Get Fruitful Conversations: Recent Episodes
Anwen Cooper
Get Fruitful Conversations is for anyone growing a passion-fuelled and purpose-driven enterprise who believes that business can be a force for greater good. Listen to personal stories from game-changing entrepreneurs who will share how they are pioneering new ways of working to create more prosperity and positive impact for people and the planet. Get fresh insight and practical actions to generate more income and impact through your own business, aligning your vision to a bigger mission that will fulfil your personal potential, while generating a longer-lasting legacy and more value for all. If you'd like to continue the conversation, come and join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g
Rebecca Robertson, Director of Evolution Financial Planning, talks about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using her business as a force for good.
Wealth strategist, Rebecca Robertson, is an award winning independent financial advisor and Founder of Evolution Financial Planning. Rebecca has been featured by the BBC, The Financial Times and a range of other media as an expert in ethical investment and a specialist in supporting women to achieve financial success. She has also given a TedX talk called What would happen if women ruled the world? that expands on this theme. In 2021 Rebecca released both her Wealth Accelerator Planner and her book, Ten Ways to Accelerate your Wealth and is now an Amazon best seller in 9 categories.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
- 02:56: How your business can make an impact
- 08:00: How to work less but earn more
- 11.24 How to focus in on your ideal client to become more profitable
- 24:02: How to manage and multiply your money
- 27:01: The importance of finding your ideal client
You can find out more about Rebecca’s work at evolutionfinancialplanning.co.uk/
Luke Besant, Marketing Consultant and Tutor at the School of Marketing, talks about his entrepreneurial journey and how he is using business as a force for good.
“His knowledge of PPC, SEO and digital campaigns is second to none”
Luke was one of the UK’s first professional podcasters, and is now a Tutor at the School of Marketing which he’s been involved with for over three years, in addition to offering Marketing Consultnacy to a range of other businesses. Luke has also recently achieved his Masters in Digital Marketing from the University of Salford.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
- 03:16: Expanding our definition of Capitalism to enable business to be a greater force for good, plus an exploration of moral compromise, integrity, the need for speed v the need for brakes, and aligning vision, mission, values, messaging and action
- 08:06: Balancing power and responsibility with skills and personal choice
- 12:39: How Luke’s early career in music gave him the ideal foundation to develop in the field of marketing
- 21:29: Where real power lies to effect change
- 26:32: How the spirit of Punk inspires Luke
- 29:55: What is next in the future of Luke?
- 32:17: Thanks a Brunch Speaker Announcement!
You can find out more about Luke’s work at schoolofmarketing.co
Fleur Record-Smith, Founder & Director of Hayne House Wedding Venue talks about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using business as a force for good.
Hayne House in Kent was once the family home to Fleur before she turned it into a sustainable wedding venue.
Fleur has been an ambassador for The Sustainable Wedding Alliance since April of 2021 and also in 2021, received a Distinction in a Business Sustainability Management Course at the University of Cambridge. Fleur founded Hayne House in September of 2010 and has helped to bring many couple’s dream weddings to reality, all whilst keeping the sustainability of the planet at heart.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
- 02:35: Taking responsibility and thinking beyond your business to create greater positive impact
- 03:16: Fleur’s original plan when graduating from business school and how she learned all about working with other people before starting her current venture
- 6:25: How her family inspired her entrepreneurial ambition
- 45: Motivation and inspiration (including a podcast recommendation and the leader and movement Fleur looks up to)
- 09:14: Leading the way for others to take action towards Net Zero carbon emissions
- 30: Practical tips on where to start on the journey towards Net Zero
- 13:39: Building a more engaged and purpose-driven team and supplier network
- 16:22: Challenging yourself to get out of your comfort zone to grow your business and make a difference to the planet
You can find out more about Fleur’s work at https://haynehouse.co.uk/
Jenny Kitchen, CEO at Yoyo talks with me about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using business as a force for good.
Jenny has won various industry accolades for her entrepreneurship and leadership. She is a strong advocate of building sustainable businesses that prioritise people and the planet alongside profit.
As an Umbraco Gold Partner, Certified Sitecore Solution Partner and specialist in disruptive technology (AR, VR and Voice), Yoyo is a creative digital agency that focuses on building engagement between brands and real people by blending creativity with technology.
