Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Small Business Sessions
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theo Paphitis: Dragons' Den, his dyslexia, the future of the high street and top tips for success | The Small Business Sessions | 05 Nov 2025 | 00:44:53 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a ninth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partner Vodafone Business. Joining freelance journalist Dan Martin for the fourth episode is Theo Paphitis, Dragons' Den investor and entrepreneur. As one of the UK's most high profile entrepreneurs, Theo is known as being one of the investors on BBC TV show Dragons' Den. He is also famous for turning around struggling high street brands like Ryman and Robert Dyas. Theo does much to support small business owners, including through his #SBS Small Business Sunday community. In a wide ranging and inspiring converation, Theo discusses his extensive entrepreneurial career with loads of insights and advice. Don't miss this episode! Topics discussed in the episode include:
---- This episode is brought to you in partnership with Vodafone Business, the Nation’s Network*, as part of the business.connected campaign which helps small businesses embrace digital change and grow online. Access free training in a range of digital business areas, from online marketing to AI and smarter working at www.enterprisenation.com/businessconnected Listen to and watch previous podcast episodes at www.enterprisenation.com/podcast *The Nation's Network: Vodafone - nation's most valuable brand, verified by Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands Report 2024, and supporting the nation since 1984 through to 2025's major summer events. See full verification of the substantiation: www.vodafone.co.uk/TNN | |||
| Deepak Ravindran on burnout, redefining success and finding identity beyond your business | Founder Fails | 31 Oct 2025 | 00:21:42 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Sessions: Founder Fails podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation, in collaboration with Hiscox.
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| Sol Escobar on restoring dignity through clothing choices | The Small Business Retail Sessions | 03 Sep 2025 | 00:31:20 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF. This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability. In episode six of the series, we're joined by Sol Escobar, founder of Give Your Best. Give Your Best is a "tech for good" social enterprise tackling clothing poverty and fashion waste through an innovative online platform and physical store. Launched during the 2020 lockdown, Give Your Best allows refugee women and other marginalised people to shop donated clothing for free – restoring not only their wardrobe but their dignity and agency too. Since then, the enterprise has grown into a thriving community-led organisation, combining digital tools, peer-to-peer giving, and inclusive retail experiences. In this episode, Sol shares her journey from humanitarian volunteer to award-winning founder, and explains how businesses of all sizes can take small, impactful steps toward more ethical and sustainable practices. Topics discussed in the episode:
----- Through the Powering the High Street programme, we're bringing new energy to retail in the UK. We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably. Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringthehighstreet/ To listen to previous podcast episodes, go to enterprisenation.com/podcast | |||
| Mel from This Mum Runs | 02 Nov 2016 | 00:13:33 | |
The 25th episode is with Enterprise Nation member and This Mum Runs founder Mel Bound. As an exhausted Mum, Mel Bound was desperate to regain a bit of time to herself and put a post on a Facebook group one evening to see if anyone else fancied joining her for a jog in the park after she'd put the kids to bed. 75 women showed up from just that one post and now her community This Mum Runs boasts over 4,000 members. This Mum Runs focuses on creating a space where time strapped mums can regain a bit of headspace by doing exercise together without feeling intimidated or under pressure to loose weight or get fit. Her success was rewarded on 21 October when she was crowned Female Start-up of the Year at our Festival of Female Entrepreneurs on 21 October. We recorded a podcast with Mel before she took to the stage to pitch. This Small Business Session oozes with Mel's infectious enthusiasm about what she's getting up to and why she's doing it. Inspiring and then some. | |||
| Precious from Etieno Skincare | 26 Oct 2016 | 00:14:38 | |
