Shows
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 217: My Awards Nightmare with Hayley PlumbHayley Plumb entered her first ever award full of excitement. What followed was a night she will never forget, for all the wrong reasons. Debbie Gilbert talks to Preston nail technician Hayley, founder of Nailed It by Hayley, about her first ever experience entering business awards. Hayley shares how she built her nail technician business from scratch after losing her job while pregnant, building a studio in her garage. After two and a half years her competitive streak led her to enter a major industry awards ceremony. She describes a lengthy, repetitive application process that...
2026-09-3041 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 213: Finding Your Voice to Become an Award Winner with Helen von DadelszenBehind every credible award entry and engaging acceptance speech is someone who has learned how to communicate with impact. In this episode, Helen von Dadelszen shows us how. Helen is founder of Present Potential and author of 'Courageous Action', the ideal book for helping people communicate more confidently. She tells Debbie why nerves are normal, sharing practical tips on reading the brief carefully, respecting time limits, and bringing genuine personality rather than a rehearsed script. Additionally, she discusses the growing use of video entries, how to make a pitch memorable within a strict time limit...
2026-09-0229 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 212: The One-Of-A-Kind Networking That's Being Recognised by Awards with Pete RhodesPete Rhodes never liked networking events, so he built one that actually works. And consequently, Meet for Good won the Gold Award for Best Networking Group at this year's Best SME Awards. Debbie Gilbert speaks to Pete, founder of All for Good and Meet for Good, about nearly twenty years in sport, including roles at the Youth Sport Trust and Team GB. That experience led him to build a business connecting sport, sponsorship and charity to create genuine social impact. He explains the thinking behind Meet for Good, why it deliberately stays small and intimate...
2026-08-2638 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 210: Why Award Wins Open Doors for Charities with Phoenix HumphreysGrant funding can feel like a locked door, but in this episode we discover how a little recognition can be the key that opens it. Debbie Gilbert is joined by Phoenix Humphreys, founder of Raise to Rise, who helps charities and community organisations secure funding in an ethical and sustainable way. Phoenix shares her unlikely route from a corporate facilities role into fundraising, describing the challenges of building a solo consultancy. We also talk AI and why human insight will always trump it in writing a persuasive grant bid. She explains how charities and CICs b...
2026-08-1232 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 209: Decoding the Art of the Award Entry with Rachel HaywardAward entries are part CV, part pitch, and part confession. Rachel Hayward has spent over a decade helping businesses get all three right. Rachel Hayward, founder of Ask the Chameleon, speaks to Debbie Gilbert about starting her business, helping her clients successfully win grants, tenders, and awards, and how she has become a multi-award winner herself. Winner of the Best Solopreneur Award at the inaugural Best SME Awards, Rachel explains how redundancy from the charity sector led her into bid writing, and why she has chosen to stay a solopreneur rather than scale up. She has championed...
2026-08-0530 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 208: Why Customer Service Still Wins Awards with Ingrid SandersonIngrid Sanderson didn't win Gold for Best Customer Service at the Best SME Awards by accident. She built her whole business around delighting customers. Debbie Gilbert talks to Ingrid, founder of Principal Business Travel to find out more. Ingrid explains why she set up her own agency in 1999, the licensing hurdles that protected clients from the start, and how losing airline commissions forced her to rebuild the business around transparent service fees. She shares how word of mouth propelled her business and how staff moving between companies grew her client base. Ingrid also discusses proactive...
2026-07-2933 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 207: Still Winning Awards After 26 Years and Why it Matters with Vaishali Shahdiv]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 [&_>_*:last-child]:mb-0 standard-markdown"> In February this year, Ananya Cards won Best Wedding Stationery at the UK Weddings and Honeymoon Awards. It was another in a long list of awards founder Vaishali Shah has won over 26 years in business...
2026-07-2232 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 206: Why Some Awards Are Worth More Than Others with Cat Robson-ScarboroughCat Robson-Scarborough picked up eight awards in her first year of business. But she is not afraid to say that not all awards are worthy of the title. Cat, co-founder of Your Man With a Van, joins Debbie to share how she went from retail leadership to building one of the UK's fastest growing removal franchises, now sixty six branches strong. Our guest shares her honest take on business awards, not all of it positive. She explains why she and her husband Dan ditched their franchise consultant to build a fairer model, with low entry fees, rolling...
2026-07-1540 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 205: Fake Awards and the Magician Who Worked Out Their Tricks with Oli CouchmanNot every award is worth the trophy, and magician Oli, otherwise known as Revilo Twist, knows exactly which ones are full of smoke and mirrors. The award winning magician fell into magic after watching a stranger's rope trick aged fifteen and never looked back. In this episode Oli chats to Debbie about swapping a career in asset finance and recruitment for full time magic just three years ago, inspired by an Ed Sheeran pep talk. He shares how his business has grown across weddings, corporate events and trade shows. Additionally, he explains why genuine reviews...
2026-07-0833 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 203: It Took Over Twenty Years Before She Won Awards. Then She Won Five! with Natalie Burkinshaw This week, Debbie talks to Natalie Burkinshaw, founder of Crush, a brand and design agency specialising in manufacturing, engineering and tech businesses. After over twenty years in the industry, beset by imposter syndrome, Natalie finally started entering awards in 2025. Within fourteen months she'd won five, including Gold at the Best Business Women Awards. They discuss how brand strategy has evolved from a "nice to have" into a commercial necessity. We then discover why Natalie's Chesterfield base hasn't stopped her landing clients like Ministry of Sound, and how Crush balances AI tools with genuine human creativity and storytelling...
