Shows
BrumPodThe Xmas Episode - The Importance Of Multiple Streams Of IncomeIn our final episode of 2022, and before we take our break for Christmas and New Year, we leave you with some thoughts to ponder, about the importance of multiple streams of income.
With so much in the news that’s not altogether positive, we think it’s worth reminding everyone, ourselves included, that the future is very much uncertain, and it’s well worth being in the position where you can earn income via a variety of streams, so you don’t ever have to rely on one sole source.
Easier...2022-12-2032 minBrumPodThree Handy Tools You Might Find UsefulThis week’s episode is just a short burst of news and updates you might not have known about.
First up, Canva.
Canva announces the Canva Visual Worksuite, including Canva Docs at their annual conference. They’re not holding back when it comes to developing their platform even further. They are constantly upping their game!
Canva info: https://thedigitalgeneralist.substack.com/p/canva-ups-their-game-again
Next up; how to find out what your clients are searching for on Google - the non creepy way. (Trust us).
There’s a tool we found...2022-10-1908 minBrumPodCreating A Happy State - We Ask The Author, Samantha FitzgibbonsIn this episode, we have a very special guest - and I say special, because our guest, Samantha Fitzgibbons, happens to be Rich’s bestie of some 17 years, and counting!
Sam has recently had her debut novel, Happy State, published, so we decided to have a chat with her about the book, and the path which led her to where she is now.
Having trained as an actress, then subsequently completing a degree in psychology, to being a professional copywriter for businesses, as well as now, a published author. She’s had quite the journey thro...2022-08-3137 minBrumPodWhat The Business World Can Learn From The Commonwealth GamesAt least for as long as The Apprentice has been on air, our lives have been filled with such phrases as ‘smash it!’, ‘knocking it out of the ballpark’, ‘doing it for the team’, ‘absolute home run!’, ‘MVP’ etc.
However there are some legitimate ways running a business is very much like sports psychology; so given the Commonwealth Games are well underway in Birmingham, we thought we’d take a little look into the concept.
Just like in sport, running a business is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll have to train, get your business fit, constantly...2022-08-0321 minBrumPodRunning A Business During DisruptionWith rail strikes looming and petrol prices at record highs - just how much does this kind of disruption affect modern business operations?
With more people continuing to work from home post-pandemic, and the business landscape looking like it’s probably changed for good, are there as many people likely to be as affected with these disruptions as there once were?
If even more people have flexi-working arrangements and work from home continues to be even more commonplace, will these disruptions be problematic for most?
...2022-07-0729 min
Babbling BrummiesEpisode 17, Welcome Back, Premier League updates and Top FourThis week the boys look at the premier league and discuss the issues around this, who do we think is going to win the league. who do we think is down and the Race for Europe.
Disclaimer. this episode was recorded before the passing of Mino Raiola. We as the Babbling Brummies' send out Condolences to the family and friends of this. RIP Mino Raiola2022-05-0124 minBabbling BrummiesBest United Kingdom 11? Babbling Brummies' Special.This week the lads have a discussion around the best United Kingdom all time 11. (have to have at least one from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Obviously England). see what you guys think and let us know who you thought was the best. 2022-03-3140 min
BrumPodWhen Do Enticing Headlines Become Clickbait?We found an article from Foundation Inc that was all about how to write better headlines from the pros at LinkedIn.
Needless to say, our interest was piqued, as getting better at anything has to be a good thing, and if it helped our combined LinkedIn activity, then that’s always good, no?
But after finding a couple of useful bits, like keeping things succinct etc, the ‘tips’ went on to be more and more….well….ludicrous - to the point that these ‘tips’ were no longer useful, and were encouraging people to write more...2022-02-2326 minBabbling BrummiesThe Good, The Bad and The Transfer Terrible. Ep. 8This week, the Babbling Brummies' take a look into the Transfer Market now it is closed and see who we feel has done very well... who hasn't done as well and struggles that can come from this. we also have a discussion around positions in the table and who we think could be in trouble due to the window being done and potentially not getting the acquisition that was initially wanted.
Please remember to like, and follow us on all platforms if you enjoy us
2022-02-0453 minBrumPodStarting A Business In 2022In this episode we talk about what it means to start a business in 2022, to take the leap from ‘safe’ employment into the world of the self-employed.
A topic close to our team (and hearts!), as Jason has recently done just that - stepped back from many years service as an employee in a big business, to starting his own journey into the world of self-employment.
We look at the reasons WHY people want to start their own businesses, whether you should go down the Ltd company route, or stay...2022-02-0232 minBabbling BrummiesEFL Special. With newest Member Kris. Ep. 5This week, Jon, Jay and Kris discuss the football leagues and how the season is going so far, financial issues and also looking at who we think are underachieving and overachieving.
Side note, we also apologise for last weeks audio, we know it was not good quality, we are still getting used to the Platform we record off and we had some hiccups. we will endeavour to make sure this doesn't happen again.
we have added a new member to the team at Babbling Brummies, this being our friend Kris, we are sure you are goi...2022-01-1639 minBrumPodAdobe Launches Free Canva CompetitorWith the meteoric rise that Canva has seen over the last few years, it was inevitable that competitors would rise to get a slice of the action.
Given how Canva has completely changed the game in the world of graphic design, democratising the way graphics (and now of course video) is created by not just graphic design professionals, but by everyone - through the use of templates and pre-made elements that people can incorporate within their designs; a major player had to take notice.
The major player that has now come forward to throw their...2022-01-1434 minBrumPodFarewell 2021, Hello Better Times - Merry Christmas To AllIn our final episode of 2021, we just wanted to give you a few updates of things you need to know.