Trusted by some of the biggest brands in the world, their client portfolio includes J.P. Morgan, Smiths Medical, Mercedes-Benz, Marie Curie and Universal Music.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
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Simple steps you can take to become more sustainable 3:32
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The incredible growth of the B Corp movement 7:48
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Becoming more confident in vulnerability 11:32
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The importance of listening and kindness in business and leadership 15:32
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The positive side of being a ‘people pleaser’ 16:32
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Taking action to overcome eco-anxiety 18:32
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Why you need a purpose for growth 22:32
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Showing leadership around wellbeing 23:32
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Her ambitious plans for growth and aspiration for employee ownership 24:32
You can find out more about Jenny’s business at https://yoyodesign.com/
Paul Crick, Founder and Principal Partner at The Elevate Partnership talks about his entrepreneurial journey and how he is using business as a force for good. Paul is a highly qualified and experienced business person whose work enables leaders and teams to reinvent their leadership culture to accomplish the things they think they can't to become better ancestors to future generations.
A Management Sciences graduate with an MBA from Henley Business School and numerous other accreditations and qualifications including psychotherapy, coaching and sustainability, Paul designs tailored leadership development and leadership coaching programmes for clients whose business generates profit to solve one of the many difficult challenges we face as a society and a species.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
- How we need to shift our focus away from short-term shareholder focus (3:00)
- The erosion of trust in business and the opportunity to make a difference (3:30)
- Reconnecting with nature and rebalancing through Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (6:00)
- Looking several generations ahead and asking – what kind of world are we leaving? (7:00)
- Developing a better relationship with yourself to improve your teamwork (10:00)
- The power of music to change lives (12:40)
- How everyone can do more than they think they can with a bit of encouragement (14:00)
- Shifting your vision from what you want to Do and Have, to who you want to Be (24:00)
- Why you should stop chasing business and wait for the right work to come to you (31:00)
You can find out more about Paul’s business at https://theelevatepartnership.com
As a TEDx speaker, Chief Story-Teller with CLARITY and host of the Global Impact Summit, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and business experience. A Stanford University Graduate School of Business alumnus, Paul has been working as Co-Founder with the social giving movement B1G1 for 14 years and is on a mission to challenge more businesses to become a force for good. Listen in to hear us discuss: - How the pandemic has accelerated the world of business becoming more purpose and values-driven (3:43) - How to become a stand-out business by standing for something bigger (7:20) - Is our world better off because your business is it? (8:00) - The value of curiosity and changing up the story (9:07) - The magic of small and how we are all at our best when we’re giving (14:45) - How B1G1 enables businesses to connect with charitable causes (21:03) Find out more about Paul’s work at https://b1g1.com/
Jade Pluck, Sustainability Consultant and Founder of Jade Consultancy talks with me about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using business as a force for good. She has recently graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Programme, and also the Oxford Leading Sustainable Corporations Programme which has provided the foundation for her latest business – partnering with SMEs to develop their sustainability strategies.
Listen in to hear us discuss: - Resilience and change (4:37) - Inspiration and support from family, mentors and others (6:35) - Help SMEs achieve Net Zero (9:02) - Where to start your business sustainability journey and beat overwhelm (10:20) - The business case for protecting the environment (13:56) - Critical small steps to make a positive difference for people and the planet (16:27) - You’re not alone – join the movement (19:12)
You can find out more about Jade’s business at https://jadeconsultancy.co.uk/
James Gardner, Managing Director at Sinclair & Rush UK and host of the Amazing Leaders podcast. James talks with me about his entrepreneurial journey and how he is using business as a force for good.
As a leader in this global manufacturing business, James is passionate about building great teams, investing in growing businesses, always improving safety in the workplace, and making the health and wellbeing of his team his top priority.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
- Empowering teams to achieve their dreams
- Inverted pyramid leadership
- Putting people at the heart of business
- Adapting to change
- Inspiring lessons learned from family members
- Appreciating people
- Making your car into a classroom
- Reducing waste and becoming more sustainable
You can find out more about James’ business at https://www.sinclair-rush.co.uk, listen to his Amazing Leaders podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amazing-leaders/id1518612626 and join his Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/AmazingLeadersGroup
Linda Garcia, Business Productivity Specialist and Founder, Alluxi Consulting talks with me about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using her business as a force for good.
As well as holding a BSc in Biology and an MBA, Linda achieved Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI) and recognition for her for her voluntary work with charities and schools in Kent as a runner up in the Contribution to the Community category from the Kent Independent Traders Association. She also won the Kent Independent Traders Professional Achievement award.