2026-06-2429 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 201: The Graphic Designer Who Won a Carer Award with Marie Louise O'Neill Debbie Gilbert chats with The Graphic Designer Who Won a Carer Award with Marie Louise O'Neill, Canva expert and graphic designer. In this episode, Marie Louise talks about how small business owners can show up more professionally online without needing to be a design expert. Our guest stumbled across Canva in 2017 before most designers had even heard of it. Consequently, she shares how she went self-employed ten years ago after struggling to find flexible working options to be around for her young child. Listen to discover the biggest design mistakes people make, and how to...
2026-06-1033 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 200: The 200th Business Awards Show - Special Edition!The 200th Business Awards Show is here, and we couldn't be prouder to bring you this special episode. Debbie Gilbert, Founder of the Best Businesswomen Awards and The Best SME Awards, talks you through how to avoid being fooled by fake awards companies. There is a proliferation of them in the market, and Debbie campaigning to keep integrity in the awards world, fights back. She warns listeners to watch out for unsolicited "winner" emails, secret judging panels, AI-generated nominations, public voting schemes and pay-to-win models. Genuine awards have named organisers, transparent judging, real entry processes...
2026-06-0452 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 197: The Soul Aligned Life with Sophie Watson Debbie Gilbert discusses The Soul Aligned Life with Sophie Watson, soul coach and regional director for the Athena Network in south west Oxfordshire. Sophie won a Silver award for Best Coach at the 2025 Best Business Women Awards. Her journey into coaching began when her world fell apart all at once, a difficult job, her mum's diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer's and breast cancer, and her an her husband's unexplained infertility, all hitting within the same period. What came out the other side was a coaching business built entirely on lived experience. In this episode they...
2026-05-2032 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 195: Tell a Better Story Through Brand Photography with Hetal Trivedi Debbie Gilbert discusses how to Tell a Better Story Through Brand Photography with Hetal Trivedi, founder of The Beautiful Moments. Hetal is a strategic brand photographer and videographer working with female led businesses in health, wellness and beauty. She won three awards in a single month last year, two of them on the same day! A former primary school maths teacher who fell into photography by accident, Hetal built a five figure business from scratch after leaving teaching, encouraged every step of the way by her family. In this episode they cover how she helps...
2026-05-0627 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 193: Do NOT Let AI Build Your Website with Alison Rothwell Our latest episode offers very clear advice: Do NOT Let AI Build Your Website, with Alison Rothwell. A digital strategist and founder of VA Website for You, Alison also picked up a Silver Award at the 2025 Best Businesswomen Awards. With nearly twenty years running her own business and a background spanning government communications, PR and digital marketing, she brings a wealth of knowledge to this conversation. We discuss why relying solely on social media is a genuinely risky strategy for any business. Alison moved on to explaining what a well built website created by humans should actually...
2026-04-2232 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 192: Why Branding Needs a Good Story with Tejal Prajapati In this episode, we discuss Why Branding Needs a Good Story with Tejal Prajapati, award winning branding consultant and founder of TP Creative. Tejal took home a Silver at the 2025 Best Businesswomen Awards. With sixteen years in the design industry before going it alone, Tejal now helps businesses generate real results through strategic, story-led design. In this episode Debbie and Tejal get into what actually separates great design from something knocked up on Canva, why AI should be a tool in the middle of your process rather than the start or the end, and the important question...
2026-04-1532 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 191: Awards, Leadership, and the Power of Community with Griselda Togobodiv]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown"> In this episode we talk Awards, Leadership. and the Power of Community with Griselda Togobo, leadership expert, keynote speaker and founder of the Novi Awards, Novi community and Novi Futures charity. With more than fifteen years' experience...
2026-04-0836 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 190: How a GP Became an Award-Winning Menopause Specialist with Dr Shilpa McQuillanDebbie Gilbert discovers How a GP Became an Award-Winning Menopause Specialist with Dr Shilpa McQuillan, founder and clinical lead of the Berkshire Menopause Clinic. In our latest episode, this leading specialist discusses all things menopause. In addition she explains how she set up her own business whilst juggling the demands of a family, and the impact of winning two awards at the 2025 Best Business Women Awards, including the highly contested Best Customer Service category. Shilpa's story is a remarkable one. A dual trained gynaecologist and GP, she built her own clinic from scratch with no business background...
2026-04-0134 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 187: Fashion, Confidence, and Business Success with Catherine Grout Debbie Gilbert hosts our latest conversation, Fashion, Confidence, and Business Success with Catherine Grout, personal stylist and colour confidence expert. Catherine is founder of style consultancy What I Am Wearing, winner of a Silver Award for Best New Business at the 2025 Best Business Women Awards. Catherine shares how a long career in tech led to redundancy, a lockdown fashion blog, and ultimately a thriving styling business built around helping professional women look and feel brilliant. She trained at the London College of Style and now teaches there too. In this episode she covers the three...
2026-03-1126 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 186: Ensure Your Business is SEO Visible with Emily Williams This week we help you Ensure Your Business is SEO Visible with Emily Williams, founder of Content Clever and silver winner at the 2025 Best Business Women Awards. She joins Debbie to talk all things content strategy, SEO, and why she's on a mission to help female-led businesses find their voice online. After burning out three times by age 27 whilst working in healthcare, Emily took her marketing degree, her husband's encouragement, and a healthy dose of determination - and built a thriving content business from the ground up. Key takeaways from this episode:...
2026-03-0424 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 184: The Rise of the Logolady with Trudie AveryIn this episode, host Debbie Gilbert traces the Rise of the Logolady with Trudie Avery, award-winning branding and design specialist. With over 25 years in graphic design, Trudie shares how she left an 11-year partnership to start afresh with just her Mac and lots of determination. She reveals the networking strategy that built her business and how the "Logolady" nickname became her trademarked brand. Key Highlights: How Trudie uncovers her clients' authentic identities through strategic questioning Her refreshingly positive take on AI as a creative collaborator The awards journey that began in 2019, culminating in a 2025...
