Nottingham Business School Business Leaders – Details, episodes & analysis

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast

Episode 52

Alison Swan Parente MBE - Founding the School of Artisan Food, at the age of 60

Summary

Alison Swan Parente MBE is founder of the pioneering School of Artisan Food and the Welbeck Bakehouse.

She set them up as second career, sixteen years ago, when she was 60.

In Episode 52 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, Alison talks to Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi about the joys and challenges of her ‘new’ career.

She also enthuses about creating a new generation of butchers, bakers, brewers and cheese-makers.

Introduction

• Alison Swan Parente was born in Sussex, just after the Second World War.

• She enjoyed a 35-year career as a child psychotherapist, in Britain and America.

• When she retired in 2007, at the age of 60, she set up artisan bakery The Welbeck Bakehouse, on the Welbeck Estate in north Nottinghamshire.

• Soon after, she founded The School of Artisan Food.

• Sixteen years on, the school has won industry awards and built a national reputation for its hands-on courses and world class tutors.

• It teaches traditional skills including bread-baking, cheese-making, brewing and butchery. Its courses focus on healthy and sustainable food.

• In recent years, the school has teamed up with Nottingham Trent University to deliver degree courses in artisan food production.

• Alison was an expert judge on the BBC’s Top of the Shop show, with restaurateurs Tom Kerridge and Nisha Katona.

• In 2017 she was awarded an MBE, for services to education and charity

Key takeaways

Alison Swan Parente told Mike Sassi…

…she was interested in food and cooking from an early age:

“My biggest influence was living in a communal household, in America in the 1970s, where the men cooked. I’d never seen that before. They’d learned [cooking] for political reasons. The women were fed up with cooking.”

…one aim of the School of Artisan Food is to provide routes into employment for young people:

“If you are thinking about how to make young people resilient, one thing you can do is help them to be creative - another is to give them a job.”

…when artisan food producers enthuse about what they do, that’s good marketing:

"Marketing is essential for any business. But the best marketing is authentic marketing."

…it is important for leaders to be well-informed:

“Leadership involves hanging around discreetly in the shadows of your institution, hearing about the things that are going on.”

…it’s also important for leaders not to become micro-managers:

“You have to know what’s going on – but you also have to trust the people you employ.”

And Alison’s advice for leaders and would-be leaders?

“You have to listen to people all the time. Do more listening than talking!”

Related links

• More about Alison Swan Parente MBE

• Alison’s LinkedIn profile is here

• Alison is trustee and founder of the School of Artisan Food

• Alison Swan Parente presented the BBC’s Top of the Shop

If you enjoyed this episode NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with Alison Swan Parente, listen to previous shows with…

• The Chair of the English Football Association Debbie Hewitt

• Paralympic gold medallist Charlotte Henshaw

• The CEO of Capital One UK Lucy Marie Hagues

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast

Episode 51

Nadeem Raza - leading a management buyout, then floating on the stock exchange.

SUMMARY

Nadeem Raza is CEO of transport technology company Microlise.

He joined Microlise in the 1980s as a young software engineer and over the next three decades worked his way up through the company. In 2008 he led a management buyout – and in 2021 the company floated on the Stock Exchange, where it was valued at £156.5m.

In Episode 51 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, Nadeem tells Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi about his love of writing software, his fascination with managing people… and why a quarter of all the trucks on Britain’s roads are empty.

INTRODUCTION

• Nadeem Raza is CEO at the Nottinghamshire-based Microlise company which provides software solutions for the transport logistics industry.

• Microlise works with all four of Britain’s biggest supermarkets – Sainsbury’s, Tesco, ASDA and Morrison’s – and scores of others international brands from JCB to DFS and Eddie Stobart to Travis Perkins.

• The company’s technology helps fleets of trucks and other vehicles move goods from manufacturers to warehouses; warehouses to shops and supermarkets; and from shops to customers via home deliveries.

