This podcast aims to shine a light on the successes, key learnings and insights from Reading’s people and businesses. In the present and the past.
We explore their recipes for success, the mistakes they’ve made and how you can avoid them, as well as inspirational stories that will give you a feel-good boost.
Site
RSS
Apple
Données mises à jour le 04/07/2026
Classements récents
Dernières positions dans les classements Apple Podcasts et Spotify.
Liens partagés entre épisodes et podcasts
Liens présents dans les descriptions d'épisodes et autres podcasts les utilisant également.
Découvrez des podcasts liées à My Local Marketer Podcast. Explorez des podcasts avec des thèmes, sujets, et formats similaires. Ces similarités sont calculées grâce à des données tangibles, pas d'extrapolations !
Ep.64 Zoe Dudding | The Solopreneur's Guide to a Strong Start
Épisode 64
jeudi 25 septembre 2025 • Durée 19:15
In this episode, Maria Lloyd interviews Zoe Dudding, the founder of Mind Body Baby, a company specialising in hypnobirthing. The discussion initially covers what hypnobirthing is, which Zoe describes as a form of childbirth education that empowers the woman to be in control of their experience.
The conversation then delves into Zoe’s personal journey and background. She shares that her passion for hypnobirthing began after having two positive birth experiences with her sons in 2020 and 2022.
Finally, the discussion touches on the challenges of running a new business. Zoe, who has a background in marketing, shares that she's had to be very focused and intentional with her time and budget. She advises other business owners to be conscious of where they spend their budget, focus on building relationships, and not get distracted by "vanity metrics". Zoe concludes with a message for business owners, advising them to look at what they consume and what they buy into, as this can often tell a story about effective marketing.
TIMECODES
00:00 Introduction
00:25 What is hypnobirthing?
01:02 How Zoe came to specialise in hypnobirthing
03:14 Why Zoe no longer felt aligned to her role and her options
04:14 How hypnobirthing changed Zoe’s perspective
05:22 What marketing lessons Zoe has found most importance for a new business owner
07:01 The most random opportunities at the most random time
07:24 Zoe’s marketing plan
08:05 What data Zoe looks at now
09:06 How Zoe has managed to get success in a short span of time
09:51 What Zoe’s average week looks like
11:57 Zoe’s marketing tips for business owners
12:51 Challenges Zoe has faced
13:47 Zoe’s thoughts on how to spend marketing funds
16:35 Zoe’s plans for her business going forwards
17:22 Zoe’s message for expectant parents
18:06 Zoe’s final thoughts for listeners
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Focus on Building Relationships: For a new business, Zoe emphasises that getting the foundational elements like a website and social media "shopfront" set up is crucial. However, she advises new business owners to prioritise forging connections and building relationships within their community.
Be Intentional and Disciplined with Your Time and Budget: Zoe explains that as a small business owner, it's easy to get caught in a "vicious circle" where a lack of money leads to no investment, which in turn hinders growth. To avoid this, she suggests being conscious of where you spend your budget, even if it's small.
Prioritise Authenticity Over "Vanity Metrics": A key piece of advice from Zoe is to not get lost in "vanity metrics" or chasing trends. She warns that a trend might temporarily spike numbers, but it doesn't necessarily lead to conversions or bring in actual business. Instead, she advises business owners to focus on what feels authentic to their brand and to always ask themselves, "Why am I doing this?". She stresses that the ultimate goal is not just to have good numbers but to deliver excellent service that leads to word-of-mouth referrals.
Ep.63 Jamie Read | How Creativity Drives Impact and Growth
Épisode 63
jeudi 18 septembre 2025 • Durée 19:53
In this episode Jamie Read, the partnership and inclusion manager at Berkshire Music Trust, gives an insight into the charity’s activities and a look at what goes on behind the scenes. The discussion initially covers the trust’s mission, its name evolution, and its diverse community work.
The conversation then delves into the trust's various activities, which are divided into three areas: schools, music centres, and communities. The trust also partners with other charities and organisations to serve communities that have traditionally been underserved.
Finally, the discussion touches on the trust's biggest challenge: funding and staff. Jamie shares ways in which they generate revenue and how the trust measures its success. Jamie concludes with a message about the trust’s goal of making music for everyone, regardless of their background or previous experience. He says that there is no such thing as someone who can't make music, just someone who hasn't made music yet.