The 24th session is with Enterprise Nation member and Etieno founder Precious Jason. Diagnosed in 2012 with leukemia. Precious struggled to find natural products that were safe and nourishing enough to the mend the damage that was done to her skin after treatment. That gave her the idea for Etieno, a range of skincare products that make life easier for cancer patients. Setting up a business whilst undergoing cancer treatment unsurprisingly has brought challenges but it has also provided Precious with a great testing ground, canvassing feedback from everyone that crosses her path including medical consultants and those next to her in the waiting room. This is the lady who a year ago came as an audience member to Enterprise Nation's Beauty Exchange with her early stage product, to this year's event where she joined us on stage with a stack of awards under her belt. It's stories like that as well as Precious' own personal journey that make the Small Business Sessions what they are. | |||
| Simon from Version 22 | 19 Oct 2016 | 00:10:51 | |
The 23rd session is with Simon Lyons, Enterprise Nation member and founder of product design studio Version 22. In this session Simon offers up some great advice about the struggles that so many start-ups face over cashflow and knowing what to prioritise when. Both of his products have been launched through crowdfunding and it was his first campaign that got him chatting to our founder Emma Jones on Twitter. That chat led to him featuring on a panel at one of our events and a piece in the Economist. Since then he has visited 10 Downing with us and secured a piece in The Sunday Times after our Meet the Journalist events in Nottingham. If we ever need a testimonial, we know who to call! | |||
| Grace from StatueFindr | 12 Oct 2016 | 00:09:43 | |
The 22nd session is with Enterprise Nation member and StatueFindr founder Grace Everett. Author Grace Everett had an idea for a book about London's great statues that morphed in to an idea for an app. She has now launched StatueFindr which provides a new way to explore the diverse range of sculptures in the city of Westminster. Spot a statue, check the app and you'll get information about the statue and the artist who created it. Listen to this session for a great discussion on setting goals and Grace's brilliant answer to our regular question asking what superpower entrepreneurs would like to have. | |||
| Robert from NRG Digital | 05 Oct 2016 | 00:09:54 | |
The 21st session is with Robert Edmonds, Enterprise Nation member and founder of NRG Digital. Robert is a three times BAFTA nominated director, producer and editor and spent 17 years in the TV industry working on some of Britain's most popular primetime shows including Grand Designs and Crimewatch. Rob has now moved into the commercial sector and founded NRG Digital, which creates content driven video and events for some of the biggest brands in the world. Tune into this week's session for discussion around the importance of building trust, dealing with the loneliness of going it alone and what makes great content. | |||
| David from David Harris Magic | 28 Sep 2016 | 00:08:50 | |
The 20th session is with Enterprise Nation member and founder of David Harris Magic, David Harris. With a father who performed magic to entertain him for hours on end, it's perhaps not surprising that David Harris ended up being a magician for a living. Swapping a career in security services to getting paid to have fun and entertain people has required years of practice and a commitment to spending at least two hours a day on his craft. The one trick he hasn't quite mastered though is how to explain to people that doing magic really is what he actually does as a job! | |||
| Gabriella from Annellino | 21 Sep 2016 | 00:13:09 | |
The 19th session is with Enteprise Nation Member and Annellino founder Gabriella Turner. Gabriella discovered an Aladdin's Cave when visiting her grandmother in Italy who wanted to buy her a graduation present. She fell in love the 150-year-old workshop operated by a third generation goldsmith which inspired her to set up fine jewellery brand, Annellino. Gabriella's 18 carat gold products are now made in the workshop using a technique followed by Renaissance sculptors. Listen to this session for an inspiring discussion about supporting artisan producers, the importance of outsourcing to experts and how to stay motivated when working on your own. | |||
| Nazia from Ibraheem Toy House | 14 Sep 2016 | 00:10:01 | |
The 18th session is with Enterprise Nation member and Ibraheem Toy Store founder Nazia Nasreen. Standing terrified in front of journalists doesn't sound like the perfect night out, but the brains behind the UK's first online Islamic toy store summoned the courage and it paid off! That pitch at Enterprise Nation's Meet the Journalists even in Birmingham led to her being featured in the Economist and local publication, Business Quarter Magazine. Nazia then attended one of our digital bootcamps and met a brand strategist and a packaging expert, both of whom she's now working with. If you ever needed a session that encourages you with real life examples of just how many opportunities are out there when you step out of your comfort zone, this is it! | |||
| Marina from The Perfume Garden | 07 Sep 2016 | 00:09:48 | |