As you know, we had to cancel our December networking event due to the current Omicron spread and the restrictions that are currently in place - we decided to wait until the new year instead of putting on a substandard event, so fingers crossed this is just a very temporary suspension of our events, and we look forward to welcoming you back hopefully early in 2022.
In the meantime, we w...2021-12-1605 minBrumPodTis The Season - Networking At ChristmasWell, it’s official, Christmas is fast approaching now from all angles, whether you’re ready or not! The wine is starting to flow, the nibbles are out, and people are gathering at all manner of festive themed networking events at this time of year.
Hopefully your workplace is putting on some kind of Christmas party this year after the tumultuous time we had last year, and now the hospitality industry is so well versed in keeping venues and guests as safe as possible, we hope you enjoy letting your hair down however you want to this year...2021-11-2518 minBrumPodLinkedIn Rolls Out Freelance Services MarketplaceIn this episode, we discuss LinkedIn’s latest offering - an in-built freelance services marketplace - an additional function within your LinkedIn profile for adding ‘open to work’ banners to your profile picture, as well as the option to add various keywords about your service offering, so people can find you more readily when they need your skills.
It supersedes the ‘ProFinder’ offering they’d trialled a while back and, after a beta trial in the USA earlier this year, this service is now fully available to every LinkedIn user.
And most importantly - it’s free.
2021-11-0329 minBrumPodLiving An Analogue Life In A Digital WorldRunning our businesses, (and indeed lives), old school - does it still have a place in an ever-more digital society?
With so much focus these days on people, and indeed businesses taking advantage of the latest platforms and technologies, i.e. the TikTok generation (something that completely eludes us, I might add) - there doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as much focus on tried and tested marketing methods that would now be considered ‘old school’.
But does old school mean old and futile?
Not w...2021-10-2028 minBrumPodDisrupting The Face Of The Recruitment Industry With Dan Hoff-RodriguesIn this episode we talk to Dan Hoff-Rodrigues from CX Squared Talent Solutions based in the Midlands.
Dan’s company focusses on recruitment for the tech industry - but he doesn’t work in the traditional model of recruitment, but favours a ‘Talent As A Service’ model, helping to drive the industry into the 21st century.
You’ll learn about his career path to date bringing him to where he is now, and why he wanted to disrupt the face of recruitment by doing things in a different way.
2021-10-0645 minBrumPodWhen Does Planning Become Procrastination?A raw and unplanned episode filled with some topical updates, including the state of the electric vehicle infrastructure, as well as updates on the Birmingham Clean Air Zone and how that’s going.
Electric Vehicles & Infrastructure:
Midlands Connect calls for urgent action needed to speed up the expansion of EV charging points in the midlands. EV use will increase by more than 3000% by the end of the decade, and currently we’re lagging behind.
Around 500 charging points are being installed every month at the moment; but industry bodies say that what’s needed is 700...2021-09-2231 minBrumPodLinkedIn Announces Native Video ConferencingLinkedIn now has nearly 740million members, & over 55million registered companies.
Microsoft bought Skype in 2011. They then bought LinkedIn in 2016. They’ve had the ability to bring in video technologies to LinkedIn for years now.
So why the delay?
At the beginning of 2020 saw the massive rise of Zoom, from a little heard-of video conference app, to global powerhouse, exponentially increasing their user base in a very short space of time thanks to the pandemic.
With LinkedIn bringing their own vers...2021-09-0827 minBrumPodHow To Take Time Off When You’re Self EmployedWhen you’re self-employed, a freelancer or solopreneur, it can be difficult to make the time to take time away from your business and go on holiday.
There’s often guilt about not being available to your clients, worries about loss of earnings, pressures of getting someone in to cover for you while you’re away; meaning there are so many people that don’t take annual holidays at all.
This can be extremely damaging to your physical and mental health. We aren’t robots, we’re humans - we can’t work 24/7, 365...2021-08-2526 minBrumPodNetworking Safely After 17 Months & How To Keep Your Network EffectiveIn this episode, we reflect on the fact we have just hosted our first in-person networking event in over 17 months!
It was a strange feeling being back in our spiritual home of networking - but quickly the strangeness subsided into a feeling of (relative) normality, and absolute familiarity.
We had a (capped) roomful of people eager to get back to business networking, with great, deeper conversations happening throughout. It really was great to see.
We also reflect in this episode about how we can all keep our networks effective, and fresh. Reconnecting with...2021-08-1125 min
BBC WM SportSpeedway: Morris cheered by big turnout of Brummies fans for Kent winBirmingham Brummies' Ashley Morris said the big turnout of Brummies fans for their win over Kent was encouraging for the club and speedway generally. Morris scored a crucial point in heat 15 to secure a 46-44 victory at Perry Barr.2021-08-0501 minBrumPodProductivity Tools You Can't Live WithoutIn this episode, Richard and Iwan give a run down of some of their top productivity tools that they simply can’t live without.
(What they did before then, who knows…)
We cover various business tools, apps, software and platforms that simply make life easier in 2021 and beyond - tools that will often save you lots of time and effort, in turn making you a more productive business owner.
There are also mentions in this episode of great free or low cost alternatives to the more well known ‘big boy’ software giants, where alternat...2021-07-2835 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 13This episode all of us talk about what we would like to get rid of in this world and lock it away in "Room 101"2021-07-2046 minBrumPodWill Digital Business Cards Prevail In a Post-Pandemic World?A new (to us) technology has been stumbled upon - the digital business card. An NFC-enabled plastic credit card sized business card that can be scanned on the recipient’s phone, loading up a browser page with all your relevant contact details and web links - with a big shiny button front and centre to allow that person to immediately save your details to their phone’s address book.