• Nadeem Raza led a management buy-out of Microlise in 1982, then floated it on the Stock Exchange in 2021, when the company was valued at £156m.

• The company now has 750 staff, operating across six continents. Last year it turned over £71m, with a gross profit of £43m and an operating profit of £2.3m.

• Microlise has won two concurrent Queen’s Awards for Enterprise – for International Trade in 2018, and Innovation in 2019.

• The company was originally founded in 1982, developing warehouse management software.

• Nadeem joined it as a software engineer in the late 1980s and worked his way up to the position of managing director.

KEY LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS

Nadeem Raza told Mike Sassi about...

…why he became a software engineer:

“I joined Microlise to do something I really loved – writing software. I’ve been writing software since I was 14. It was a hobby. ZX Spectrum, Atari computers, Commodore computers… that’s where I started.”

…the importance of being curious:

“I started as a software engineer. But because I’m always thinking, how can I do something better? or, how can I improve a particular process? I ended up being seconded to every other area of the business.”

…leading a management buyout during a national financial crisis:

“2008 was difficult. We completed our MBO at the beginning of the financial crisis. We got into debt problems and went through two or three years of challenging times. But we managed to get through it. If you can get through the tough times, then the easier times are just a walk in the park.”

…how best to manage people:

“The business is made up of many different areas… they have many different people and characters, with many different ways of working. Understanding that, helps you organise, manage, motivate and lead.”

…why good staff are so important:

“There is a lot of knowledge and experience among staff. Without them the software is just a tool that you don’t really understand how to use.”

…looking after and retaining your staff:

“If you treat people well and look after them and give them opportunities, then they will hang around.”

…what motivates his leadership:

“I’m always wondering how I can create value and benefit [for staff and customers], rather than thinking ‘what’s in it for me?’ That happens as a consequence. If you create value elsewhere, ultimately, you’ll benefit yourself.”

…the company’s most recent international contract:

“Woolworths is a big brand in Australia. We help them deal with home deliveries (mainly groceries) from their supermarkets, in new electric vehicles.”

…the need for more collaboration between companies that use trucks:

“25 per cent of the time trucks run with nothing on board. They’re empty. They’re just carrying air! In any other industry this amount of ‘waste’ would be an enormous figure to deal with.”

RELATED LINKS

• There’s more about Nadeem Raza on his LinkedIn page

• Nadeem Raza also features strongly on the Microlise website

• Nadeem Raza is a trustee of Nottinghamshire Community Foundation

• Recent news stories about Microlise, from Insider Media

If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast with Nadeem Raza, listen to previous shows with…

• The former Chairman and Chief Exec of Experian Sir John Peace

• The CEO of Capital One UK Lucy Hagues

• International business executive Sir Ken Olisa OBE

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast

Charlotte Henshaw MBE – Learning from your failures

Episode 42

Introduction

Charlotte Henshaw was born and brought up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

• She was born with the condition bilateral tibial hypopplasia, which meant her lower legs were underdeveloped.
• When she was 18-months-old, her parents decided to have her legs amputated.
• Charlotte started swimming at the age of four and at the age of 16 she was picked to represent Britain.
• She was selected for her first Parlaympic games – in Bejing, China, in 2008 – when she was studying at the University of Sterling.
• At the London 2012 games, she won a silver medal. Then at Rio 2016, she won a bronze.
• After Rio, Charlotte retired from swimming and took up paracanoeing.
• She subsequently became World Champion in the KL2 200m and VL3 200m paracanoeing events and won a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
• In 2020 Charlotte discovered that she had been suffering from the painful condition endometriosis for more than ten years.
• Charlotte (now aged 37 and still World Champion) will compete for Paralympic GB again this summer at the Paris 2024 games.

Key takeaways – What Charlotte told the NBS podcast

On having her legs amputated, at the age of 18 months…

“I feel fortunate having never known any different from my disability… I don’t remember any time before I had my amputations. The earliest memories I have are of using my prosthetics.”

