The Business Takeaway Podcast, Leadership & Business Advice – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this podcast episode, Ben Payne interviews Marcel Fairbairn, the CEO and founder of GearNet Holdings, discussing the evolution of the entertainment industry, the importance of data analytics, business strategy, CEO Insights and the role of AI in transforming business practices. They explore the challenges faced during COVID-19 and how the industry adapted, emphasising the need for innovation and resilience in a niche market.

In this conversation, Marcel reflects on the transformative impact of COVID on his business, emphasising the importance of adapting to change and focusing on customer needs. He discusses his evolving attitude towards risk and innovation, sharing lessons learned from significant business challenges. Marcel also offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting the necessity of understanding market viability and the importance of building a strong foundation for business growth. The discussion concludes with key takeaways from his extensive career, underscoring the value of customer focus and continuous improvement.

In this episode of the Business Takeaway podcast, Fran shares her nonlinear journey to becoming the Commercial Director for Mondial Technology Media, discussing her experiences in the live events industry, the evolution of print media in a digital world, and the challenges of managing large-scale events. She emphasises the importance of passion in the industry, the coexistence of print and digital content, and the impact of AI on marketing strategies. Fran also reflects on personal growth, the significance of awards in recognising industry talent, and her mantra of 'better not bitter' as a guiding principle in both personal and professional life.

Takeaways

Fran's journey to becoming a Commercial Director was nonlinear and filled with diverse experiences.

The live events industry is driven by passion and community.

Print media still holds value in the B2B space despite the rise of digital.

Post-COVID, there has been a resurgence in print media as businesses adapt to new norms.

Awards and recognition are crucial for motivating industry professionals.

Event management requires careful consideration of guest experiences and logistics.

AI is a tool that can enhance workflow but cannot replace human creativity.

Personal growth comes from learning from failures and not being too hard on oneself.

Building strong relationships in the industry is essential for success.

The mantra 'better not bitter' serves as a guiding principle for Fran.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fran's Journey

03:49 The Evolution of Print and Digital Media

06:46 The Importance of Awards and Recognition in the Industry

09:55 Adapting to Industry Changes Post-COVID

12:44 The Role of Events in the Live Industry

15:59 Challenges in Event Management

18:40 The Emotional Impact of Live Events

21:45 Marketing Strategies and ROI

24:52 The Journey of Marketing Campaigns

28:00 The Creative Process Behind Events

30:42 Reflections on Success and Future Goals

40:42 The Journey of Growth in the Industry

41:45 Passion for Celebration and Recognition

42:37 The Role of AI in Marketing and Creativity

46:48 Human Experience vs. AI in Problem Solving

51:47 Managing Responsibilities and Stress Before Events

55:38 Decision Making: Gut Instinct vs. Calculated Risks

58:40 Embracing Failure and Learning from Mistakes

01:01:48 The Importance of Positivity and Energy in Work

01:04:02 Living by the Mantra: Better Not Bitter

The podcast is making a comeback in 2026 with a lineup of great guests and a focus on discussing business challenges in the post-pandemic world, the evolution of technology, and the of course those all important take away's that we want to learn from!

Want to be on the show? Drop us a line: pod@thebusinesstakeawaypodcast.com

Today’s guest is Sharon Livermore. Sharon is the owner and director of Kameo recruitment. Sharon talks to us today about the world o recruitment, the challenges of recruiting in and out of COVID and also the new expectations of staff in the post covid world. It’s really interesting to hear how things have changed in such times and trying to understand what the new “norms” will be

Sharon also talks to us about the subject of Domestic abuse. Being a Domestic Abuse survivor Sharon now campaigns globally for businesses to adopt policies to help their staff if they find themselves in such a position. We’ll hear her story and her support for anyone who might be going through this at this time.