2026-02-1830 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 176: How a Qualified Marketing Expert Can Transform Your Business with Dee BlickJoin Debbie Gilbert from The Business Awards Show as we discover How a Qualified Marketing Expert Can Transform Your Business with Dee Blick. Dee is a multi-award-winning marketing expert, and author of six bestselling books. Crucially, she is one of only 3% of marketers globally to hold Fellowship status with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. With 41 years in marketing, Dee evolved from working in "big glossy businesses" to becoming a passionate advocate for SMEs. A natural writer who "tumbled into marketing," she continues writing for magazines, as well as her books, combining her twin passions seamlessly.
2025-12-1736 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 174: How to Win at Awards with Stephanie Brown Join Debbie Gilbert from The Business Awards Show to find out How to Win at Awards with Stephanie Brown. Stef is an expert awards consultant with an impressive 88% success rate across 500+ award entries. She shares her unique journey from professional dancer in Montreal to becoming a sought-after awards specialist in the UK. After working in creative agencies for 15 years, she discovered her talent for crafting winning award entries that combine creative storytelling with analytical thinking. Key insights from this episode: Why award strategy matters more than simply entering awards; align entries with your business...
2025-12-0332 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 167: Interview with Tim LeeHere is our latest interview with Tim Lee, founder of Collaborate MK Networking Community, a thriving family business based in Milton Keynes. Tim shares the remarkable story of how he built a successful business networking community from the ground up—starting in the middle of lockdown in 2020 with just a few colleagues on Zoom. What began as an experiment quickly evolved into a powerful professional network now boasting 300 members and 10 monthly events, both in-person and online. There's even a knowledge-sharing workshop for Gold members. Tim discusses his journey from retail management to community builder, describing ho...
2025-10-1535 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 164: Interview with Clare HaynesIn this episode of The Business Awards Show, our interview with Clare Haynes, coach, trainer, and founder of Wildfire, reveals her 20+ years' journey as a conversation coach. Clare shares how she transitioned from fundraising and sales into coaching, the challenges of starting a business before the age of social media, and the importance of networking and community. She offers practical communication tips, such as the power of the pause and refraining from habitual apologies. Additionally, she reflects on gender differences in coaching, especially regarding men forced to attend. Clare also reflects on her experiences entering...
2025-09-2435 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 163: Interview with Sophie GoffinIn this episode of the Business Awards Show, host Debbie Gilbert interviews Sophie Goffin, known as The Purry Godmother, a finalist in the Best Business Women Awards and the Small Awards. Sophie shares her journey from studying animal behavior to creating a business dedicated to cat care, where she combines her academic background with hands-on experience to address issues like feline separation anxiety, enrichment, and well-being. We hear how Sophie's business grew organically from pet sitting, particularly after discovering that many cats suffer when left alone. This realization inspired her to specialize exclusively in cats...
2025-09-1735 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 150: Get the Award-Winning Mindset with Dee ClaytonWhen considering entering awards do you find yourself thinking: "I'm not good enough," "What if I don't win?" "What if I do win?" "I don't want to enter myself—someone should nominate me" "It's not okay to tell people how great I am—they should see it anyway". In this session, founder of The Best Businesswomen Awards Debbie Gilbert discusses with Dee Clayton, multi-award-winning NLP expert and founder of Simply Amazing Training, how to overcome these mental barriers and step confidently into the spotlight. Dee reveals in this empo...
2025-05-0733 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 143: Reminiscence Learning with Fiona MahoneyReminiscence Learning with Fiona Mahoney is a moving insight into the essential work carried out by an amazing dementia charity. Having worked as an occupational therapist in the NHS, Fiona set up Reminiscence Learning in 2001, becoming a registered charity in 2003. Since then, she has created the inspirational Archie Project to help children understand dementia more clearly. Furthermore, Fiona has helped train many healthcare professionals to better manage dementia patients. In addition, Reminiscence has set up carer support groups, and runs respite activity sessions, using memorabilia as a fundamental component of each session. The charity has...
2025-03-1935 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 142: Path to Wellbeing with Nicola CourtPath to Wellbeing with Nicola Court is a fascinating insight into the world of women's health. Working as a photographer, Nicola grew bored and trained in massage. When she was made redundant, she used her new-found skill but soon found massaging for eight hours physically tiring. In 2004, she decided to train in clinical acupuncture. With a growing knowledge of gynaecology, acupuncture and holistic medicine, Nicola set up Path to Wellbeing. She explains how an ever-growing demand led to her specialising in women's health issues with particular focus on fertility and the menopause. Nicola enlightens us...
2025-03-1226 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 141: The Founder of Nice N' Spiky Comedy Clara HeimerdingerThe Founder of Nice N' Spiky Comedy Clara Heimerdinger recounts her journey from working at the BBC as a Business and Production Manager to running her own comedy business. Having been involved in running comedy nights as a side hustle while progressing her career at the BBC, Clara gave it all up to start Nice N' Spiky in 2019. A new business was born bringing together comedians, agents, clubs and venues. Over nearly six years, Clara has worked hard to grow her business, despite the best efforts of the pandemic to disrupt her progress. Discover how she pivoted...
2025-03-0532 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 140: The Woman Who Awards Owner Sandra Garlick MBEThe 'Woman Who' Awards owner Sandra Garlick joins us for the latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Sandra shares her frustrating awards experiences, leading her to start her own! The Woman Who Awards were born ten years ago to celebrate the accomplishments of women in various business sectors. The Woman Who Solopreneur Awards followed. Sandra tells us why she called the awards 'Woman Who' and why her scheme has no categories. In fact, she reveals a number of differences with other awards programmes. She recognises everyone shortlisted, gives entrants an opportunity to...