The technology isn’t necessarily that new - but it’s the first time we’ve seen it in such a slick easy to use and deploy format.
Will...2021-07-1429 minBrumPodAre You A Specialist Or A Generalist?A phrase we’ve all heard before - ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ - certainly some truth to it - albeit with some negative connotations.
In this episode we’re discussing generalists versus specialists - which is more preferable? Maybe there’s no right or wrong answer, as there are a multitude of advantages and disadvantages to both.
Whether you’re an employee or a business owner, this topic will apply to you, as you may already fit on one side of the fence on this one, possibly happy with where you are - perhaps yo...2021-06-3022 min4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 12This Episode we talk TV Shows that ended up disappointing us, especially Game of Thrones. Alex is unprepared as usual and Niall Storms off 🤣2021-06-2641 minBrumPodWhen Plans Change - Be Adaptable (Including Us)With the recent announcement from The Government that so called ‘Freedom Day’ being set for June 21st is now being put back by 4 weeks, it means our plans have now had to change too.
We are now planning on bringing back our in-person networking events, hopefully, in August. But of course, watch this space and subscribe to our newsletter and follow our socials for the latest news on that.
It brings with it the renewed thoughts of the importance of being flexible and adaptable, as changes are likely to happen. Whatever we plan for, hope for...2021-06-1616 min
BBC WM SportDavid Mason on Brummies 42-48 Glasgow and the way forward#Speedway @BrumSpeedway promoter reflects on @glasgowtigers defeat, but says "We need #Brummies supporters to book online to survive". 2021-06-1003 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 11We talk all about football this episode. Aston Villa, Blues, Liverpool, Champions League Final and finally England's Euro 2021. Enjoy!2021-06-091h 00BrumPodBrumPod045: Returning To Normal - And The Return Of Our In Person Events!Business is gradually returning to some sense of normality; people are back at work, shops are open, and for the most part, we can more or less return to life as we kind of knew it.
Many companies are transitioning their office buildings to accommodate hybrid working, allowing for people to continue to work from home indefinitely, and scaling down their premises to have spaces to meet and collaborate, but not necessarily every day.
Companies such as HSBC, Lloyds, Standard Chartered are doing so, as are tech giants such as Twitter, Square and Spotify. It’s...2021-05-2626 minBrumPodBrumPod044: Keeping The Passion Alive Within Your Business - The Benefits Of OutsourcingIn this episode we talk to Jenna Lawson and Georgia Beech from Seamless OS, an outsourcing company based in Birmingham.
Throughout this episode, they both highlight the benefits involved in starting your outsourcing journey, the amount of money you might save if you start outsourcing compared to hiring in-house teams of people, or indeed doing various tasks yourself.
And for many small businesses, especially over the tumultuous last year, how outsourcing various tasks can help business owners stop working ‘in’ the business, and get back to focussing ‘on’ their business.
Outsourcing can bring with it...2021-05-0529 minBrumPodBrumPod043: Networking In The Virtual World: Clubhouse & Its ClonesWith more options to network online than ever, especially during Covid where it’s been of utmost importance, we discuss the latest iteration of platforms - Clubhouse; the audio networking platform that’s slowly taking the world by storm.
Used as a platform that’s akin to Zoom, but without the cameras, people are using it in a multitude of ways; general group chat, Q&As with industry experts, panel discussions, the list goes on.
And of course, as soon as something becomes popular, all the other platforms are now following suit! With LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit...2021-04-2141 minBrumPodBrumPod042: The Real Dragon’s Den - Investing In Small BusinessIn this episode we talk to Roger Wood, Director at Midlands based Venture Capital firm Midven.
We discuss the obvious comparison - what does real-world small business investing look like in the real world, and is it anything remotely like what we see on Dragon’s Den? (Or Shark Tank in the USA).
Roger explains all a small business would need to know should they be thinking about seeking investment for their own business.
Key things discussed include; what makes a business investment-ready? What are the main criteria an investor/VC firm looks ou...2021-04-0746 minBrumPodBrumPod041: How Important Is Hope?Covid vaccines have been rolled out at an unprecedented rate. The general mood of the country is gradually improving now we have the roadmap out of lockdowns, with ‘life after lockdown’ being a firm light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.
So we ask, how important is hope in business?
Many businesses this last 12 months have innovated their way to staying afloat, and in some cases, success and thriving. Being adaptable to change and uncertain futures has been a key marker in seeing how a business can get through a year of practically no t...2021-03-2427 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 10This Episode is all about what we would do with in an Zombie Apocalypse and 4BBT Season 22021-03-1342 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 10The Season Finale of The Unexpected Couple! we look back at the last 9 episodes and talk about what you can look forward to in season 2. Enjoy!!!2021-03-0941 minBrumPodBrumPod040: How Important Is Email - And Are You Too Reachable?In the technological age we’re living in, we’re now all too used to being reachable by a multitude of communications media - email, text, social media, mobile phones, video conferencing.
When email came around, people proclaimed ‘the letter is dead!’. Of course that’s not true.
When texting, WhatsApp, social media etc came about - people then proclaimed that ‘email is dead!’.
Of course, that’s not true either!
It’s more about its importance in our lives, and how we adapt to technology, to make it work for us - often adapting...2021-03-0343 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 9This Episode we cant help but talk about Boris reducing restrictions and we took an IQ Test. Enjoy!2021-02-2842 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 9This Episode we talk about Niall's birthday conspiracy and BORIS OPENING THE COUNTRY BACK UP!!! Enjoy!2021-02-2849 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 8This Episode we talk about Niall growing up in a family of 10 and get side tracked along the way. Enjoy!2021-02-2153 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 8The Euromillions episode got us thinking about owning our own pub so ee talk about what that would look like.
https://www.christie.com/properties/pubs/a2j4g000009tihquas
*Sorry about the audio again, we promise once lockdown is over, zoom is gone forever!!2021-02-2158 minBrumPodBrumPod039: Can You Run A Business Using Free Or Low Cost Software?In this episode we look at if it’s possible to run a small business using pretty much entirely free, or low-cost software, as opposed to the ‘big players’ like Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud for instance.