On meeting Paralympic swimmer Emily Jennings – who won gold at the Atlanta games – at the age of ten…

“It absolutely inspired me. Now I’m that person who people ask for a picture – and I know how powerful it can be.”

On coming fourth (and missing out on a medal) as a swimmer in her first Paralympics, in Bejing 2008…

“Maybe I wouldn’t have had the drive to carry on if I had achieved everything at that first Games. The thought I’d still got things to prove was the catalyst that set me off on a very successful, ten-year swimming career.”

On transforming from a world class paralympic swimmer to a world class paralympic canoeist…

“I had to put myself in a position I really wasn’t comfortable with… to try new sports. It was a real learning curve… but it has led me to a whole new career that I never anticipated.”

On struggling to deal with nerves and the anxiety of expectation…

“I’m a naturally anxious person. I’ve had to learn to be more rational… I find going into the gym and embracing the challenge of [physical] pain relatively easy. But working on the psychology of sport has been a real difficulty for me.”

On having a ‘melt-down’ early in her paracanoe career…

“I had all kind of thoughts and feelings… I went to counselling and off-loaded all those feelings to someone else who helped me learn the tools to deal with them. Now I feel more able to… navigate tricky situations. Learning to tackle my mental state has been one of the most impactful pieces of work in my career.”

On managing to overcome every hurdle she encounters…

“I have an in-built tenacity, stubbornness, whatever you want to call it… I have the will to see the positives and take the learnings from every situation.”

On what she has learned looking back on her career (so far) …

“It’s important to recognise that ‘failure’ isn’t always a bad thing – but you can always learn something from it.”

Her advice for fellow leaders…

“The most inspiring leaders have a willingness to collaborate, to be open… Being a good leader is about being part of a bigger picture; about recognising that it’s not just you driving – it’s actually a collaborative thing.”

Related links:

There are more details about Charlotte Henshaw here

And her glittering career, on the Paralympic GB website here

And on Instagram, here

And her endometriosis diagnosis, on the BBC here

If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast, listen to previous episodes with…

Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi MBE

Paralympics GB Chef De Mission Penny Briscoe OBE

Chair of the English Football Association Debbie Hewitt MBE

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast

Rob Swann – From trainee to MD, leadership in an SME

Episode 41

Introduction

Rob Swann joined SME Termate as an engineering apprentice in 1989, when he was 16.

Termate manufactures electrical insulating products at its factory in Nottingham, for customers all over the world.

Rob graduated from Nottingham Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University) after studying engineering, business and finance. He is now an Alumni Fellow of Nottingham Business School.

Rob lead a management buy-out of Termate in 2007. Company growth since then has largely been based on international sales.

Key takeaways: What Rob Swann said…

On the benefits of starting his career as an apprentice engineer…

“Engineering is very precise. It puts a discipline into your work process. Engineers tend to like a bit of order.”

On leading a management buy-out – when his dad owned the company…

“I saw an opportunity for the business to diverge from where it was. My dad was happy with where the business was. There was an element of disagreement. So, I bought him out.”

On taking over the company while still in his early 30s…

“I was young. I had young kids. There was a lot of risk involved. It was a scary amount of debt… and I felt the burden.”

On his biggest leadership challenges…

“Covid was the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced. It was so unknown. There was no-one you could talk to… not a mentor, not anyone. No-one had any experience.”

One being a leader who wears his heart on his sleeve…

“I like opening cans of worms. I like turning over stones. I’m curious. And curiosity is a hugely valuable thing [for leaders and everyone in business].”

On the importance of staff in small businesses having a variety of skills…

“As an SME we often can’t afford to employ specialists. We need capable generalists. We can’t afford to have an SEO specialist, a content developer and someone who can do a podcast. One person has to try to do all of that!”

On working himself to the verge of a nervous breakdown…

“Just before I turned 40, I realised I was going to break if I didn’t give myself something outside of work. I tried rock-climbing and found it cleared my mind. It took every ounce of my mental capacity.”