2025-02-2628 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 139: The Podcast Mentor Donna EadeThe Podcast Mentor Donna Eade, is the latest guest on the Business Awards Show. She joined us to talk about her passion: podcasting. It has led her to host her Mindset and Action podcast, that celebrates its fifth birthday in April. A former wedding photographer, Donna set up The Society of Wedding Vendors in 2020 to help all stakeholders in the wedding industry. At the same time she started a podcast about weddings. Unfortunately, the pandemic stifled opportunities for her new business and she admits some serious mistakes when she started the podcast. However, the experience...
2025-02-1931 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 138: The Happy Home Designer Holly Scott The Happy Home Designer Holly Scott is an award-winning interior designer with a passion for creating beautifully curated spaces. She has designed and styled for some of the world's most iconic brands, including Ralph Lauren, Harvey Nichols, and Harrods. She joins us to plot her journey from window dressing at iconic stores to becoming a successful business owner. With a rich tapestry of experiences ranging from Ralph Lauren to Stella and Dot Jewellery, Holly's story is a masterclass in balancing creativity with entrepreneurial acumen. Having won a Silver Award for Customer Service at the 2024 Best Bu...
2025-02-1229 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 137: The Impact Specialist Rachel Dunford The Impact Specialist Rachel Dunford is a management consultant turned entrepreneur who specialises in helping businesses and charities to prioritise the impact they create through the work they do. She joins us on the podcast to discuss her vital work and how she got there. While eight months' pregnant, Rachel was made redundant. It led to a decision to work for herself, to care for her baby as much as to control her own destiny. Turning a challenging situation into an opportunity to redefine her career, she leveraged her consulting background to transition from managing youth programs to...
2025-02-0532 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 136: Empowering Women, Embracing Diversity with Gillian Jones-WilliamsEmpowering Women, Embracing Diversity with Gillian Jones-Williams is the latest fascinating episode of the Business Awards Show. Gillian was recently acclaimed as the Business Woman of the Decade at the Best Business Women Awards and is the founder of Emerge Development Consultancy. She created Emerge to facilitate a better future for organisations by enabling them to drive transformation through people. It delivers Leadership, Graduate and Personal effectiveness programmes plus Executive Coaching. Crucially, Emerge specialises in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity and delivers an empowered women's development programme RISE internationally. Her personal narrative, marked by a unique...
2025-01-2929 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 135: The LinkedIn Guru with Laura TaylorLaura Taylor is The LinkedIn Guru and the founder of Social Flow Collective, working as a marketing consultant specialising in LinkedIn. Her service isn't just LinkedIn training - it's economic empowerment for women. Laura opens up about leaving a toxic work environment and the uncertainties of the pandemic, only to emerge as an award-winning entrepreneur with a thriving business built solely on LinkedIn. Her story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the power of family support in overcoming adversity and achieving professional success. Laura generously imparts her wisdom on LinkedIn marketing, offering practical strategies...
2025-01-2230 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 134: Fixing the Chaos in Business with Leah Boxell Fixing the Chaos in Business with Leah Boxell discusses the work of a business consultant who helps bring order to struggling businesses. Boxell is the visionary founder of Enablists, and joins us to share her remarkable journey from a thriving corporate career to launching her own business in 2023. Leah's experience with NHS Professionals during the pandemic, where she managed critical initiatives like the test and trace service, served as a catalyst for her leap into entrepreneurship. Motivated by these experiences and a bout of insomnia, she founded Enablists with the goal of simplifying project management and driving...
2025-01-1527 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 133: Branding Photography with Purpose with Wendy Gannon Branding Photography with Purpose follows award-winning photographer Wendy Gannon's transformative journey from the corporate world of recruitment to the vibrant realm of photography. Spurred by a LinkedIn comment during the pandemic, Wendy turned professional burnout and personal challenges into a catalyst for her newfound passion. Our conversation touches on her recent silver award win at the Best Business Women Awards and the unexpected growth of her business. Wendy passionately explains how personal branding photography is more than just taking pictures—it's about capturing the essence of a client's personality and business ethos. This episode is a testament to...
2025-01-0824 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 132: How to Start a Copywriting Business with Michelle Eshkeri Michelle Eskeri, founder of Let Me Write, explains how she moved out of the finance world and shares how to start a copywriting business . With her rich background as an accountant, Michelle brings a unique perspective to crafting compelling narratives for businesses, particularly within the financial sector. She discusses the undeniable value of professional writing for commercial success and why human expertise often trumps AI solutions like ChatGPT. Beyond her financial niche, she explores how her passion extends into projects in health, well-being, and education, highlighting the adaptability required to thrive as an entrepreneur. Join us as...
2024-12-1826 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 131: From Language Teacher to Aesthetics Entrepreneur with Vicky GrammatikopoulouTrailblazer Vicky Grammatikopoulou graces our latest episode, sharing her story of success from language teacher to aesthetics entrepreneur. With clinics across London, Essex, and Stuttgart, Vicky has won over 30 prestigious awards, including double gold at the Best Business Women Awards. Her story is one of empowerment, from founding a private language school in Greece to achieving global success. Vicky's commitment to celebrating women's accomplishments shines through as she discusses the transformative power of merit-based recognition. Establishing a clinic in the aesthetics field is no small feat, especially within the unregulated UK market. Vicky passionately addresses the need...
2024-12-1136 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 130: The Personal Travel Agent with Lisa McCallum The Personal Travel Agent welcomes Lisa McCallum, a travel agent from Not Just Travel, who recently won a silver award for Best Customer Service at the Best Businesswomen Awards. Listen in as Lisa shares her journey, beginning with departing from home at 16 under challenging circumstances, to becoming a successful business owner. Her story is a testament to the power of self-belief and overcoming doubts, even those from her 13-year-old son, as she highlights how determination and a passion for customer service propelled her to unexpected success. Explore the transformative journey toward self-employment in the travel industry, as...