TIME CODES
00:00 Greeting
00:40 What is Berkshire Music Trust
00:59 Berkshire Music Trust’s name change and reasons behind it
02:49 Jamie’s background
04:18 What Jamie’s role as Partnership and inclusion manager involves
06:39 How Berkshire Music Trust serves Reading
08:19 How Berkshire Music Trust collaborates with others
10:50 How Berkshire Music Trust sets project boundaries
12:05 Finding funding opportunities
13:18 How Berkshire Music Trust measures impact
Long-term case studies/ measuring impact over a long period of time
Ep.62 Richard Nicholson | The Power of Giving Back: Lessons from Reading Maiden Erlegh Rotary Club
Épisode 62
jeudi 11 septembre 2025 • Durée 16:35
In this episode, Richard Nicholson talks about the Maiden Erlegh Rotary Club; a group of like-minded people who want to do things in the community and have a friendship group. The discussion covers the club's history, its core missions, and the challenges it faces.
The conversation delves into the club’s charitable activities, which focus on feeding the community and supporting youth. Richard explains that the club supports food banks and churches in Earley, Woodley, and South Reading, having distributed 7,000 meals over the past three years. The club is also active in schools, running competitions like "Youth Speaks" and helping students with mock interviews. Richard notes that these intergenerational efforts are mutually beneficial.
Finally, the discussion touches on the club’s biggest challenge: maintaining membership. Richard believes that while service clubs may not be fashionable now, this is a trend that will change. He concludes with a message about the club's desire to be a part of the community, helping wherever they can, whether through raising funds or offering their time and skills for various tasks.
TIMECODES
00:00 Greeting
00:22 What is a rotary club?
01:00 What are the focuses for Maiden Erlegh Rotary club
02:31 How Maiden Erlegh Rotary club collaborates and networks in the community
03:22 What do people need help with?
04:34 The benefits of older people and younger people interacting
05:48 What challenges have the group faced?
08:16 How the group markets itself
09:48 Training the group would benefit from
Ep.61 Damien Passmore | The Secret to What's On Reading's Success
Épisode 61
jeudi 4 septembre 2025 • Durée 25:54
Damien Passmore, Marketing Officer and Web Editor for What's On Reading, shares his journey with the organisation and how it has become the "ultimate guide" for arts, culture, and heritage events in the Greater Reading area. The discussion covers the website's creation, its operational structure, and Damien’s background.
The conversation delves into the evolution of the business from its launch with 60 partner organisations to its current state with over 250 active partners. Damien explains his marketing philosophy, which highlights the crucial role of social media as a two-way communication tool.
Finally, the discussion touches on the future goals for What's On Reading, including the potential for physical advertising, such as print flyers or posters. Damien concludes with a message about the vibrant arts and culture scene in Reading, urging listeners to use the website to prove wrong anyone who says there is nothing happening in the town.
TIMECODES
00:00 Greeting
00:15 What is What’s on Reading?
01:31 Why What’s on Reading only covers Arts Culture and Heritage events
02:58 The ‘team’ behind What’s on Reading
04:08 How you can get your Arts/heritage event(s) listed on What’s on Reading?
05:10 Damien’s background and he got involved in What’s On Reading
06:55 To what extent has Damien’s personal involvement in local Arts and Culture helped him in his role at What’s on Reading.
08:15 The challenges Damien faced in getting traction going at What’s On Reading
How Damien promotes events in Reading
Ep.60 Glen Dinning | Building a Brand that Lasts with Blue Collar
Épisode 60
jeudi 28 août 2025 • Durée 26:22
In this episode, Glen Dinning, the director of Blue Collar Group, shares his journey building a permanent street food venue in Reading. Glenn shares how he was inspired by London's vibrant street food scene to create something similar in Reading.
The discussion covers the evolution of the business from organising street food festivals and markets starting in 2016 to the creation of Blue Collar Corner, a permanent site. Glen also shares the challenges he faced with the build, describing it as an "emotional roller coaster". He explains his marketing philosophy, which includes the importance of social media and authentic photos of the food.
Finally, the conversation touches on the future goals for Blue Collar Group, including a focus on improving the current venue and the long-term objective of building more locations in other towns and cities. Glen concludes with a message about the importance of supporting local, independent businesses.
TIMECODES
00:00 Introduction
00:51 What is the Blue Collar?
01:33 Why Glen founded Blue Collar
04:18 How easy was it for Glen to find street food sellers?
05:45 What street food does best in Reading?
07:55 Marketing Blue Collar
09:09 Photography at Blue Collar
11:12 How Glen manages his social channels
12:39 What challenges Glen has faced
14:14 Why did Glen want to build Blue Collar Corner.