On persuading his wife to start rock-climbing…

“My wife joined in – and now she is as passionate about climbing as I am. It’s a great shared experience.”

His one piece of advice for leaders…

“Look after yourself. You are a key asset of the business. So, don’t forget about looking after you!”

Related links:

There are more details about Rob Swann here.

Termate’s company website is here.

If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast, listen to previous episodes with…

The former Chairman and Chief Exec of Experian Sir John Peace

The CEO of Capital One UK Lucy Hagues

Two Michelin starred chef Sat Bains

The CEO of 200 Degrees coffee Rob Darby

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast

José Luiz Rossi: Staying relevant in a rapidly changing world

Episode 40

Introduction

• José Luiz Rossi was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro in the 1960s and started his career as a mechanical engineer.

• He is currently MD of Experian in Britain and Ireland – and previously ran the company’s operations in Latin America.
• In 1986 he created a consultancy called Result Systems, in Brazil, that pioneered information systems based on microcomputer networks.
• The company was bought by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where he subsequently became a partner for 13 years.
• José went on to be CEO of Brazil’s biggest IT services company CPM Braxis.
• He joined Experian UK at the start of Covid lockdown, in April 2020. During his first months in post, he was forced to run the Nottingham-based operation from Brazil.

Key takeaways: What José Luiz Rossi said…

• On the importance of winning…

“I like to win in the marketplace. The adrenaline of running a successful company is something very nice. I’m a competitive person. Winning by doing the right thing is something that motivates me.”

• On the changing face of leadership…

“When I started [40 years ago] management was all about hierarchy… command and control. There was no appreciation of softer skills. Today you need to think about being inclusive… giving autonomy to people.”

• On the need for leaders to adapt to stay relevant…

“A lot of my colleagues have left the market because they couldn’t adapt… more have become obsolete [as a result] of management change, than technology change.”

• On self-promotion…

“It took me years to realise the importance of networking… and building your personal brand. I wish I had understood that earlier.”

• On knowing the right time to change career – and leaving one job before you have another…

“If you have a good job, it’s difficult to [force yourself] to move. You have a good salary; you are in a comfortable position you don’t move. Leaving gives you a compelling reason to change!”

• On what he may do differently if he had his time again…

“I would invest in mastering public speaking, earlier in my career. [Leaders] need the skills to talk to bigger audiences.”

• On working in different cultures…

“If we a do a good presentation to Americans, they say: That’s awesome… fantastic! The Brits will just say: That’s not too bad!”

• On the importance of showing leadership on global, social issues…

“You need to show you care. I come from a very humble background. My great grandparents were peasants… they were illiterate. I know how important it is for people to be given opportunities. Being open and inclusive is the right thing to do.”

• On the lack of economic stability around the world…

“The time of cheap money, cheap energy and cheap logistics is gone. There is no stability. Continuous change is the norm now. Leaders need to adapt to stay relevant.”

• Advice for leaders and would-be leaders…

“Jobs end at 5pm – but careers don’t! You need to do more than the average person if you want to differentiate yourself.”

Related links:

• There are more details about José Luiz Rossi here
• His biography on the Experian UK website is here
• José Luiz Rossi’s blog posts are here

If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast, listen to previous episodes with…

The former Chairman and Chief Exec of Experian Sir John Peace

The CEO of Capital One UK Lucy Hagues

International business executive Sir Ken Olisa OBE

Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast. Episode 39.

Brendan Donnelly: Manufacturing on the side of a mountain – small business leadership in a remote corner of England.