2024-12-0431 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 129: Redefining the Funeral Industry with Sophia Campbell-Shaw When Sophia Campbell-Shaw lost her mother and sister, she found solace in turning her grief into a force for change, creating Woven Farewell Coffins. Redefining the Funeral Industry plots her journey from a background in creative arts and organic farming to designing woven coffins. It is both moving and innovative. Listen as Sophia shares how her personal experiences shaped a unique business that allows families to create meaningful, personalized funeral experiences, breaking away from the constraints of traditional Victorian ceremonies. Sustainability takes center stage as Sophia discusses the rising trend of green and eco-friendly funerals...
2024-11-2736 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 128: Bringing The Human Back to HR with Kelly TuckerIn this episode of the Business Awards Show, Kelly Tucker, the founder of HR Star, provides a fascinating overview of HR consultancy and constantly evolving employment legislation. Kelly was recently a Gold Award winner for Best Businesswoman in Business Services at the Best Businesswomen Awards. Kelly's journey into the world of HR is both inspiring and relatable, as she shares her experiences from her early career to establishing her own consultancy. Kelly candidly discusses her path from being made redundant at a young age to finding her passion in human resources. After starting her career...
2024-11-2025 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 127: Overcoming Your Ego with Mary Gregory Overcoming Your Ego with Mary Gregory talks to the trailblazing winner of the Best Coach at the 2024 Best Businesswomen Awards. She opens up about her unique path from the corporate world to becoming a seasoned leadership coach. Her captivating journey, enriched by stints at prestigious companies like Ralph Lauren and Tesco, sets the stage for a deep dive into the complexities of ego in leadership. Mary's expertise, rooted in her psychology background, sheds light on the crucial role of self-awareness and the all-too-common pitfalls of ego traps. She specialises in empowering purpose-driven leaders to maximese their potential...
2024-11-1330 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 126: Language Learning for Children with Anna Neville Anna Neville, the visionary founder of Kidslingo, unveils her fascinating journey from marketing professional to the creator of a thriving national language franchise. With a passion for language learning and teaching, Anna shares her experiences filled with challenges, triumphs, and the bold move into franchising. A huge leap given she knew little about it initially! Anna founded the Kidslingo franchise in 2013. Eleven years later, the franchise boasts over 80 franchisees across the UK. She still plays an active role in the business and has led the franchise to many successes and awards. They include the Most Loved Creative...
2024-11-0631 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 124: Why Personal Development Matters with Dee ClaytonWe learn little about vital life skills at school. Which is why personal development matters throughout your adult life. That's the message in today's episode with renowned NLP trainer, executive coach, and author Dee Clayton. Dee shares with us her transformative journey from a high-flying marketing career with brands like Pizza Hut and Jacobs Creek to launching her own business Simply Amazing Training. An unexpected car accident became a turning point. It led Dee to discover the world of personal development, life coaching, and NLP. Her inspiring story of personal growth sets the stage for her estimable...
2024-10-2335 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 123: Spanish is for Everyone with Rachel Peebles Rachel Peebles, the visionary force behind Estrellas Brillantes, shares her extraordinary journey from the bustling streets of Bolivia to the classrooms of Scotland. With a background in economics and a profound love for the Spanish language, Rachel's story is one of transformation and tenacity. Her commitment to empowering others through language learning has not only enriched her life but also the lives of countless children and adults in her community. As she recounts her experiences, from supporting families in Bolivian prisons to founding a successful business back in the UK, listeners are offered a narrative filled with resilience and...
2024-10-1634 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 122: The Award Writer with Lucinda WhiteEver wondered if hiring an award writer is actually cheating? Join us as we unravel this common misconception in The Award Writer with Lucinda White from Pure Awards, who brings nearly two decades of invaluable experience to the table. Lucinda, with her rich background in fundraising, event management, and specialized award writing, makes a compelling case for why external expertise can be a game-changer for businesses aspiring to stand out in the competitive awards landscape. We discuss the importance of effectively communicating your achievements to judges and how an expert can help you overcome the challenge of self-articulation.
2024-10-0932 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 121: The Elements of Success - Sales, Networking, and Resilience with Alison Edgar MBEIn this episode of The Business Awards Show, I speak with the remarkable Alison Edgar, MBE, an expert in improving performance inside organisations. Throughout Alison's years advising entrepreneurial businesses, she has discovered important factors that make them successful. Alison takes these lessons on enhancing motivation, communication, and agility and shares them with enterprising businesses. She is also author of two bestselling books on sales. Our conversation delves into Alison's inspiring journey, beginning when she started her business at the age of 46, after a successful career in hospitality and corporate sales. She shares her unique background, highlighting her...
2024-10-0234 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 120: Why Sign Language Is Great for Babies with Julie Hetherington In this episode of the Business Awards Show, host Debbie Gilbert interviews Julie Hetherington, a TinyTalk franchisee who transitioned from a chartered accountant to running baby signing classes. Julie shares her inspiring journey, explaning how she became a TinyTalk franchisee in April 2010 in the South Birmingham Area. She emphasizes the benefits of baby signing for early communication, teaching everyday BSL signs to families to help them communicate with their little ones before they can speak and beyond. Julie has forged strong links with her local community and outlines how she did so and the benefits it has brought to her bus...
2024-09-2525 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 119: The Middle Manager Coach with Lisa Robyn Wood Middle managers need far more support to help them thrive in their roles and develop into effective senior executives. So Lisa Robyn Wood, owner of GRIP Coaching tells us. Lisa was a successful middle manager at such major corporates as British Gas and Lucozade Ribena. She enjoyed her jobs but started to realise that coaching people was the thing she most loved. What sets her apart is she acted on it. Lisa put herself through a recognised coaching qualification, and began coaching as a side hustle in 2016. In 2020, she left the corporate world, and joined...