The 17th session is with Enterprise Nation member and The Perfume Garden founder Marina Barcenilla. Marina distinctly remembers sniffing just about everything that passed her by so it's no surprise that she ended up as a perfumer! She founded The Perfume Garden five years ago, which focuses on creating luxurious fragrances inspired by nature for a whole range of different products from perfumes to skin care to candles and home fragrances. Self taught and a big experimenter, The Perfume Garden has really blossomed in the last year with a recent run of awards but Marina is the first to admit that it has taken time and a lot of patience to get to this stage which is probably very reassuring for a lot of us to hear! | |||
| Neomi from Neo-Slip | 31 Aug 2016 | 00:10:33 | |
The 16th session is with Enterprise Nation member and Neo-Slip founder Neomi Bennett. Neomi left school without any qualifications but once she'd had her family, decided to study nursing as a mature student. It was a study project that led to her launching her own product, Neo-Slip, which now counts the NHS as one of its clients. Neo-Slip is a little bag that goes over a patient's foot to help combat the difficulties with putting on anti-embolism stockings. With 25,000 people in the UK dying each year of deep vein thrombosis after they've had an operation, most of which could have been avoided, the product is much needed. Neomi's intention was never to start her own business though so this session is a great example of how entrepreneurial ideas can come right out of nowhere. | |||
| Jon Perks on helping small firms save cash and carbon | The Small Business Retail Sessions | 27 Aug 2025 | 00:33:19 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF. This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability. In episode five of the series, we're joined by Jon Perks, small business director at EDF, one of the UK's largest energy suppliers. With over 25 years in the energy industry, Jon has guided thousands of businesses through energy challenges – from volatile markets to net zero ambitions. At EDF, his mission is simple: help small businesses grow by making smarter, more sustainable energy choices. In this episode, Jon breaks down the energy landscape for small businesses, sharing clear, practical advice on how to cut costs, improve efficiency and navigate change with confidence. Topics discussed in the episode:
----- Through the Powering the High Street programme, we're bringing new energy to retail in the UK. We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably. Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringthehighstreet/ To listen to previous podcast episodes, go to enterprisenation.com/podcast | |||
| Henry and James from Deakin & Francis | 24 Aug 2016 | 00:15:18 | |
The 15th session is with Enterprise Nation members and Deakin & Francis directors, Henry and James Deakin. Most children are used to playgrounds growing up, but not Henry and James. Their fun was centred around learning how to melt and bend metal in the Birmingham jewellery factory that was founded by their family 230 years ago. As the current owners of Deakin & Francis, England's oldest family jewellers, the brothers keep the heritage of a company founded in 1786 whilst simultaneously allowing it to evolve and grow to a business that's now retailing all over the world with a flagship London store in the pipeline. This session is a fascinating insight in to the behind-the-scenes-workings of a family run business and the importance of absorbing the knowledge of those who have gone before you. | |||
| Esther from Teahuggers | 17 Aug 2016 | 00:14:55 | |
The 14th session is with Enterprise Nation Classic member and Teahuggers founder Esther Thompson. Four bouts of tonsillitis, 10 years mulling over the idea, and a little nudge from Enterprise Nation's StartUp Saturday one day business class gave coffee addict Esther the confidence to launch healthy tea brand, Teahuggers. She is a big advocate of the power of passion for what you're doing as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Now with a range of 10 different teas to her name and stockists including Selfridges and Jamie Oliver, it seems that's rather a winning formula! | |||
| Steve from Doopoll | 10 Aug 2016 | 00:13:37 | |
The 13th session is with Enterprise Nation Classic member and Doopoll co-founder Steve Dimmick. Cardiff-based Doopoll is an online service that helps employees, students, friends, and club members make more honest decisions together. Head to an anonymous page and give your opinion on something with a swipe or a click. No words to type, super fast and completely un-influenced. Be warned, in this session Steve does get emotional! A real example of how much passion and emotional investment is often tied up in entrepreneurial adventures. | |||
| Hannah from Good Deed Dating | 02 Aug 2016 | 00:11:50 | |
The 12th session is with Enterprise Nation member and founder of Good Deed Dating, Hannah Whitehead. Hannah came up with the idea for the company, which co-ordinates volunteering opportunities for single people, after spotting a lack of young, single professionals helping out charities. After a year putting the building blocks in place, she gave in her notice to start running Good Deed Dating full time. This session is a great example of what can be created from the power of pulling in a few favours and what can be achieved by surrounding yourself with the right people. | |||