Listen in to hear us discuss:
- Supporting charities with a personal health connection
- Physical fitness challenges and lockdown
- Mentoring young entrepreneurs with the Kent Foundation
- Being an Enterprise Advisor for local schools
- How work takes on new meaning at different stages in life
- Her varied career path, starting out as a scientist in a lab, then travelling the globe as a management consultant before becoming an entrepreneur
- Support that is out there for businesses – mentoring, funding and more
You can find out more about Linda’s work at www.alluxi.co.uk
In this episode I reflect on the 9 podcast episodes I’ve published so far and draw out 4 key ways in which your business can be a greater force for good.
I summarise the various practical examples shared by all my guests to date including:
- Linking your business mission to the UN Global Goals
- Volunteering time to be a school governor, charity trustee or network leader
- Starting a charitable organisation or giving profits to fund worthy causes
- Sharing time and knowledge with school children and college students
- Offering work experience and paid internships or apprenticeships
- Conducting a sustainability audit
- Engaging staff and customers with charitable giving
- Creating a positive work culture
- Prioritising your own personal wellbeing, development and authentic expression
Listen in to hear me talk about how your business can be a greater force for good for:
- You: creating more meaningful, satisfying, enjoyable work for yourself
- Other people: creating opportunities and support for your team, supply chain, peer networks, industry, local community, the next generation and wider world
- The planet: creating more positive impact for the environment
- Prosperity: creating more wealth for all
Find out more about the THINK BIGGER online workshop I’m hosting on 6th October 2021 at www.thinkbigger2021.eventbrite.co.uk
Find out more about the upcoming SEEDS TO SUCCESS business growth support programme and group that will open for enrolment this October at www.getfruitfulmarketing.com
Jemma Fairclough-Haynes, CEO of Orchard Employment Law talks with me about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using her business as a force for good.
As well as being a company Director, Employer Lawyer & HR Specialist, Jemma is also a Keynote Speaker, Radio Co-Host, Kent & Medway FSB Area Lead and School Governor.
Listen in to hear us talk about:
- Setting up a business after redundancy
- Giving work experience opportunities to young people to increase social mobility
- Talking to schools about careers in law and self-employment
- Dementia Friends training and lessons for business
- The government-funded Kickstart Scheme to get young people into work post-pandemic
- Not taking advice from well-meaning friends and family!
You can find out more about Jemma’s work at Orchard Employment Law
With Sian Holt, MD of Fudge Kitchen
Sian Holt, Managing Director of Fudge Kitchen talks with me about her entrepreneurial journey and how business can be a force for greater good.
Hear more about how her business has:
Used the Covid lockdown period has been a great opportunity for reflection and stepping up business for good commitments
- Evolved their long-established business and charitable giving over time
- Engaged their staff and customers with the social causes they have chosen to support
- Benefited from being members of the B1G1 social enterprise and global giving movement
- Audited their environmental impact and begun to make changes to become more sustainable
- Taken inspiration from the book - Reinventing Organisations – about approaching business in a radically empowering and non-hierarchical way
- Pioneered retail theatre and giving a level of service as well that matches the quality of the product they offer
- Aspiration for future B Corps registration
- Embraced the contribution of the whole team on their journey towards creating more positive impact
- Been using “Giving a Fudge” and “Making life sweeter” as mottos for their business for good activities
You can find out more about Sian’s work at https://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk
Giles Miskin, Founder of The Colour Works and The Colour Works Foundation talks about his entrepreneurial journey and how he is using his business as a force for good plus:
- Navigating dramatic career changes - from working in further education to plastic widget production and on to people development and organisational culture change.
- How he went about setting up a charitable foundation to complement his core business
- Transforming people’s understanding of themselves and their relationships through a powerful personality profiling tool
- Making a dramatic difference to young people’s confidence by giving them a deeper understanding of their personal talents and gifts
- How his business vision, model and team has been evolving to meet rising demand
- The importance of becoming dispensable as a company founder by building a team to complement your skills and allowing yourself to ‘get out of the way’
- How he worked with his team to shift the business online in response to Covid
- Balancing a focus on KPIs and numbers with less tangible shared culture and values
- The importance of interdependence and diversity, humility and social justice
You can find out more about Giles’ work at The Colour Works and TCW Foundation
Nici Jupp, recruitment partner to entrepreneurs and CEOs of scale-ups growing teams post-investment, talks about her entrepreneurial journey and how she is using her business as a force for good, plus we discuss:
- how she was inspired to start her business after poor experiences with recruiters during her corporate career as a hiring manager and seeing the wealth of experience presented by parents she was meeting at the school gates
- how she has shifted her view from seeing ‘business for good’ as something that really only applies to charities and social enterprises, and how it can actually be part of all profit-making organisations
- how ‘business for good’ can be about both how you conduct your day-to-day business, and what you do with the profits at the end of the day
- the importance of patience and self-awareness
- technology and positive impact
- the importance of knowing who you are and what you stand for
- what she has learned about how to measure and improve your business' social impact through her membership of Social Value UK and completing their Level 1 Certification
You can find out more about Nici’s work at https://talentgateway.net and join the Get Fruitful Business for Good Facebook Group to continue the conversation https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g
In this episode I talk with Deborah Turner, Chartered Surveyor, Founder of You Image Consultancy, Co-Founder of Breakthrough Women, South East Policy Lead and National Policy Lead for Women in Business for the Federation of Small Businesses.