2024-09-1837 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 118: The Mindfulness Pilates Teacher with Beverley DenshamDiscover how to transform adversity into triumph as we chat with Beverley Densham, a renowned Mindfulness Pilates teacher and author of 26 years based in Dorset. She graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sports Science and had a successful Pilates Studio in Hertfordshire for 16 years, relocating to Dorset by the sea: her happy place. She now teaches Mindfulness Pilates at her zoom studio with meditation, mindset, journalling & positive affirmations. Helping reduce back pain to feel good & to be stronger in body & mind. She is host of the Mindfulness Pilates podcast & also teaches...
2024-09-1134 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 117: From Award-Winner to Judge with Sue Keogh Sue Keogh is the Founder of Sookio, a communications consultancy in Cambridge. She joins us in this episode, From Award-Winner to Judge, to talk to us about her extensive awards experience from both sides. Sue works with senior leadership teams who value an external perspective on their communications, bringing fresh energy and 25+ years of industry expertise to help them think beyond the structures of the organisation. A recognised specialist in digital content, Sue has worked closely with institutions including the BBC, ITV, Government Digital Service and the University of Cambridge, and led Sookio as a...
2024-09-0435 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 116: The Return of the Super Sales Mentor with Enfys MaloneyWe have a first on this week's edition of the Business Awards Show. Enfys Maloney becomes the first guest to appear twice on the pod. You can listen again to her first appearance in episode 50, but she has so much more to tell us. Since that recording in 2022, Enfys has won five business awards, started her own awards, and set up hugely successful sales programmes and retreats. Oh, and she also relocated to her native Wales from Bedford. Enfys is a real ball of energy, setting up her business, Sales Training with Enfys, during the pandemic in 2020. She has taken a...
2024-08-2835 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 115: The Power of Online Courses with Karen DaviesIn the latest episode of the Business Awards Show, Karen Davies explains the Power of Online Courses. Discover how they can drive business growth whilst giving entrepreneurs back so much time. Karen is the Founder of Pink Lemon Ltd; a multi-award-winning creative studio based in the heart of Kent. The agency supports female entrepreneurs to build strength in their business by creating online courses and digital products. Furthermore, Karen provides an holistic approach that gently guides her clients through the process of planning, creating, marketing and launching their online product. In addition, Karen also provides effective integrations...
2024-08-2125 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 114: Selling the Education Sector with Nicola Lutz Selling the Education Sector is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show with Nicola Lutz. Nicola is a sales coach in the education sector. She focuses on empowering teams to maximise B2B and direct enrolments in an ethical way, and an efficient yet fun manner. Sales and education appear to be at odds, but Nicola blends commercial sales techniques and processes with the integrity and ethical approach appropriate when dealing with the learning sector and life-altering investment. Nearly thirty years ago, Nicola founded Study Travel to help schools and study travel agencies increase their number of international students and...
2024-08-1427 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 113: The Sustainable Personal Stylist Alex Standley is an award winning Personal Stylist with an impressive 19-year career in the world of fashion. With an unwavering passion for sustainability, dopamine dressing, and the power of style to create positive impact. Alex is THE STYLE EXPERT for busy women, seeking to rediscover their inner confidence through style. With a 1st class honours degree from London College of Fashion, and 15 years as a Fashion Buyer for industry giants like Marks & Spencer and Amazon, Alex brings a wealth of experience to her styling clients. Alex's pivot in her career 5 years ago, was driven...
2024-08-0723 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 112: The Champion of the Care Sector with Donna JacksonDonna Jackson is truly the champion of the care sector. She set up her business Carebusiness Bootcamp to help companies struggling with challenges in the industry. During our discussion she expands on these challenges. She tells us how she is trying to ensure her clients get the support and recognition they need to thrive. Donna is an award-winner, having been named Woman of the Year. Consequently, she held the inaugural Carebusiness Millionaire Circle Awards in March 2024. Her determination to recognise the great efforts of all those running and working in care businesses comes across palpably. That's why...
2024-07-3126 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 111: Branding and Award Design with Natalie MurrayNatalie Murray is an award winning graphic designer with 20 years experience. She runs two design agencies Acknowledge and The Edge Brands and has clients around the world. Within the Edge Brands she loves working on not just the visuals of a brand, but all the strategy and essence of who they are as a company. Within Acknowledge she helps people to celebrate their success with awards in the M&A industry. Natalie has been an active networker to grow her business and tells us what has worked well for her. As she says, the best way to...
2024-07-2426 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 110: The South West's Business Ambassador with Anita Jaynes Anita Jaynes has become the South West's business ambassador with her publishing and events company, The Business Exchange South West. Hers is an organisation that truly champions the best of business in Bath and Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. She set up her independent publishing business in 2013 and has gone from strength to strength, organising this year's inaugural TBE Awards. She runs business shows, conferences and expos, and works tirelessly to bring together businesses in her region. Anita tells us about her career working in magazines before redundancy provoked her to start her own business. She h...
2024-07-1731 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 109: Crafting Winning Award Entries with Emma Hewitt Unlock the secrets of crafting winning award entries with Emma Hewitt, an expert Business Awards Advisor, on this episode of the Business Awards Show. Discover how Emma's background in managing international student recruitment and scholarships seamlessly translates into her current role organizing prestigious awards with Tessa Day at Clubhub. She has been a business awards adviser over recent years, successfully supporting clients to be shortlisted for and win business awards. Emma shares invaluable insights on the importance of authenticity in award entries, urging businesses to tell their stories genuinely and effectively. Whether you're a seasoned applicant or...
2024-07-1027 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 108: The Joy of Performing Arts with Fiona da Silva AdamsThe Joy of Performing Arts is the latest epsiode of the Business Awards Show, featuring award-winning Fiona da Silva Adams. Fiona set up Revolution Performing Arts seventeen years, and has made a huge contribution to the cultural life of Swindon's young people ever since. That contribution won her a Great British Business Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community She tells us how she came to running her own business later in life having had a successful corporate career in her twenties. But her passion for dance and performing arts saw her go to drama school, creating h...