Introduction

• Brendan Donnelly and his wife Cherry own the Coniston Stonecraft slate-carving company, based in Victorian workshops, in the foothills of Coniston Old Man.
• The mountain stretches 2,600ft above them. They look down on Cumbria’s Coniston Water, where Donald Campbell crashed his Bluebird at 300mph, trying to break the world speed record in 1964.
• Brendan and Cherry bought Coniston Stonecraft out of administration in February 2020 – just weeks before Britain’s first Covid lockdown.
• The company’s staff craft slate signs, door numbers, rolling pins, clocks, wine coolers and other kitchenware for retail and private customers all over Britain. They also collaborate with other Cumbrian heritage craftsmen and women to make bespoke art pieces.
• Coniston Stonecraft was founded in 1976 and uses only Cumbrian slate or stone – including Westmorland Green and Brathay Blue-Grey – quarried on fells around the Lake District.

Key takeaways

• On running a manufacturing business on the side of a mountain…

Brendan said: “It’s incredibly difficult up here [on Coniston Old Man]. Not least because there are no roads. We drive our slate up and down a track.”

• On turning locally-quarried Cumbrian slate into high-quality kitchenware…

Brendan said: “The courier comes to the bottom of the hill… picks them [our pieces] up and takes them off to London. Our rolling pins sell very well in Fortnum and Masons!”

• On the difficulties, for small businesses, of dealing with Covid…

Brendan said: “Nowhere in my business plan did I write, Close for four months due to worldwide pandemic – and almost go bankrupt!”

• On the importance of leaders being able to sell…

Brendan said: “If you’re in business, you need sales. If you have a factory... and it's not producing anything, you’ll soon go out of business.”

• On why good planning is at the heart of any successful business…

Brendan said: “We know, to the final pound, how much we should be producing every week.”

• On running a traditional English craft manufacturer…

Brendan said: “We’re one of the last five or six slate masons in England. This business, this way of life, is too important for me to allow it to vanish.”

• On cheap Chinese imports with a carbon footprint 14 times that of Cumbrian slate…

Brendan said: “It’s very, very difficult to compete. We all want to reduce our carbon footprint. Let’s start by buying products made of slate from English quarries.”

• On advice for leaders running small businesses…

Brendan said: “Every day, go an extra inch, not an extra mile. Make sure you’re better than everyone else. But remember, you only need to win the race by a nose!”

Related links

• There are more details about Brendan Donnelly, here.

• Details of Brendan's book, Slow Selling, are here.

• The website of his Coniston Stonecraft company is here.

Nottingham Business School Business Leaders’ Podcast

Penny Briscoe OBE – Paralympics GB team leader

Episode 38

Introduction

• Penny Briscoe will lead Paralympics GB at this summer’s Paris 2024 games, as the team’s Chef de Mission.

• She was previously Chef de Mission at the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 games, when the team finished second in the overall medals table.

• Early in her career, Penny represented GB as a canoeist. She then trained as secondary school teacher, before coaching the GB canoe team.

• She was appointed Director of Sport at the British Paralympic Association in 2002 – and has been Chef de Mission for every Paralympic Games – five, summer and winter – since 2014.

• In that time, the British team has won 108 gold medals, 85 silvers, and 97 bronze, across 23 sports.

Key takeaways

• On starting to prepare for each Paralympics, five years in advance...

Penny said: “The leadership journey is a long one. Once the host city is announced we try to embed ourselves in its culture… make the important relationships.”

• On the importance of a leader’s vision…

Penny said: “I have a very clear vision of how I think Paralympics GB should compete… engage… behave. We’re a world leading nation on the field of play. I want us to lead the world off it too.”

• On the importance, for a leader, of staying positive...

Penny said: “I never dwell on the negatives. We have to create an environment where 23 different sport teams can thrive.”

• On being driven to achieve coaching success by ‘unfinished business’...

Penny said: “I competed [as a canoeist] for GB but never made the Olympics... I had regrets.”

• On being appointed Director of Sport (2002) when Paralympians competed in the shadow of Olympians...

Penny said: “I worried I wasn’t going to be able to have an impact. I thought, well I can either moan and groan or roll my sleeves up and try to make a difference.”

• On dealing with the disappointment of not being chosen as Chef de Mission (team manager) for London 2012…

Penny said: “I was absolutely gutted. But I reflected on what a hypocrite I would be if I walked away. When you’re a leader it’s not about you – it’s about the team.”