| Rob from Gruhme | 27 Jul 2016 | 00:14:42 | |
The 11th session is with Enterprise Nation member Rob Hallmark, founder of Gruhme. It was definitely not the usual career progression for Rob who went from being a corporate lawyer on the hunt for a value-for-money but high quality male grooming brand, to being so frustrated he couldn't find one that he set one up himself! In his session Birmingham-based Rob is super honest about how tough it can be to start a brand but he's equally as honest about the immense satisfaction there is around eventually being approached about it once you've managed to build one. A firm believer in taking thing step by step and focusing on making a product that you would actually want to buy rather than being too distracted by what the big guys are up to, this member is a mighty fine example of entrepreneurship. | |||
| Genevieve from Genevieve Sweeney | 20 Jul 2016 | 00:10:22 | |
The 10th session is with Enterprise Nation member Genevieve Sweeney. She founded her UK manufactured premium knitwear brand when her passion found a new mission. A life long knitter, she started restoring old machinery and was introduced to a network of amazing knitters who were forced out of the industry after factories closed. The young entrepreneur now works with family run mills to create her contemporary designs and is breathing new life in to a traditional practice. This session is an inspiring example of the power and strength of what can be created when people who are really passionate about what they do, work together. | |||
| Ricky from T-Sticks | 13 Jul 2016 | 00:12:38 | |
The ninth session is with Enterprise Nation member and T-Sticks founder Ricky Kothari. He is on a mission to transform the way we brew a cup of tea, putting an end to scooping out soggy teabags with your fingers once and for all! After being challenged by none other than prime minister David Cameron to develop his business, Ricky quit his management consultant day job to focus on T-Sticks full time. This session has some great, first hand advice around the importance of understanding the customers that you're selling to, how to create an experience round your brand and getting to trips with your USP. | |||
| Jordan from GripIt Fixings | 06 Jul 2016 | 00:09:21 | |
The eighth session is with Jordan Daykin from GripIt Fixings. Aged just 21, he is already running a £10m business and was the youngest entrepreneur to receive investment on BBC TV's Dragons' Den. His podcast is a must listen! | |||
| Elizabeth from Digitise This | 29 Jun 2016 | 00:09:06 | |
The seventh session is with Elizabeth Malone-Johnstone, founder of Digitise This. Elizabeth is a lady who's always on the hunt for new experiences and challenges and in this session she recommends running your own business as a way to satisfy that. Listen for tips on building on community around you when going it alone and the importance of continual learning. | |||
| Theo from Tahouts | 22 Jun 2016 | 00:11:15 | |
The sixth session is with Theo Wasserberg, Enterprise Nation member and founder of female fashion brand Tahouts. He was inspired by a picture of his sister wearing some cool trousers on the steps of a temple. It looked like a ready made brand to him; he just had to start making them! Theo was straight in at the deep end setting up Tahouts as it launched just as he was finishing off his business degree. Obviously handy timing in a lot of ways, but it did mean that he had a bit of a crash course in doing everything all at once which can only be a great thing when it comes to featuring on the Small Business Sessions! | |||
| Alice Mayor on making space for creatives on the high street | The Small Business Retail Sessions | 20 Aug 2025 | 00:40:14 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF. This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability. Alice Mayor is a creative entrepreneur and founder of We Built This City and London Made Me – two pioneering platforms that have championed independent artists, designers and makers by putting them at the heart of the high street. From opening a central London souvenir store celebrating local creatives to partnering with the Mayor of London on a retail training programme, Alice has spent over a decade empowering creatives to build meaningful retail experiences. In this episode, Alice shares her journey from pop-up pioneer to retail mentor, and explains why supporting artists and independent makers is vital to the cultural and commercial future of the high street. Topics discussed in the episode:
----- Through the Powering the High Street programme, we're bringing new energy to retail in the UK. We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably. Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringthehighstreet/ To listen to previous podcast episodes, go to enterprisenation.com/podcast | |||
| Jonathan from Intranet Future | 15 Jun 2016 | 00:12:48 | |