With the notion of ‘buying software outright’ being far less commonplace in this digital age, with subscription models being favoured far more - are the free and low cost options as good for most people?
What are the downsides?
Do you need software to be up-to-the-minute updated?
Will free/low co...2021-02-1735 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 7This Episode lockdowns getting to us a little and we look at an article about stuff British people do, that Americans find weird.2021-02-1450 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 7 Feat Denis LynchThis Episode Peter is host and we talk about how we would spend the Euromillions friday night jackpot!2021-02-1455 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 6This Episode we talk about the differences in girl and boys friendship groups and Becky is in one of them moods. Enjoy!2021-02-0739 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 6This Episode we talk about which famous people we would have a sesh with and then famous people would chill out with. Enjoy2021-02-0744 minBrumPodBrumPod038: Do You Need A Wristband To Tell Your Boss You’re Unhappy?A new wearable technology has been launched, called Moodbeam - a smart bracelet that allows employers to track your mental health.
It consists of 2 buttons, you press yellow for if you’re happy, blue if you’re sad.
It allows employers to check in remotely with home-workers to see big swathes of data to see who is ok and who is demonstrating signs of needing wellbeing support.
We discuss whether this is the natural next step for companies to take in order to track and monitor the mental wellbeing of their staff, or whet...2021-02-0332 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 5 Feat - James BoulcottThis Episode with welcome our Australian wannabe brother James to the podcast and discuss our top 3 tiers for draught pints at the pub. Enjoy!2021-01-2654 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 5This Episode we continue off the back of one of our episodes and we talk about everything we think is under-rated this time. Enjoy!2021-01-2449 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 4 - Feat Liam Mcgill*Unfortunately our Special Guests Microphone had problems about halfway through that we couldn't detect during the Zoom call so apologies, we will correct this in the Future.
This Episode we talk about our final death row requests and get into some Lad Holiday stories. Enjoy!
2021-01-1953 min
4 Brummies With Big TummiesThe Unexpected Couple 4This Episode Becky's in control and we have some quick fire questions and good news stories. we talk about video calling and plenty of shout outs.... Enjoy!2021-01-1756 minBrumPodBrumPod037: New Year Updates - It’s Been A Hell Of A Year And It’s Only Been A FortnightIn this episode, we bring you an update as to what’s been happening since our last episode at the end of last year.
We’ve seen massive changes in social media since the ‘insurrection riot’ at the US Capitol buildings a few days ago. Twitter and many other social media platforms have now banned Donald Trump for his involvement in allegedly stoking the violence.
Since then, tens of thousands of other accounts related to QAnon have also been deleted, and we assume, banned. This sparks one of the biggest...2021-01-1324 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 3Its all about football in this episode, our local teams and the best ever England 11!
*This Episode is over Zoom, apologies on the audio till we make some adjustments2021-01-1252 min
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 2This Episode we talk about our top 3 Films and Tv shows with Special Guest Mr Byrne and everything in between.
2021-01-021h 16
4 Brummies With Big Tummies4 Brummies With Big Tummies 1This is our first ever episode......We weren't perfect and i believe we get better but please enjoy and we would love to hear feedback @ our social media accounts.
We talk about the future of the Podcast, Twitter trending, England Football Team and much more..2021-01-021h 07BrumPodBrumPod036: Xmas Special & Predictions for 2021As our final episode of 2020, we thought we’d issue an extra little episode before Christmas as a brief roundup of this year, but more looking ahead with positivity and optimism to 2021.
We also make a few predictions about what the world of work, online tools and social media may be like in 2021 and ongoing, hopefully making it more beneficial and positive for all.
Will there be more fact checking on Twitter and Facebook, with them deleting more of the disinformation out there?
Will more and more businesses be more open to the id...2020-12-2232 minBrumPodHow Will The Upcoming Clean Air Zone Affect The Birmingham Business Community?[Apologies for the crackly audio in the early part of the episode - was due to broadband connection interference with our guest. This improves greatly just before 11mins in.]
In this episode, we talk to Councillor Waseem Zaffar from the ‘Brum Breathes’ department at Birmingham City Council who are launching the Clean Air Zone in the city.
Waseem explains what exactly a Clean Air Zone is, who will be affected, who will be charged, and who will be exempt from the charges.
Will everyone have to pay? Is it...2020-12-1739 min
theFIVE10 PodcastEpisode 13: theFIVE10 Podcast with The BrummiesThe Brummies hail not from the English city of Birmingham but a town of the same name in Alabama. These southern origins may suggest that the trio play roots music -- as does the fact that Jacob Bryant and John Davidson, two of the key Brummies, earned success as country songwriters, penning the Band Perry's 2013 hit "Done" -- but the group's 2018 debut, Eternal Reach, is a lush pop record, steeped in classic rock, AOR, and yacht rock traditions in equal measure.
Same Trailer Different ParkJacob Bryant and John Davidson first began their creative collaboration as songwriters. Their...2020-12-1034 minBrumPodBrumPod034: The Future Of The Electric Car - Is It Right For You? A Deep Dive With A Motoring JournalistIn this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of electric cars and where they’re going, with motoring journalist Richard Aucock from MotoringResearch.com.
We take a look at how far electric cars have come on, technology wise, in just a few short years - and what the future of driving electric will be in the NEXT few years; both in terms of the car tech itself, and the infrastructure needed to support it.