• On the emotion of being appointed Chef de Mission for Rio 2016…

Penny said: “The guy who didn’t appoint me in 2012 did appoint me in 2014. I remember it to this day. I was offered the job in Starbucks, in Birmingham New Street… I had a little cry!”

• On the most important part of being a leader…

Penny said: “Ultimately, leadership is about inspiring and developing others. Never lose site of the privilege of being a leader.”

• Her advice for other leaders and would-be leaders?

Penny said: “Leaders evolve… learn from your experiences. But be authentic. And treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.”

• On her hopes for the Paris 2024 Paralympics…

Penny said: “It was a very quiet games in Tokyo 2020, behind closed doors [because of Covid]. We’re hoping there will be lots and lots of Brits in Paris this summer, cheering us all on.”

Related links:

You can read…

• More about Penny Briscoe OBE

• More about the British Paralympics Association

• More about Paralympics GB

• More about Paris 2024

If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders’ Podcast, listen to previous episodes with…

• The Chairman of the English Football Association, Debbie Hewitt MBE
• England Women’s Rugby World Cup winner, Maggie Alphonsi MBE
• The Vice Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University, Professor Edward Peck CBE

Nottingham Business School Business Leaders Podcast

Kathryn Wasteney - Leadership, fraud and the importance of being nosey| Episode 37

Introduction

• Fraud now accounts for 40 per cent of all crime in Britain, making forensic accountancy an increasingly important business.
• Forensic accountants have played a crucial role in exposing hundreds of financial frauds - including the Enron Scandal and Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme in America, plus the collapse of British Home Stores and demise of Patisserie Valerie in Britain.
• Kathryn Wasteney is a Director of the Forensic Investigations team at accountancy firm KPMG. She started her career as an auditor, but has spent the last decade in forensic accounting - investigating accounts, identifying risk, and uncovering fraud.

Key takeaways

• Kathryn believes businesses underestimate the power of fraudsters. She says: "People committing these crimes are incredibly intelligent, incredibly well resourced and spend lots of time researching targets. You might think, 'I wouldn't fall for that!' But that's not what we see."
• Confidence is a key skill for forensic investigators, says Kathryn. And a leader has to be able to inspire it in their team. She adds: "Some people have [great] quantities of confidence. For other people, it's there - they just need a bit of a push. That's the job of the leader."
• Kathryn is certain a background in accountancy is good for business leaders. She says: "So many leaders come through accountancy. It gives you a really good skill set. If you want to run a business, what better way of starting [as an accountant] and visiting 20-plus businesses a year to find out how they work?"
• She also believes it's important for leaders to be nosey. "Having an interest outside of your own small world is crucial. For leaders, you have to be able to see what's out there - the wider picture. You've got to be able to see the wood, not just the individual trees."
• Kathryn has a very specific reason for accepting the responsibilities of a directorship. She says: "I wanted to own the conversation - to have the primary relationship with clients. The buck now stops with me. That gives me ownership."
• And as a director, Kathryn believes her role is to create the next generation of leaders. "It's important to have good role models. You can't be what you can't see.... And I get a real sense of achievement from seeing people grow; building their confidence and their abilities."
• Her advice to fellow leaders is simple. "Develop empathy. Appreciate when something is not working... and what you need to do to make it work really well. That's the most important leadership skill. Everything else cascades from that."

Related links

• Kathryn Wasteney, Director, Forensic investigations, KPMG
• If you enjoyed this episode of the NBS Business Leaders' Podcast, listen to this previous pod with England World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi.