The fifth session is with Jonathan Pollinger, Enterprise Nation Adviser member and founder of Intranet Future. Whilst for some of us the changes in the digital world seem to happen faster than lightening, Jonathan thrives on that and loves being up to date with latest social media developments. Listen for some super helpful practical tips on benefiting from the power of social and how to better manage your time. | |||
| Mark from MB Languages | 08 Jun 2016 | 00:12:49 | |
The fourth session is with Mark Bailey, founder of MB Languages. The company, which provides specialised language training, wasn't what Mark originally set out to do. With an economics degree and a background in finance, his decision to go travelling found him teaching English by accident and that's where it all began! This session has some great advice about how useful your old contacts can be even when you find yourself wanting to do something a little bit different. | |||
| Annabel from Tuck n' Snug | 01 Jun 2016 | 00:11:12 | |
The third session is with Annabel Anderson, founder of Tuck n' Snug. She was at her wits end with two young children who slept terribly. Doesn't sound much fun does it?! It was exactly that though that led her to develop her children's bed linen which prevents little girls and boys from knocking their duvet and pillow onto the floor, waking up cold and crying out for their parents. | |||
| Aimee from ACT Coaching | 25 May 2016 | 00:09:58 | |
The second session is with Aimee Teesdale, founder of ACT Coaching. Specialising in one-on-one and group sessions on emotional intelligence, Aimee is on a mission to educate small business owners as to why it is so important for their success and leadership. As well as her tips on that the entrepreneur also explains how she's managed the rollercoaster ride comes with an entrepreneurial adventure. | |||
| Colin from The Podcast Host | 18 May 2016 | 00:12:45 | |
The first session is with The Podcast Host founder Colin Gray. Colin was an early adopter of the podcast medium, back when it was clunky and took up a lot of storage space. Today his whole business is built around offering advice to businesses seeking to build a sleek audio content marketing strategy to push their business into the stratosphere. | |||
| Mike Turner on growing a tea brand with heart | The Small Business Retail Sessions | 13 Aug 2025 | 00:31:31 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF. This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability. In episode three of the series, we're joined by Mike Turner, co-founder of Bird & Blend Tea Co. Bird & Blend Tea Co. is a creative, purpose-led tea brand that has grown from humble beginnings in a bedroom to 25 UK high-street stores and an international online business. With co-founder Krisi Smith, Mike launched the business in 2012 with a mission to make tea fun, sustainable and community-driven. The brand is also a proud B Corp and a strong advocate for values-led business. In this episode, Mike shares the brand's journey from start-up to national retail success, the importance of customer experience and how sustainability, empowerment and gut instinct continue to shape the company's growth. Topics discussed in the episode:
----- Through the Powering the High Street programme, we're bringing new energy to retail in the UK. We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably. Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringthehighstreet/ To listen to previous podcast episodes, go to enterprisenation.com/podcast | |||
| Candid Studios founders on empowerment through the lens | The Small Business Retail Sessions | 06 Aug 2025 | 00:33:48 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF. This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability. In episode two of the series, we're joined by Aimee and Lily Barrett, the co-founders of Candid Studios. Sisters Aimee and Lily started self-portrait photography studio Candid in May 2023. Based in Westbourne Grove in London, the business is built around a simple but powerful concept: customers take their own professional-quality portraits in a private, feel-good environment. With a mission rooted in empowerment, self-expression and self-love, the Barretts have grown Candid into a community-driven brand that's transforming how people show up – in both personal and professional spaces. Topics discussed in the episode:
----- Through the Powering the High Street programme, we're bringing new energy to retail in the UK. We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably. Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringthehighstreet/ To listen to previous podcast episodes, go to enterprisenation.com/podcast | |||