16:28 How Glen built Blue Collar’s presence in Reading
Ep.59 Tony & Stuart | Borrow More, Buy Less: Inside the Reading Library of Things
Épisode 59
jeudi 21 août 2025 • Durée 21:38
In this episode, Tony Cowling and Stuart Ward shine a light on the Reading Library of Things. The two founders discuss how the Library of Things adds value to the local area by providing an alternative to buying specialised tools, or other items you only use occasionally, like pressure washers, gazebos, or projectors.
The discussion covers the library's role in promoting resource-sharing and sustainability, highlighting how people can borrow professional-grade tools to do jobs themselves. Tony and Stuart explain that the library has 829 items and has accumulated tools worth at least £50,000. They also share the challenges faced when setting up the organisation. Finally, we discuss the ongoing need for more members and volunteers, as well as their future goals, including the long-term goal of having four locations across Reading.
TIMECODES
00:00 Intro
00:22 What is Reading Library of Things?
01:36 How did Reading Library of Things start?
02:45 Who is Tony Cowling?
03:24 Who is Stuart Ward?
04:07 What research they did to set up Reading Library of things
05:51 The importance of governance for a group
07:12 Challenges with setting up Reading Library of things
08:40 Successes at Reading Library of Things
09:18 Membership of Reading Library of Things
11:10 Number of tools and the most popular items
12:01 What has surprised Tony about Reading Library of Things?
Ep. 58 Specsavers | Adapting a National Brand to Local Needs | Specsavers, Reading.
Épisode 58
jeudi 14 août 2025 • Durée 29:05
In this episode, three directors from the Specsavers Reading branch discuss how they operate as a locally owned and operated business within a well-known brand. Hashin Hirani, Retail Director, shares how the Reading branch is one of the largest in the country and has a wide range of services, including an on-site lab for same-day services. Randeep Bal, Ophthalmic Director, highlights the importance of looking after your eyesight and debunks common misconceptions about glasses. Finally, Suneeta Khanna, Audiology Director, talks about the store's range of audiology services, including hearing tests and ear wax removal. They also provide valuable advice on how to look after your hearing and eyesight in a world dominated by screens.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Customising a National Brand for Local Success: While Specsavers is a well-known national brand, the Reading branch operates like an independent business, tailoring its services to the local community. This approach demonstrates the value of local autonomy and responsiveness, even within a larger franchise or brand structure.
Adapting to Evolving Customer Needs and Demographics: The Reading Specsavers actively listens to customer feedback and has made significant changes to its store to meet community needs. This highlights the importance of being adaptable and responsive to a changing customer base.
Diversifying Services to Stay Competitive: The directors stress the importance of offering a varied range of services to stand out in a competitive market. This strategy of expanding service offerings creates additional value for customers and positions the business as a comprehensive healthcare provider in the community.
TIME CODES
00:00 Greeting
00:18 Greeting Hashin
Ep.57 Iryna and Peter | Reading’s Ukrainian Community Centre
Épisode 57
jeudi 7 août 2025 • Durée 25:59
In this episode, Iryna Bakaliar, Head Librarian, and Peter Andrijeczko, Chair, of the Reading Ukrainian Community Centre. They discuss how the Reading Ukrainian Community Centre adds value to the local area by supporting the Ukrainian community, particularly the displaced Ukrainians who have arrived since the 2022 invasion.
The discussion covers the centre's role in preserving Ukrainian culture through its library, highlighting the importance of the Ukrainian language for children. They also explore various aspects of Ukrainian culture, including food, music, and notable figures in science, art, and sports. Iryna and Peter share the challenges faced by displaced Ukrainians, such as the loss of home and status, and the uncertainty of their visas. Finally, they discuss the support received from the British community and the ongoing need for job opportunities for Ukrainians. The episode concludes with reflections on appreciating life and the kindness shown by the UK.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Importance of Community and Support Systems: The Reading Ukrainian Community Centre serves as a vital safe space for other Ukrainians to come and pick up books, but also talk about life. This illustrates the fundamental human need for community, belonging, and a strong support network, especially during times of crisis. It's a reminder that even small acts of kindness can have a profound impact.
Resilience and Appreciation in Adversity: Despite immense loss and challenges, Ukrainians like Irina express gratitude for their safety and appreciate the simple things.
