One of the most prominent of these is Totally Locally, set up a decade ago as a grass-roots initiative to digitise towns. We talk to its founder, Chris Sands, about how importa ..read more

After five years of push-me-pull-you politics, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement  to set out a future relationship came into force on 1 January 2021. Although the deal was supposed to provide assurances for UK businesses, many have been left frustrated by the wholesale changes that have occurred, of which they had little warning. While some issues may be teething problems, others are permanent  changes in the way that business will have to be conducted henceforward. To try and cut through the noise, we invited trade expert, Victoria Boldison, to give us some practical advi ..read more