| Gbemi Okunlola on building a global fashion brand | The Small Business Retail Sessions | 30 Jul 2025 | 00:27:28 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Retail Sessions podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation's Powering the High Street programme, in collaboration with EDF. This series explores the major challenges that today's retailers are facing – from declining footfall and vacant shop-fronts to the post-pandemic recovery and increasing demand for sustainability. In this first episode of the series, we're joined by Gbemi Okunlola, founder of Alonuko. Started in 2012, Alonuko is a world-renowned women's fashion brand celebrated for its iconic bridal designs, intricate embroideries and inclusivity. Gbemi's fashion journey began in her teenage years, and she's since grown Alonuko into a global name in luxury bridalwear, known for offering highly personalised and inclusive experiences for brides around the world. Here, Gbemi shares how her early passion for design evolved into founding Alonuko. She reflects on the value of in-person retail experiences and offers advice for building a global brand. Topics discussed in the episode:
----- Through the Powering the High Street programme, we're bringing new energy to retail in the UK. We're helping small businesses thrive on the high street – through expert support, smart energy advice and practical tools to grow sustainably. Find out more at enterprisenation.com/poweringthehighstreet/ To listen to previous podcast episodes, go to enterprisenation.com/podcast | |||
| Olly Tyler, Shroot: Buying a failing business and turning it into a success | 26 Feb 2025 | 00:24:07 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Shroot creates eco-friendly, biodegradable cards that come with everything you need to grow microgreens, including the pot. It's a gift, card, experience and snack all in one. Olly didn't start the business, but bought it as a failing venture. He has since turned it into a great success, and has also purchased two other businesses; Kabloom and Bottle Farm. In the inspiring episode, Olly and Dan discuss topics including:
Big thanks for tuning into series eight of the Small Business Sessions. Look out for series nine coming soon! ----- The business.connected hub is a free online training programme of workshops, webinars and e-learning modules designed to help businesses go digital and adopt new technology. | |||
| Saasha Celestial-One, Olio: How to build a successful app | 19 Feb 2025 | 00:22:56 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. The idea for Saasha's groundbreaking business came about when her business partner Tessa Clarke trawled the streets looking for someone who might be able to use her spare food when she was moving house. The two friends tested their solution in a WhatsApp group for neighbours in North London, and it's now an app used by millions around the world for finding what they need and sharing what they don't with local people. In an inspiring episode, Sasha and Dan discuss:
----- The business.connected hub is a free online training programme of workshops, webinars and e-learning modules designed to help businesses go digital and adopt new technology. | |||
| Jake Bucknall: Selling pizzas in lockdown to a thriving food business | 12 Feb 2025 | 00:36:21 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Chef Jake started the company in South London in 2020 with his former tour guide friend Jacob as a dinner for 100 people. But then lockdown hit so they decided to sell pizzas outside Jacob's mum's house. The popularity was so great that they ran out of space and moved to a pop-up site. That has now been developed into a permanent pizzeria, alongside another bar, selling their pizzas in a central London pub and running four events a month. In the show, Dan and Jake discuss topics including
----- The business.connected hub is a free online training programme of workshops, webinars and e-learning modules designed to help businesses go digital and adopt new technology. | |||
| Josh Kleiner: The story behind the Sandwich Sandwich viral sensation | 05 Feb 2025 | 00:30:54 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. The family business started with a small shop in Bristol in 2010 and now has three branches in the south west city. In 2023, the business was named Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year and won £100,000. This allowed the father and son team to open a flagship London store which is so popular that people queue for up to an hour to buy their lunch. The success of the business has also been helped by social media. Its famous giant sandwiches have gone viral many times, with TikTok influencer Kalani Ghost Hunter telling his three million followers that it was "one of the best things he has ever put in his mouth". In the show, Dan and Josh discuss:
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| Will Pearson, Ocean Bottle: Tackling plastic pollution one water bottle at a time | The Small Business Sessions | 29 Oct 2025 | 00:27:15 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a ninth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partner Vodafone Business. Joining freelance journalist Dan Martin for the third episode is Will Pearson, co-founder of Ocean Bottle, the reusable bottle brand that funds the collection of ocean-bound waste amounting to the equivalent of 1,000 plastic bottles for each product sold. Topics discussed in the episode include:
---- This episode is brought to you in partnership with Vodafone Business, the Nation’s Network*, as part of the business.connected campaign which helps small businesses embrace digital change and grow online. Access free training in a range of digital business areas, from online marketing to AI and smarter working at www.enterprisenation.com/businessconnected Listen to and watch previous podcast episodes at www.enterprisenation.com/podcast *The Nation's Network: Vodafone - nation's most valuable brand, verified by Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands Report 2024, and supporting the nation since 1984 through to 2025's major summer events. See full verification of the substantiation: www.vodafone.co.uk/TNN | |||
| Elyssa Desai: How founders can overcome imposter syndrome and burnout | 29 Jan 2025 | 00:30:54 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Elyssa is a mindset expert, speaker and coach who guides business owners and others through their what am I doing with my life moments. A huge focus of her work is helping individuals to understand and reprogramme their mindset so they can confidently achieve their dreams. In the inspiring episode, Dan and Elyssa discuss topics including:
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| Lynsey Crombie, Queen of Clean: How to build a big community online | 22 Jan 2025 | 00:32:13 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Lynsey first joined Instagram in 2016 and posted an image of her newly clean floor with a bottle of product. Despite having only 40 followers, she got 190 likes and realised she was on to something. Within six months, Lynsey had 7,000 followers, started being paid by brands to promote their products and became the UK's first cleaning influencer. Nearly a million people now keep up to date with Lynsey's cleaning tips on social media, she has written several books, and she makes regular appearances on television shows including ITV's This Morning and Good Morning Britain. In the episode, Lynsey and Dan discuss topics including:
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| Clare Andrews: Turning a love for air fryers into a business and 100,000 social media followers | 15 Jan 2025 | 00:28:55 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Clare's culinary journey began during the lockdowns of 2020 when she was gifted an air fryer. She began to explore the full potential of the popular kitchen gadget and shared her air fryer recipes on Instagram. Clare now has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, has published three bestselling cookbooks and has appeared on several air fryer-themed TV programmes. In the show, we discuss Clare's journey to becoming a social media influencer plus her tips for growing a following online, writing a book and attracting media coverage. ----- | |||
| Richard Harpin: The founder who sold his business for £4 billion | 08 Jan 2025 | 00:33:46 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a eighth exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Richard grew HomeServe into a FTSE 100 listed business, with thousands of employees serving millions of customers around the world. In 2023 he sold it to Brookfield Asset Management for £4.1 billion. Richard has stayed on as chair of HomeServe EMEA. He also invests in other entrepreneurs via Growth Partner and in 2023, he acquired Business Leader, a platform and membership community supporting mid-sized firms. With Richard's huge entrepreneurial experience, this is a podcast you don't want to miss! ----- | |||
| Steve Folland: How to be a successful freelancer | 20 Nov 2024 | 00:31:13 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. With a long career in radio, Steve went freelance in 2013 and hasn't looked back! Alongside his work creating videos and podcasts for other people, he launched his own show, Being Freelance, in January 2015, followed by the Being Freelance vlog in 2016. Steve, who has been using Dropbox since 2013, also runs the Being Freelance community and is the co-host of Doing It For The Kids, a podcast for freelance parents which won gold for Best Business Podcast at the British Podcast Awards in 2021. In the show, Dan and Steve discuss topics including:
Dropbox is the one place to keep life organised and keep work moving. Tools include Dropbox, File Request, Dropbox Replay and Dropbox Sign. ----- | |||
| Stephen Lane: Film memorabilia collecting hobby to £35m business | 13 Nov 2024 | 00:38:09 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. His collecting hobby became a business in 1998 and more than 25 years later, Propstore has 70 employees in London and Los Angeles and more than 25,000 square feet of archived props and costumes. The business also turns over £35m despite Stephen having taken on no external investment. Since it started, Propstore has located and auctioned thousands of famous items to collectors around the world. Items include the lightsaber used by Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones Fedora, and guitars played on stage by the Gallagher brothers from Oasis. In an insights and advice packed episode, the entrepreneur discusses turning a love for movie props into an actual business, how he tracks down memorabilia to sell, reaching a £35m turnover despite taking on no external investment, establishing a business in the US, running a business during several economic downturns and lots more. ----- | |||