From the inception of the 1st Nissan Leaf with its very limited range, we now have electric cars ca...2020-12-0450 minBrumPodBrumPod033: The Network Shoutout Episode - This Time It's All About You!In this special edition episode, we wanted to turn the podcast over to you! So we've invited a handful of folks we know well to submit their own audio promo pitches, as a way of introducing them to you, the wider world.
Since England is in Lockdown 2, we feel it's more important than ever to keep up your marketing and networking, to ensure you've got a good pipeline of work coming in during these uncertain times. And one way to do that is giving folks the opportunity to introduce themselves to a new audience, namely, you! They're...2020-11-1825 minBrumPodBrumpod032: Brummies Jobs Exchange And How We Can All Help Each Other Throughout Lockdown 2 And BeyondIn this episode, we’re launching a new initiative, the ‘Brummies Jobs Exchange’ - our way of helping to link up people who are either seeking new employment if they’ve say been made redundant due to COVID19 etc - or indeed if you are a company who have roles available looking to be filled, we want to try and help you fill them.
This isn’t a commercial venture, and we’re not acting as recruiters - we are simply helping provide a platform and an audience via our Brummies Networking LinkedIn Group, website and social media channe...2020-11-0424 minBrumPodBrumPod031: Midlands COVID Update, New iPhone Launch & 5G Expansion PLUS How To Support Local Small BusinessesIn this episode, we're offering up more of a slightly shorter and snappier 'updates episode', just to give you the heads up about the latest news re. COVID19 in the Midlands, and what West Midlands Mayor's latest announcement is.
We also talk about the impact the local lockdowns and new Tier system is having on the region as a whole - with hospitality being hit quite hard yet again.
Apple have also recently announced the new iPhone 12 series of phones, with launch happening Friday 23rd October. Why is this relevant? Because this is Apple's first f...2020-10-2226 minBrumPodBrumPod030: Decoding The Winter Economy Plan with Alistair Hayward-WrightIn this episode, we’re talking to Alistair Hayward-Wright, from Hayward-Wright Accountancy Group, who helps us to decode and decipher Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Winter Economy Plan, the scheme that will replace the furlough and SEISS grant payments ongoing.
It’s been an incredibly tough time throughout COVID-19 for all businesses, both the self-employed and those who are salaried. With numerous inevitable redundancies being mentioned on LinkedIn and beyond, now is the time to really focus on future plans to ensure your business stays afloat, and ideally, thrives as best it can.
2020-10-0228 minBrumPodBrumPod029: PR vs Marketing - What's Right For You? Setting Up An Agency During A Pandemic! Plus How To Deal With Negative PRIn this episode we talk to Leila Smith from Promise PR and Creative, a PR agency based in Solihull.
Leila set up her agency during the pandemic! So we explore how that went, and what brought her to that point.
We explore the world of PR versus marketing - how and why they're different, and how to decipher what a business might need.
Lots of businesses during the pandemic and lockdown period starting cutting back spending on PR and marketing, so Leila explains why it's more important than ever to kick things up a...2020-09-1633 min
Breaking And EnteringEpisode 26: The BrummiesOn this week's B&E Podcast, we talk with Jacob from Nashville by-way-of Alabama band The Brummies. The band is most known for their single "Drive Away" with Kacey Musgraves, and just recently put out a new single, "After Midnight." We talked about what the band has been up to as they gear up for a new record release.
You can check out more music daily at BreakingAndEntering.net
Connect with Breaking And Entering on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat.
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/breakingandentering/support2020-09-1013 min
Let’s Talk About It With Imani Speaks !#097: Sue Brown | Award winning Television Presenter of The First Black Brummies | Award-winning Poet | Discovering hidden talentsSue’s contribution to A Very British History: The First Black Brummies has been universally well-received, bringing her a slew of awards for her involvement in the programme. They include Outstanding New Talent at the Royal Television Society Midlands Awards 2019 and the 2019 MvisA (Movies Video & Screen Awards) for Best Factual Production.
In Autumn 2019 Sue presented and narrated BBC Birmingham’s Inside Out: Slavery and Stately Homes.
Between 2010 and 2018 Sue worked as a Family Social Worker at Lillian de Lissa Children’s Centre in Birmingham. Her role was to support all parents and carers with children from 0–5...2020-09-091h 11BrumPodBrumPod028: Lisa Brown from Lisa B Interior Design - The Design Industry During Covid, And Are The General Public Creative?In this episode, we speak to special guest Lisa Brown from Lisa B Interior Design, a design agency based at the Custard Factory, Birmingham.
We discuss what the state of the design industry has been like during COVID, as well as hearing her backstory about how she got to where she is now.
We also pose the question, just HOW creative is the general public when it comes to starting a new project? What to do when there's no forthcoming information from a prospective client! And of course, how to handle the situation when residential c...2020-09-0232 minBrumPodBrumPod027: With Jordan Patel from Art.Quarter, Birmingham's Newest And Most Adventurous Multi-Use Commercial & Retail Space Yet!In this episode, we talk to Jordan Patel from Art.Quarter, which will end up being, we think, Birmingham's most adventurous multi-use site yet; currently being built, it will end up housing commercial units, office space, retail outlets and pop-up shops, food and drink outlets, technology centres, AR and VR gaming centre, amongst many other things! All in the heart of Digbeth, the home of Birmingham's creative industries.
We find out how the build and overall project is going, especially with the inevitable setbacks with COVID19, who this venue is for, and how it can be utilised...2020-08-0540 minBrumPodBrumPod026: Returning To The Office After Lockdown. Do You Want To? Do You Have To? How Different will It Be?In this episode we take a look at the issue of returning to the office after so long. How different are things going to be now? Is your workplace geared up and ready? Is it safe? How do you feel about it all? What are the expectations, and your rights as an employee if things don't seem to be up to scratch?