More about Nottingham Business School

• Visit the Nottingham Business School website

• Follow Nottingham Business School on LinkedIn

Nottingham Business School Business Leaders Podcast

Maggie Alphonsi MBE - Leadership insights from a World Cup winner | Episode 36

Introduction:

• Maggie Alphonsi MBE is the First Lady of English Women's Rugby and a pioneer and leader in the international game.
• She was World Rugby Personality of the Year in 2011 - then won the World Cup with England in 2014. Her tough tackling, all-action style made her popular with both fans and fellow team members.
• In 2016 Maggie made history by becoming the first woman player to be elected a member of the English Rugby Union's Council. Her ambition is to become President of the RFU.
• Earlier this year, Maggie was a key part of ITV's coverage of the 2023 World Cup, in France. Eight years ago, she was the first woman player to commentate on a men's international game (in the 2015 World Cup).
• Earlier this month, Maggie was part of three-person independent panel called in to investigate a toxic culture of bullying and misogyny at the Welsh Rugby Union.

Key takeaways:

• Maggie says successful leaders need resilience. She says: "I grew up in a deprived area, in a single-parent family, on a [London] council estate. I had a club foot that needed an operation to correct it when I was young. I learned to be resilient."
• Maggie doesn't like to spend too long reflecting on her successes. She says: "If I look back, I stop moving forward. [Instead] I'm always asking myself, what's the next job? what's my next goal?"
• Leaders should always be looking out for mentors, says Maggie. "Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis was someone who inspired me [while growing up]. I've subsequently met her. She's a brilliant person who has become a bit of an adviser to me. Leaders need mentors."
• Maggie has a BSc, an MSc and an MBA - and is a huge advocate for lifelong learning. She says: "Education is incredibly important... it's also anti-ageing. You're consistently learning, challenging yourself... keeping your mind alive."
• And she knows what drives her. "I have a great fear of failure - a fear of poverty... I don't want to go back there."
• Maggie's advice to fellow leaders? "Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Challenge yourself every day... just say, yes! You may feel uncomfortable at the time... but when you do it, you'll be so pleased you did."

Related links:

• Maggie Alphonsi's autobiography, Winning the Fight
• Maggie Alphonsi, her website
• Maggie Alphonsi, member of the England RFU Council
• Maggie Alphonsi, LGBT speaker
• Maggie Alphonsi, ambassador for the STEPS WORLDWIDE charity

More about Nottingham Business School

• Visit the Nottingham Business School website
• Follow Nottingham Business School on LinkedIn

Nottingham Business School Business Leaders Podcast

Michael Hayman – Why our business leaders need purpose | Episode 35

Introduction

• Entrepreneur and broadcaster Michael Hayman MBE founded London-based Seven Hills, one of the best-known corporate communications consultancies in the country
• With a reputation as a thinker and a leader, he has also been described as one of the best-connected men in Britain
• In his role as Chair of Seven Hills and the Small Business Charter, and adviser to the Chartered Association of Business Schools, he advises fellow entrepreneurs and helps companies access support from university business schools
• He passionately believes entrepreneurs can (and should) help change society for the better

Key takeaways

• Michael talks about the benefits of 'purposeful business'. He says: "We need business to be a force for good in the world, because that’s where our biggest opportunity for growth and progress is going to come from."
• Michael believes a leader’s key skill is their emotional intelligence. He says: “Understanding the people around you is the most important leadership skill of all. The ability to be empathetic, reasonable and see another person’s point of view is vital.”
• Interestingly, Michael has an issue with some entrepreneurs. He says: “The great problem with entrepreneurs is that they often turn up with answers even before they know what the questions are. When I talk to people I think: What can I learn from you?”
• He is also convinced it is crucial for leaders to have a relentlessly positive attitude. He says: “If you wake up every morning with a feeling of dread… if you’re doing too many things you don’t want to do, then pretty soon you’ll run out of energy.”

Related links

• Michael Hayman's book, Mission: How the Best in Business Break Through
• Michael Hayman's corporate communications agency, Seven Hills
• Michael Hayman's Change Makers podcast
• Michael Hayman is Chair of the Small Business Charter
• If you liked this episode, listen to David Lloyd – Leadership Lessons from 40 years in Radio

More about Nottingham Business School

Visit the Nottingham Business School website

Follow Nottingham Business School on LinkedIn