| Christian Azolan: How artists and creatives can achieve business success | 06 Nov 2024 | 00:37:40 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. After a work contract ended due to the coronavirus pandemic, he began creating digital illustrations. That hobby soon turned into a business as Christian used the downtime during lockdown to create a brand for selling his limited edition artwork online. Since then, Christian has had several successful exhibitions, and achieved a significant amount of press coverage for his work. In the episode, Dan and Christian discuss how artists can commercialise their work, his brilliant advice for how small business owners can make media headlines, the importance of knowing your numbers, how he is bringing artists together via a social enterprise collective, the business boosting benefits of being an Enterprise Nation member, and lots more! ----- | |||
| Kat Pither: The founder who turned using yoga to boost mental health into a successful business | 30 Oct 2024 | 00:40:41 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Kat first got into yoga while in rehab to deal with anxiety, PTSD and addiction. That love of the practice led her to becoming a yoga teacher, and she started Yogi Bare as a side project. During the brilliant conversation, Dan and Kat discuss using yoga to deal with mental health, starting a product business, encouraging a strong and supportive community around a business, building an ethical and sustainable company, growing a team and lots more. | |||
| Erika Robinson: 'Small businesses have a superpower that big companies don’t have’ | 22 Oct 2024 | 00:26:04 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. During her career, Erika has spent two decades working across strategy and finance for some of the UK's most recognisable brands, including financial software giant Intuit, and mental health company Headspace. Erika is also a small business owner herself so has an in-depth understanding of entrepreneurs' priorities and predicaments. In 2019, she founded Picnic, a play centre where children can learn about the world by acting out roles in everyday life, such as putting out a fire, delivering the post and serving customers in a shop. The business has employed over 30 people and welcomed 200,000 parents and children through its doors. In the show, we discuss Erika's tips for how to succeed with your digital marketing, her lessons from working in top companies, why she believes small businesses have several superpowers that big companies don't have and her experiences running her own small business. Constant Contact offers email and digital marketing tools that make it easy for your small business or nonprofit to get the attention and revenue it deserves. | |||
| Dhruvin Patel: The founder who turned down a Dragons' Den deal but went on to raise £1m | 15 Oct 2024 | 00:41:27 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Whilst studying optometry at university, Dhruvin launched the initial development of his blue light filtering technology that make eyes healthier, improves sleep and boosts happiness. Since then, the business has grown into an international brand that has helped more than 300,000 eyes in over 147 countries. Ocushield also appeared an BBC TV's Dragons' Den and secured investment from Peter Jones and Tej Lalvani. The deal ended up not going through, but Ocushield went on to get £1m in funding, much more than they secured on the show. ----- | |||
| Kirsty Hulse on confidence, burnout and building a speaking career | Founder Fails | 24 Oct 2025 | 00:22:17 | |
Welcome to the Small Business Sessions: Founder Fails podcast, brought to you by Enterprise Nation, in collaboration with Hiscox.
----- Whether you're a sole trader, scaling a start-up or running a growing enterprise, Hiscox business insurance could protect you if the worst happens. Their policies are built around your business to protect you from the real risks you face every day. | |||
| Jade Beason: How to grow a successful YouTube channel | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:29:22 | |
The Small Business Sessions, Enterprise Nation's podcast, is back for a seventh exciting series of inspiring entrepreneurial stories and expert business tips! The podcast is powered by the business.connected online training programme and our partners Vodafone Business, Constant Contact, JP Morgan and Dropbox. Jade began her career in marketing and sponsorship, but quit corporate life in 2021. She used her eight years of experience to turn her YouTube channel into a six-figure business shortly after uploading her first video. In the show, we discuss switching from a side hustle to a full-time business, and how to grow a successful YouTube channel, plus Jade's tips for growing a subscription service and making the most of social media to power your entrepreneurial success. | |||