Has all this changed how we work forever? There's certainly been a major environmental impact given a study we touch upon, as well as people's mindsets having changed and been slightly re-evaluated.
We lo...2020-07-2333 minBrumPodBrumPod025: How the hospitality industry needs a radical rethink, with guest Anthony Tattum from Big Cat AgencyWith special guest: Anthony Tattum from Big Cat Agency.
In this episode, we talk to Anthony Tattum, CEO of Birmingham based creative agency, Big Cat.
We discuss how, in a post-COVID world, the hospitality industry needs a radical rethink in how they operate, to optimise earnings and efficiency, given how there will be so many restrictions for months to come.
Many businesses have managed to adapt really well through lockdown, operating in a different capacity to what they're used to, by offering additional or amended services; takeaways, produce boxes, meal kits etc. Something...2020-07-0738 minBrumPodBrumPod024: Will You Be Covered Post-COVID19? What Should You Be Checking Right Now? We Talk To An Insurance BrokerIn this episode, we talk to Daniel O'Brien, an insurance broker from Aston Lark.
We discuss the current state of the insurance industry in the midst of the pandemic, what cover you THINK you have, what cover you NEED, and lots of top tips and advice that all business owners should be aware of to ensure you're fully covered for all eventualities once we reach that golden egg that is 'the new normal'.
We cover areas such as what business owners and facilities managers need to consider when re-opening on July 4th, how the exposure...2020-06-2442 minBrumPodBrumPod023: How To Manage Flexible And Remote Working Employees Effectively In The New NormalToday's Guest - Sarah Burns from Handled PA- https://handled-pa.com
In this episode we talk to Sarah Burns from Handled PA, a virtual PA service based in Birmingham.
As someone who runs an entire team completely virtually online, as well as of course their clients, she is well positioned to give some great advice as to how businesses might manage remote working and flexible working environments ongoing post-COVID19, in what has been referred to as 'the new normal'.
There is talk of some businesses re-evaluating their...2020-06-0329 minBrumPodBrumPod022: Lockdown Week 7. How Is Life Changing? The Dangers Of Not Diversifying - Like Primark. And Gov Portal for Self-Employed Income Support Now OpenWe're now in Week 7 of Lockdown here in the UK. We chat about how things have changed, and where things might be going once Lockdown is lifted.
Will businesses still flock on their normal commute into city centres? Or will there continue to be more working from home? Big businesses to scale down their operations to maintain smaller centralised hubs? It would make sense maybe.
Our main topic is about the dangers of businesses not diversifying - with Primark being the prime example in recent days, them having ceased to make any money overnight since...2020-05-0636 minBrumPodBrumPod021: Dealing With Stress During Lockdown With Martin WarrillowIn this episode, our special guest is Martin 'The Warrior' Warrillow, a stroke awareness campaigner, blogger and podcaster.
Martin suffered a stroke in 2013 after dealing with a tremendous amount of job related stress. After collapsing whilst crossing a road & nearly being hit by an oncoming bus, he managed to drag himself to safety, with half his body paralysed, with only a foot between him and the passing bus.
During this period of global lockdown, stress is going to be playing an ever-increasing role in many people's lives. Hopefully this episode will help in some way, gi...2020-04-1735 minBrumPodBrumPod020: How Businesses Can Use Marketing And Social Media To Their Advantage During The Coronavirus CrisisThis episode's guest - Greta Geoghegan from Digital Glue - https://digitalglue.agency
With the continuing coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis dominating every headline and website, we try to cut through things to offer some help and support for small businesses.
In this episode, we're talking to Greta about how small businesses can utilise marketing and social media to their advantage to help get them through this period of uncertainty. What platforms might be useful for you. What tools she recommends for various tasks. And the importance of building community at this time of nationwide lockdown. How c...2020-03-3133 minBrumPodBrumPod019: Coronavirus - How Is it Affecting Small Business? How Can We Adapt And Survive? How The Government May Help. Plus Tips For Working From HomeIn this episode we're (unsurprisingly) looking at Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it's currently affecting small businesses. With so much fear and worry in the world right now, small businesses are having to think on their feet, adapt quickly, and do what they can to survive through this period of uncertainty.
The hospitality industry is a particular worry, as the government tell the public we should be refraining from visiting bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants. So many are now turning to offer takeaways and collection/delivery services, in order to get through this period of otherwise having very...2020-03-1931 minBrumPodBrumPod018: Brummies Networking's 5th Anniversary! Our Origins & Where We're Going. Plus, How Networking Has Changed With LinkedInWe're back from hiatus! In this episode we're going a bit self-reflective, talking about how Brummies Networking has recently turned 5yrs old! But as many will know, we've been going even longer than that, just under a different guise.
We discuss how it all came about, the changes we've seen along the way, how networking attitudes have changed, how technologies have evolved for us to continue the networking far easier online, forging even closer relationships thanks to tools like LinkedIn; and how our group wouldn't be anything like it is now without our fantastic members.
W...2020-02-2631 min
Reggae Uprising PodcastAward winning Empress Sue Brown Represents Black Brummies on BBCSend us a textVibrant and inspiring interview with Sue Brown who recently won 2 awards for her BBC tv documentary 'The First Black Brummies'. Her numerous credits include motherhood, grand-motherhood, a poet/creative writer, an author as well as being a tv & radio presenter. She speaks on her culture, how she was approached by the BBC, obstacles she faced on her journey and shares many inspirational stories to empower. We cover serious topics but also catch nuff jokes along the way!All guests are asked to select 7 Reggae tracks that inspire, connect them...2020-02-0559 minBrumPodBrumPod: Stick with us - Rich explains our absence - We will be back very soon!Thanks for sticking with BrumPod - we're really sorry we haven't brought you any episodes lately - Rich moved house mid December, and has been without proper broadband ever since! (The joys of living in the countryside) However, installation of the broadband is now within DAYS so we will be bringing you regular episodes again very soon.