2024-07-0329 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 107: Why Networking Builds Award-Winning Businesses with Louise Yexley Our latest episode discovers why networking builds award-winning businesses. Louise Yexley is someone who knows. She runs nine Women In Business Network (WIBN) groups across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, setting up her first group in 2009. I've known Louise for sixteen years, and I cannot think of anyone better qualified to tell us about the power of networking, and why awards are so important in developing the network. Louise has won awards for Best Franchisee, Best e-Business, and Best Networking Group. She tells us how this has had such a dramatic impact on the credibility and attractiveness of her networking business. In...
2024-06-2631 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 106: The Animal Behaviourist with Lisa SinnottThe Animal Behaviourist with Lisa Sinnott plots the journey of a woman passionate about animals, becoming a leading animal behaviourist. The latest edition of the Business Awards Show explains why understanding the way your dog or cat behaves is so important for any pet owner. Lisa won a silver award in the Animal Services category of the Best Businesswomen Awards in 2022 and has won more awards on her journey as an animal behaviourist. She set up Albany Pet Services in 2016 with the help of a grant from the Princes Trust. Having qualified from University of Edinburgh in clinical animal behaviour, s...
2024-06-1929 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 105: The Toilet Queen with Becky Wall The Toilet Queen with Becky Wall is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show featuring a female entrepreneur who is steeped in business awards. Although hers are rather more unconventional than most! Becky has been passionate about toilets since her mother used to check them before allowing her family into any establishment. This led her to run her own business, A Plush Flush, started in 2006, providing luxury toilets for all sorts of events. Having won a platinum award at the Loo of the Year Awards in 2017, she was offered the opportunity to take over the awards programme in 2021. Running for...
2024-06-1231 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 104: The Power of Networking with Stefan Thomas The Power of Networking with Stefan Thomas is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show, designed to help you get the most from your business networking. Stefan went from working as an estate agent for eighteen years to becoming one of the country's premier business networkers and speakers. He is such an expert, he wrote the bestselling Business Networking for Dummies, a go-to volume for many entrepreneurs starting their networking journey. He is now a leading professional speaker, delivering keynotes around the world. He also provides communications and leadership skills training for blue chip corporates while his business The Conn...
2024-06-0533 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 103: The Women's Weight Loss Coach with Dr Amruti Choudhury The Women's Weight Loss Coach with Amruti Choudhury is the latest edition of the Business Awards Show. Amruti is a former GP who trained to become an accomplished health coach. She has learnt from her own experiences, struggling with ADHD, mental health challenges and being significantly overweight. Through deep learning and determination to improve her life, Amruti began to understand the triggers that were causing her to eat and to respond to her family in negative ways. By putting new habits into place, controlling her own neural pathways, she has become a highly successful coach as she helps others...
2024-05-2927 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 102: The Brand Strategist with Aarti ParmarThe Brand Strategist with Aarti Parmar is the latest episode of The Business Awards Show. Listen as Aarti explains how she came to recognise branding was her speciality, and how she has built a business helping others find their purpose and create strategies to fulfill their goals. In our conversation, we discuss the process Aarti implements to help her clients form their brand and drive their business forward. She has become a respected adviser for the revered business support network Enterprise Nation. She even won one of their awards! Aarti began entering awards in 2016, has...
2024-05-2237 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 101: The Personal Financial Planner with Naomi HaynesThe Personal Financial Planner with Naomi Haynes is the latest episode of The Business Awards Show. Join us as we welcome Naomi, an acclaimed financial planner and winner of the Best Consumer Business in the Best Business Women Awards 2023, for an enlightening discussion about her audacious leap from a secure corporate position to launching her own business amidst the global lockdown. Naomi's tale is not just one of bravery but also of her dedication to closing the gender pension gap and empowering financial wellness. Her journey is punctuated by the hurdles she overcame and the unique pressure that fueled...
2024-05-1529 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 100: The Podcast Guru with Lynsay Gould The Podcast Guru with Lynsay Gould is a very special Business Awards Show podcast - because it's our 100th edition! Lynsay set up The Podcast Boutique to help people just like me to start their own podcast. And she got me to do just that in 2021 when I stopped procrastinating and launched the Business Awards Show. We talked about starting my podcast, but also the challenges of and reasons for starting your own podcast. Lynsay has helped create hundreds of podcast over recent years and has great advice for anyone contemplating their own show. ...
2024-05-1039 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 099: The Client Attraction Coach with Henriette DanelThe Client Attraction Coach with Henriette Danel is another fascinating episode of the Business Awards Show, revealing a host of tips about attracting new clients, the benefits of entering awards, and the benefits of working with a coach. Henriette set up Henriette Danel Coaching six years ago and has gone from strength to strength, helping service-based businesses attract more customers. She is also a public speaker, about to deliver her first Tedx talk, and a co-author of the best-selling Fab Collab. She has also set up The Entrepreneurs Success podcast. Henriette was a S...
2024-05-0130 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 098: The Medical Herbalist with Emma-Louise Follows The Medical Herbalist with Emma-Louise Follows, the latest Business Awards Show podcast, discusses the benefits of medical herbalism, how entrepreneurs need to look after their health as well as their business, and how awards can propel a business forward. Emma-Louise is an employment solicitor who found a passion for medical herbalism. As a result, she qualified and set up her own business, Eat Live Wellness. Over eight years she has grown that business, creating her own herbal products, fermented vegetables, and treatments, including a comprehensive liver cleansing programme. Her products have won her a...