https://kameorecruitment.com

https://kameorecruitment.com/domestic-abuse/

https://domestic-abuse.co.uk/

https://www.eida.org.uk/become-a-member

Today’s guest is Rich Alderton. Rich runs a business call High Performance Change here in Cambridge. Rich is a change specialist. Now before today you might not know what a change specialist is - but I hope you get a better take on this after today’s podcast and why people are perhaps so reluctant to change. Personally love change - and “keeping the status quo” isn’t something that I believe in, so it was great to talk through and here Rich’s ideas. Rich also talks to us about his life, some major upheavals he’s faced and how that’s reflected in the work he now does. Listening and talking to Rich it’s very easy to forget how fragile life is. We’re all focused on the day to day with work, but sometimes life really takes over and throws you some real personal challenges. Hearing what Rich has gone through really draws that into focus as we will hear. https://www.highperformancechange.com/

Today’s guest is Lee Dennison. Lee is Head of Relationships for a business in the entertainment industry as well as being heavily involved in our industries charity. Lee talks to us today about his journey as starting technician working on shows in the west end to today dealing with clients and customers on large scale projects. It’s a great listen!

Today he talks through about stripping a lot of things back to basics. It’s very easy in todays tech world that we use “digital” skills as he calls it rather than the analogue skills. Find out about Lee’s views on those skills and what we he believes we need the next generation to focus on to give them the skills to move forward. Even if you aren’t the next generation I hope that you take something away from todays episode into your life or business or perhaps how you advise the next generation!

Backup Charity - https://www.backuptech.uk/

Creative Technology - https://www.ct-group.com/

Today’s guest is Daniel Colaianni a tech entrepreneur who’s working in the Extended Reality world. I met him as a young lad who was helping businesses with bits of marketing content. However it was very clear to see that what ever he turned his hand to was quite brilliant and you could sense that he was going to go far. He’s talks to us today about the world of Extended reality. Now to you or I at this moment in time you probably don’t have a clue what that is – but join us on the journey to find out in depth how this is going to potentially change our lives! Daniel is an engaging and fascinating listen. I was blown away by some of the things he talked about and the maturity for someone so young to have a very clear picture on his business, business life and “take-aways” is highly impressive. I hope you can all learn something from him and what he has to say. ----- Daniel Colaianni is the Chief Executive of the Academy of International Extended Reality, a not for profit membership body dedicated to supporting companies grow using virtual and augmented reality and actively accelerating the immersive industry. Daniel built and leads an executive board made up of Facebook, Disney, Microsoft, Google, Boeing and more, to steer and execute global initiatives and strategy aimed at supporting growth within immersive enterprises. Starting from the young age of just 16, organising events sponsored by Amazon, Unity and more, as a college dropout, Daniel later exited from a self built marketing agency after 3 years of strategising and managing complex marketing campaigns for national UK brands. Focusing full time on VR & AR, Daniel has since built the largest internationally recognised award show for the immersive industry, sits on various committees advising companies on “XR” and has amassed a network of over 6,000 individuals and companies working daily with the technology. https://aixr.org/

We're joined today by Ian Mather CEO of Cambridge United Football Club. Now I have to be honest here - I’m a big fan of the football club and a Season ticket holder. Ian talks to us today about his journey as starting as a lawyer before migrating to the role of CEO. The football business is like no other and has been hard hit like a lot of businesses during covid and it’s an interesting listen to hear how he took quick and swift action to protect the club and the challenges around they faced. What impressed me about Ian’s interview was his take aways. In todays world, technology is sometimes getting in the way of being decent person and communicating properly. It’s easy to just send an email, but sometimes an email just isn’t right and you need to actually speak with a human. Fairgame - https://www.fairgameuk.org/ Ian Mather on Twitter @ianmather10

Welcome to the first full episode of the Business Take-Away Podcast featuring Ben Bowles from CEG. Ben talks about his business that provides lighting to the entertainment industry, how it was affected by the pandemic, and how despite all the challenges that it's come out the other side in a better place. It's a frank conversation where he could have lost his whole business if the banks hadn't supported it - but it's a great listen for any business leader!

Welcome to the trailer and introduction to the Business Take-Away Podcast. Ben Payne the host of the podcast takes you through what the basis of the podcast is about and what he hopes you as the listener is going to gain from it!