So thanks for staying with us and being a subscriber, we look forward to bringing you lots more episodes this year, with some fantastic guests along the way! We'll be back in your favourite podcast app, VERY soon....
...2020-01-2201 minBrumPodBrumPod017: Should Schools Teach Entrepreneurialism? Learning, Skills and Qualifications As A FreelancerIn Episode17 we discuss an offshoot topic from Episode 16, and look at how the world's attitude has changed over the years from kids growing up and being taught the traditional 'get a degree and then get a job' mentality.
With the tools, technologies and platforms available these days, it's getting much easier for people looking to go down the self-employment and freelance route to be able to learn new skills, enhance their knowledge on different subjects to help prepare themselves for being a job creator, rather than just being someone 'with a job' in traditional employment.
2019-11-0522 minBrumPodBrumPod016: The Current And Future State Of The Modern WorkplaceIn this episode we look at the current and future state of the modern workplace, what a 'workplace' even consists of in this technological age. So many business folk can get on perfectly well with just a laptop, a phone and a decent broadband connection.
Are traditional offices still as popular as they were with the idea of 'hotdesking' becoming more of a thing? More and more people are working flexible hours, remotely from home or coffee shops without feeling the need to be in an actual office.
What will the future workplace be like? Wil...2019-10-1825 minBrumPodBrumPod015: Apps, Mobile Websites, Smart Technologies and Small Business - How Can They Help You?Episode 15 sees us talking to our special guest, Doug Ward, from B13 Technology based in Birmingham. Doug is a tech expert who deals with mobile technologies including app and software development and other web based tools.
We discuss what the differences, pros and cons are between these technologies and more importantly, HOW they can help you as a small business. Are they easy to access? Does your business need an app or is it fine to just utilise a mobile friendly website? Can they revolutionise the way you work and interact with your customers? How will 5G a...2019-09-2730 minBrumPodBrumPod014: HS2 - A Revolution In Transport For Business, Or A Giant Waste Of Money?In this episode, we look at HS2, the UK's proposed high speed rail link which aims to run along the spine of the country, connecting up all the major cities. Ideal in theory, but at what cost?
With budgets spiralling out of control, and now the government saying they are now putting it up for review to assess spends and its future viability, we discuss its merits, and its pitfalls. With estimated costs going from £33m to potentially £100m by the time it's finished, will it be worth the investment? Are other technologies more worthy of that kin...2019-08-2821 minBrumPodBrumPod013: Our Old Friend GDPR - It Hasn't Gone Away! PLUS Downtime In Your Business For Good Mental HealthIn Episode 13 of BrumPod, we briefly revisit GDPR given some recent themes in the news, and people we've come into contact with who are in contravening the regulations - so we wanted to serve a reminder that everyone is liable under GDPR - it applies to all businesses, from big business all the way down to micro businesses and one man bands. Ensure you're compliant!
And we're also looking at the subject of the importance of downtime in your business; getting away on holiday to be able to recharge your own personal batteries and...2019-07-2524 min
BBC WM SportSpeedway: Brummies guest Broc Nicol enjoys Perry Barr track in Newcastle winBirmingham Brummies drafted in Sheffield's young Californian Broc Nicol to stand in for the injured Ashley Morris in Wednesday's match against Newcastle - and Nicol delivered a superb performance to help the Brummies to a 49-41 win.2019-06-2001 minBrumPodBrumPod012: Should Your Business Be On Instagram?Episode 12. Should your business be on Instagram? It's the fastest growing social network, with it boasting some impressive stats that might make you think seriously about getting your own business on there if you're not already. We explore some of the ways you can leverage the audience on Instagram to make it a great channel for promoting your business, making the most of your online marketing efforts.
We also discuss some of the ways you can reduce the extra time it may take for your business to adopt yet another social media channel, using various tools and t...2019-06-1427 min
BBC WM SportSpeedway: Brummies promoter Mason cheered by third successive home winBirmingham Brummies promoter David Mason tells BBC WM he's encouraged after a third successive home win in front of a growing home support. The Brummies beat Sheffield 46-44 in a dramatic finish at Perry Barr on Wednesday (5 June).2019-06-0602 min
BBC WM SportSpeedway: Brummies' returning star Ellis: "there was a pretty good vibe"Birmingham Brummies' decision to bring Adam Ellis back to Perry Barr paid immediate dividends as he delivered a 12-point maximum in the first match of his return, to help the Brummies defeat Edinburgh 48-36 for their first win of the Championship season on Wednesday (22 May).2019-05-2302 minBrumPodBrumPod011: What 3 Words could save your life? We discuss a revolution in mapping and addressingIn this episode we look at British company What3Words, who are revolutionising the way the entire globe is mapped and divided up into accurate universal addresses. With 75% of countries lacking an accurate method of addressing, some having none at all, this could make a massive difference to the world, so not only can you find businesses and people more accurately; it could save lives through accurate location pinning for humanitarian efforts, and for the emergency services.
We explore all the areas this could be utilised, and think of other ways that perhaps haven't been thought of...2019-05-2231 minBrumPodBrumPod010: The changing face of the high street & what it means for businesses. And clean Air Zones; how will it affect you?In this episode we look at the changing face of the British high st - are bricks and mortar buildings still important to us? How are we using them? How are the high streets evolving with user demand?