Adaptability and Reframing Life's Priorities: Ukrainians, forced to leave their established lives, are learning to "accept the reality" and "start from the beginning" while being grateful for the safety the UK provides. This demonstrates incredible adaptability in the face of involuntary change and a powerful reframing of what truly matters.
Ep.56 Molli Cleaver | Building Bridges Between Reading University and the Community
Épisode 56
jeudi 31 juillet 2025 • Durée 23:22
In this episode, Molli Cleaver, Community Engagement Manager at Reading University discusses how Reading University adds value to the local area by building partnerships with various stakeholders, including residents, the council, and local businesses.
We discuss the community engagement team's three-year action plan, and core objectives. We also explore the challenges that Molli has faced and opportunities that have arisen from collaboration with local organisations and residents. Finally, Molli also shares how they measure their success with engagement, and how it is a university-wide commitment, with many colleagues dedicated to connecting students with the local community.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Value of Community Partnerships: Collaborating with local organisations and residents, leads to more successful and meaningful outcomes than working in isolation. This demonstrates how businesses can achieve greater impact and reach by leveraging trusted community networks.
Building Trust is Essential for Long-Term Success: Molli emphasises that building trusting relationships takes significant time and effort but eventually leads to opportunities where people actively seek to work with you. For businesses, this underscores the importance of investing in genuine community engagement rather than solely focusing on immediate transactional gains.
Understanding and Responding to Local Needs: The university's strategy involves actively responding to local needs and interests, then aligning their resources to help. Businesses can apply this by genuinely understanding their community's pain points and offering solutions or collaborations that provide real value, fostering goodwill and potentially new markets.
TIMECODES
00:00 Greeting
Ep.55 Louisa Guise | How to Build Influence and Market Yourself
Épisode 55
jeudi 24 juillet 2025 • Durée 21:30
In this episode, I catch up with Louisa Guise who was the first guest on the My Local Marketer podcast, launched in 2024. This is the one-year anniversary of Louisa’s book, which explores communication in the digital age, focusing on the benefits of using phones less and leaving unproductive group chats.
Learn about Louisa's journey promoting her book, which included talks at bookshops and libraries, and unexpected opportunities like speaking at the Harrogate International Festival and appearing on Australian television. She shares insights on balancing book promotion with a full-time job, dedicating weekends and evenings to various activities such as scheduling posts, contacting libraries, and engaging with journalists.
Louisa also provides valuable tips for aspiring authors, advising them to start building their web presence early and to develop a comprehensive marketing plan. She recommends her free marketing blog, "All About Digital Marketing," as a resource for authors. Finally, Louisa discusses the positive reception of her book and her future plans.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Proactive Marketing Pays Off: Louisa emphasises starting early to build a web presence and establish your expertise. This highlights that consistent effort in building your brand and putting yourself out there can lead to valuable, unpredictable PR and business growth opportunities.
Showcase Your Personality: Louisa suggests that business owners can gain a following by showcasing unusual hobbies or interests, as these personal touches make you more memorable and add personality.
Strategic Planning and Persistence are Crucial: Despite a full-time job, Louisa dedicated significant time on weekends and evenings to promoting her book. This underscores the necessity for business owners to have a robust, well-thought-out marketing plan and the persistence to execute it to see long-term results.
15:00
17:31 How Berkshire Music Trust trains its staff
19:00 Final thoughts
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Power of a Strong Brand and Mission
Berkshire Music Trust's name change from Berkshire Maestros was a strategic move to be more inclusive and appeal to a broader audience. This highlights that a brand's name, while just one word, can instantly create a barrier to access for potential customers. A strong, inclusive brand that clearly aligns with your mission can help you connect with your target audience and remove potential barriers to entry.
Creative Solutions for Revenue and Community Engagement
The trust has found innovative ways to generate revenue beyond traditional donations. This not only provides services that businesses need but also funnels the money back into the trust’s charitable projects. This shows that businesses can create new revenue streams by leveraging existing assets and offering unique services.
The Value of Strategic Partnerships
Jamie emphasises the importance of partnerships, which he actively seeks out with local businesses, grassroots organisations, and arts venues. By collaborating with other organisations, the trust can create a wider range of beneficiaries, which is something that funding grants often look for.
11:21 How much the group has contributed to the community over the last 35 years
13:13 Future plans for Maiden Erlegh Rotary club
14:53 Final thoughts
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Community Engagement as a Marketing Tool
Richard explains that the most successful way for the Rotary Club to form collaborations and get the word out is by getting out and talking to people, visiting schools, and speaking with community members. This highlights that in-person, face-to-face engagement remains a powerful way to build brand awareness and establish trust, even in a digital age.