We talk about:
- The importance of sharing knowledge and passion to help others
- Why we need to do more to highlight the opportunity of enterprise to young people
- How she has forged a multi-passionate career having started out in a male-dominated industry
- The dangers of ‘blending in’ at work
- How the pandemic has had a disproportionally negative effect on women
- The importance of building a network and the value of relationships
- How you can become more authentic, visible and an inspiring role model for young people
Find out more about Deborah’s work at https://www.linkedin.com/in/youimageconsult/and join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g
Martin White, Founder of SupplyMyBusiness.co.uk and Green Business Hub and host of KentBizConnect.co.uk Radio Show talks with me about:
- How business can be a great environment for learning how the wider world works
- How he is helping people make green purchasing decisions and navigate a fragmented marketplace
- How we have become out of balance with nature – consuming 1.6 x the Earth’s resources
- The broader meaning of ‘sustainability’
- The importance of building a strong network to support your business growth
- The UN Global Goals and Ellen McArthur’s Foundation promoting ‘Circular Economy’
- Shareholder greed v Stakeholder value
- Greta Thunberg, the Dasgupta Review (The Economics of Biodiversity) and the UKCop26.org conference
Find out more about Martin’s new venture at Greenbusinesshub.eco and continue the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g
In this episode I speak with Jane Ollis, an experienced Chair & Non Executive Director committed to serving businesses with purpose and also Founder of MindSpire.
We talk about:
- The link between environmental science and personal wellbeing
- How being a mother has inspired her business mission
- Defining the balance between ‘good’ stimulating stress and ‘bad’ stress that depletes us
- Decoding stress using biomarkers and data
- Neuroplasticity and medical innovation
- Wearable Healthtech devices
- The importance of joy and love
- The challenge of raising funds outside the Silicon Valley bubble
You can find out more about Jane’s work at Mindspire.co.uk
In this episode I talk with award-winning businesswoman, author, broadcaster and speaker Sue Nelson about how she started the multiple award-winning Breakthrough Group, which grew from a two-person operation in her conservatory in 2015 to a highly profitable multi-million pound business. It was sold to EY (Ernst and Young) in 2020. She was awarded the London and South East Director of the Year for innovation in 2019 by the Institute of Directors.
We discussed:
- Her ‘big experiment’ to make a successful business and ‘be nice’
- How her perspective on the meaning of success has shifted through her career
- The satisfaction of seeing people develop in their roles at work
- The importance of having a clear exit strategy on starting your business
- How critical it is to hire the right people to build your team (and how qualifications don’t always matter)
- Her views on bootstrapping a company
- The power of role models to show us what is possible
You can connect find out more and connect with Sue at suenelson.uk
If you'd like to continue the conversation, come and join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g
In this episode I talk with travel business coach, social entrepreneur and mastermind leader Catherine Gallagher about:
- The Japanese concept of Ikigai and how this ‘reason for being’ can bring clarity to your business and entrepreneurial goals
- How entrepreneurship can be a vehicle for self-expression and personal development
- The UN Global Goals and how big world problems can align with your personal passion to create a more purposeful business
- Embracing feminine leadership qualities and the need for better gender balance within the travel industry
- Ethical experiential travel – what does it mean?
- How rock climbing can be a great metaphor for your entrepreneurial journey
You can find out more about Catherine’s work at WTLeaders.com and CatherineGallagher.com
If you'd like to continue the conversation, come and join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g
A brief introduction to Get Fruitful Conversation - the podcast for anyone growing a passion-fuelled and purpose-driven enterprise who believes that business can be a force for greater good. Be inspired by listening to personal stories from game-changing entrepreneurs who will share how they are pioneering new ways of working to create more prosperity and positive impact for people and the planet. Get fresh insight and practical actions to generate more income and impact through your own business, aligning your vision to a bigger mission that will fulfil your personal potential, while generating a longer-lasting legacy and more value for all.
If you'd like to continue the conversation, come and join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/getfruitfulb4g