Big businesses are closing stores, big chain and high end restaurants are closing, but some are thriving. Plus Primark has opened the world's biggest store right here in Birmingham. We look at the ways the high street can remain relevant to modern society.
The new Clean Air Zone is being introduced to Birmingham in 2020 - what will t...2019-04-2629 minBrumPodBrumPod009: 'Knowing Where To Tap' - a rough guide to market economics! (The fun way) & the equation Cost vs. Time vs. ValueIn today's episode we look at the equation of Cost vs. Time vs. Value, seeing what is best for you and your wallet.
This all came about after replacing a car headlamp bulb last week. I promise you it's more informative & entertaining that it sounds!
We look at skillsets; knowing when is the right time to pay someone to do various things for you. Do you have the time, skills or patience to learn to do something? Or does it work out most cost effective to let someone else do it?
We even l...2019-04-0226 minBrumPodBrumPod008: Gayle Kelly from Parkinson's UK on how she utilises Business Networking for fundraisingA conversation with Gayle Kelly, Regional Fundraiser for Birmingham & Black Country at Parkinson's UK, on how she utilises business networking in her fundraising and awareness-building efforts. Some really insightful thoughts, well worth a listen to her perspective on it all. Especially leveraging networking for things you may not expect or immediately think of, which could help you too.
You can find out more about Gayle here:
https://twitter.com/gaylepukbhambc
Parkinson's UK website: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk
Info on her 'Secret Supper' event mentioned in the episode: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/events/secret-supper-2019
The Afternoon Tea event: https...2019-03-0530 minBrumPodBrumPod007: Mental Health In The Workplace With Special Guest David AndrewIn this episode we focus solely on the topic of mental health in the workplace, with special guest contributor David Andrew, of David Andrew Coaching.
Looking at all the ways life & work can affect our mental health; recognising the signs of someone suffering, and what we can do to combat it.
You can find out more about David on his website:
https://davidandrewcoaching.com
And if you or someone you know is suffering mental health issues, and need some guidance, The Samaritans is a fantastic place to go for...2019-02-2036 minBrumPodBrumPod006: 2019 roundup of important info; and a tool to help small businesses get paid on time!In this episode we talk about several important bits of info coming up that you should be aware of, dates for your diary in regards to the UK Gov's 'Making Tax Digital' timeline, as well as important updates to employment law, and how Brexit will be affecting employers and employees if they're EU nationals.
We also discuss the initiative that Paul Uppal, the UK's Small Business Commissioner wants to deploy, namely a tool that would help small businesses know which large businesses are BAD payers! Large businesses are notorious for being late payers, so h...2019-01-2537 minBrumPodBrumPod005: How do people treat networking at Christmas? And why do some events work and not others?In our last show of 2018, we look at the different ways people treat networking around the festive period. Should we still maintain utter professionalism, or is it ok to be a bit more relaxed?
And we look at why some events work, and the reasons others perhaps don't; looking at all the different flavours of networking and their various merits.
This episode is Christmas themed, as it's our last one now for 2018. However, we will be back bright eyed and bushy tailed from early January onwards, with some brilliant guests lined up for future episodes. So do stay tuned for...2018-12-0330 minBrumPodBrumPod004: Channel 4 Bypasses Us, Netflix Joins Us; & Is Your Workstation Damaging You?We firstly discuss Channel 4's decision to move their HQ to Leeds instead of Birmingham. Contrast that with Netflix's decision to start investing in the Midlands by using it as a place to film and produce future original content, plus them investing heavily in Europe-centric content.
Then we look at a report that discusses how people working from home could be doing themselves damage. With more and more people self employed or on flexi-time working from home, is your home workstation suitable? Reports show the stats of people working from kitchen tables stooped over laptops, even working from sofas and...2018-11-1228 minBrumPodBrumPod003: 'Making Tax Digital', the UK government's new digital initiative - will it work?In this episode we talk about the UK government's digital initiative, 'Making Tax Digital', which is designed to make business owners' lives easier by creating a seamless digital workflow, simplifying the tax and VAT submission process.
Those that'll be hardest hit initially are smaller businesses who maintain their accounts through offline spreadsheets. It will require transitioning to third party cloud software platforms like QuickBooks, FreeAgent etc, as they will work hand in hand with the government's 'MTD' API.
The first stage is rolling out in April 2019, so if you're VAT registered then you need to start preparing now.
We discuss...2018-10-2327 minBrumPodBrumPod002: 5G To Be Launched In The Midlands, & LinkedIn/Networking Etiquette - what annoys you?In our second episode, we discuss the fact that 5G broadband technology is to be piloted & launched in the Midlands, UK. What will that mean for technology generally, and us in business?
Also we look at LinkedIn and networking etiquette - what annoys us, and how important it is to cultivate and nurture our connections; looking at the various criteria we should all probably use when deciding who to accept connection requests from.
Brought to you by Brummies Networking, the home of free, stripped-back business networking. Produced by Happy Content Co.
https://brummies-networking.co.uk
https://happycontentco.com
Music by...2018-10-0529 minBrumPodBrumPod-Ep1: Are Business Cards Dead?, & How To NetworkIn BrumPod's inaugural episode, we discuss the relevance of business cards in today's technological society; do they still serve a purpose?
Also we talk about business networking, and give our top tips as to how you can maximise your results from it.
Brought to you by Brummies Networking's team members; Richard Heathcote, Jason Jones, Iwan Thomas & Danny Peters.
Podcast produced by Happy Content Co.
https://happycontentco.com
https://brummies-networking.co.uk
Music by Birocratic - http://birocratic.com2018-09-1423 min