The Value of Social Media and Adapting to New Platforms
Over the past four or five years, they have developed their marketing activity to be more active on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This shows that even non-profits and traditional organisations need to be flexible and adapt to new technologies to reach their target audience.
The Importance of Investing in Soft Skills
The club helps young people develop valuable skills such as public speaking and interview techniques. The Rotarians believe these are useful skills for anybody to have. This is a reminder to business owners that skills like communication, presenting, and interviewing are crucial for professional success, both for their own employees and for the future workforce. Investing in and supporting initiatives that foster these soft skills can have a long-term positive impact on the local talent pool and the community.
10:28
15:45 Connection between most popular content and most popular events
17:55What’s On Reading data peak
20:25 Why events are important and advice for business owners
22:58 The future for What’s On Reading
24:24 Final thoughts
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Credibility is Currency: Building a strong reputation and relationships within the local community is crucial for success. Damien’s personal involvement in the arts and culture scene gave him immediate "legitimacy" and credibility with partners. This established a foundation of trust that made it easier to get organisations on board and grow the platform.
Social Media is a Two-Way Conversation: Social media is not just a broadcasting tool; it's a communication tool where "communication always goes two ways". What's On Reading's strategy focuses on being "social," engaging with followers, and responding to questions and comments. Damien also emphasises the importance of authenticity and adapting to platform changes.
Collaboration Drives Growth: Partnering with other local organisations can expand your reach and benefit your business. Passmore gives examples of successful collaborations, such as art exhibitions in pubs, which can draw in new customers. By finding the "right partnerships" that align with their brand, businesses can increase footfall and show community support.
18:15 How Glen decides what type of events to put on
20:58 How Blue Collar tries to cover all the food requirements
22:36 What skills Glen would like to improve
23:46 What is the future for Blue Collar
25:37 Final thoughts for listeners
Key TAKEAWAYS
Building a Business on Passion and Observation: Glen Dinning was inspired by the London street food scene and noticed a gap in his hometown of Reading. His journey demonstrates how turning a personal passion into a business can lead to creating something that fills a market need.
The Power of Longevity and Consistency: The reputation of Blue Collar Group was built on consistency. By continuing to host markets, run Blue Collar Corner, and introduce new food concepts, the business has grown its audience over time.
The importance of authentic photos: Dinning learned that authentic photos of food, taken with the venue or people in the background, resonate more with their audience than professional studio shots. He also emphasises that good photos are a "head start" for food traders because they are a key promotional tool for the business.
14:30 The importance of having the right tool to do a job
15:16 Not competitors to traditional tool hire shops and tradespeople
16:27 How you can help Reading Library of Things
17:49 Bases for other Reading of Library Things in Town Centre
19:29 Future goals for Reading Library of Things
20:14 Final thoughts
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Offer tiered or value-based membership options: The Reading Library of Things offers a standard annual membership fee but also provides a free membership to those who donate a "significant tool". This model creates an incentive for people to contribute to the organisation's inventory while also attracting new members. It's a great example of a mutually beneficial business model.
The Importance of Established Governance: When starting a new venture, partnering with an existing, well-governed organisation can provide a significant advantage. The Reading Library of Things gained credibility by operating under Transition Town Reading, a UK-wide charitable network. This partnership provided them with an established governance structure. This organisational foundation proved crucial when the library applied for lottery funding, as they could demonstrate they were part of a reputable network.
Strategic Collaboration for Growth: The founders understand that working with other local groups is key to increasing their reach and sharing the workload. Tapping into other networks is also a great way to increase awareness and attract both new members and volunteers.
00:30 What makes the Specsavers Reading branch unique
01:18 How Specsavers Reading focuses on the local community
02:46 Challenges faced at Specsavers Reading and solutions implemented
05:35 How Specsavers Reading keeps up to date with customer needs
07:00 How the demographic of Specsavers Reading has changed over time
07:57 Marketing Specsavers Reading
08:37 Hashin’s final thoughts
10:32 Greeting Randeep
10:46 The role of an Ophthalmologist
11:18 What an eye test involves
11:56 The connection between sight tests and general health
12:29 The slow progression of eye conditions
13:35 How often should you get your eyes tested?
14:44 Misconceptions around eyesight
17:11 How optometry is changing over time
17:48 How to look after your eyesight
19:35 How Randeep stays up to date with changes in the industry