2024-04-2426 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 097: The Nanny Recruiter with Frankie Gray The Nanny Recruiter with Frankie Gray is an episode of the Business Awards Show that highlights the importance of being a great boss and how to build a franchise business. Frankie set up Harmony at Home, a specialist nanny recruitment agency, twenty years ago. She has grown it to the point that the agency has sixteen franchisees all over the country providing services desperately needed by parents. Frankie was nominated by her team in the Best Boss category at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards and got a well-deserved Silver Award. She has also won many other...
2024-04-1729 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 096: The Value of SEO with Silvia Del CorsoThe Value of SEO with Silvia Del Corso is another episode of the Business Awards Show providing essential insights to business owners. Silvia came to Britain from Italy in 2016 and set up her SEO business, PinkSEO, a year later. Since then she has grown her company significantly, now emplying a team of seven, and winning awards for her efforts. She won two silver awards at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards for Marketing and PR and Customer Service and has been highly commended at the West London Chamber of Commerce Business Awards and the 2024 West London Business...
2024-04-1021 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 095: Building an Award-Winning Photography Business with Annie Armitage Building an Award-Winning Photography Business is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show. It features award-winning branding photographer Annie Armitage who has built her business, Annie Armitage Photography over the last seventeen years. Annie was named Best Creative Business at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards and was recently awarded Best Freelancer/Sole Trader at the Kingston Business Awards. Annie talks about getting her first SLR camera when her son was just three years old. She took a course to learn how to use it and realised she had a talent. Our discussion plots her journey from setting up her photography bu...
2024-04-0331 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 094: Revolutionising the Dog Boarding Industry with Dawn BrownRevolutionising the Dog Boarding Industry with Dawn Brown is an inspirational episode of the Business Awards Show. Dawn started Rose Cottage Doggy Day Care eight years ago, achieving her dream of running her own dog kennels. She has grown the business to become one of the leading kennels in the country. In 2023, Dawn won the Gold Award in the Animal Services category of the Best Businesswomen Awards. She has also won the prestigious Rolls Royce Award for Technology and Innovation for the hugely impressive systems she has implemented in her business. Find out how she has built a bu...
2024-03-2739 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 092: Protecting Your IP with Sophie Maughan Protecting Your IP with Sophie Maughan, the latest edition of the Business Awards Show, explores the vital but often overlooked world of intellectual property in business. Sophie has practised as an intelletual property lawyer for over twenty years and is Patent and Trade Mark Attorney for Cleveland Scott York, one of the valued sponsors of the Best Businesswomen Awards. Sophie has been involved in the awards from the start, with a particular passion for customer service. As a judge she tells us what makes for great customer service and what can ensure an application really stands out. She offers fascinating inf...
2024-03-1336 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 091: The Wonderful Wigmaker with Nicola Wood The Wonderful Wigmaker with Nicola Wood is the new release from the Business Awards Show. Nicola was awarded Most Inspiring Businesswoman at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards, and this episode demonstrates exactly why. She started her own hairdressing salon aged just 21 years old and grew her business impressively. But fifteen years later, aged only 36, Nicola was diagnosed with breast cancer. She tells us why this was a gift to her, and how it drove her purpose to provide high quality wigs to people who most needed them, particularly cancer sufferers. Thankfully, she is fully...
2024-03-0627 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 090: Coaching with Integrity with Lucienne ShakirCoaching with Integrity with Lucienne Shakir is our latest discussion on the Business Awards Show. Having spent several years working in education, Lucienne saw how students needed help with growing anxiety as pressure to achieve grades mounted. This led her down a path towards coaching where she could make a measurable difference to people's lives. In 2019 she set up Lucienne Coaching and has not looked back. Now, a major accredited coach, she talks to us about her business and explains her strong views on the state of the coaching industry and why it should be...
2024-02-2830 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 089: Catering for Under-5s with Kerrie Goude and Maddy GriffithsCatering for Under-5s is the latest installment of the Business Awards Show. Kerrie and Maddy founded the multi-award-winning TOTFest six years ago, an all-inclusive festival entirely for under-5s. So successful have the pair been, it has grown to become the largest under-5 festival in the UK. TOTFest now visits five locations in the UK with plans to further expand in the coming years. The pair explain how they came up with the idea, the challenges of working as a partnership, and their plans for the future. COVID caused massive disruption in...
2024-02-2130 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 088 - Building a Music School with Barbara Mohorko-VukaBuilding a Music School with Barbara Mohorko-Vuka is another fascinating installment of the Business Awards Show. Barbara grew up in Slovenia, learning cello from the age of six and gaining an extensive musical education that saw her graduate from Trinity Laban and the Royal College of Music. Barbara took over the Wimbledon School of Music in 2018 at just 22 years of age. Depsite a global pandemic attempting to disrupt the development of her school, Barbara has grown the school impressively over the last five years. Most instruments are now taught and the school is going from...
2024-02-1424 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 087: The Brand Artisan with Becky Benfield-HumberstoneThe Brand Artisan with Becky Benfield-Humberstone is now available on the Business Awards Show. Becky was a silver award winner in the Best Solopreneur category at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards, having grown her branding business, the Brand Artisan. Becky has been a serial entrepreneur, creating her first business, 'Utterly Horses', and growing it to become the largest retailer in its field in Europe. Having sold that business, she spent some time in corporate, working at the Imperial War Museum. That taught her influential lessons as she returned to the small business world. ...
2024-02-0724 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 086: The Green Florist with Anna Ball The Green Florist with Anna Ball is the latest edition of the Business Awards Show. Anna won the Best Green Business Award at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards for her green floristry business, Floral Image UK. Anna worked as a primary school teacher before meeting her husband, and the couple decided to buy the UK license for Floral Image, a global business providing artificial flower arrangements for offices and events. Since starting the UK company, Anna has led the development of a network of 24 franchisees and a growing corporate customer list. Demand has snowballed. Ann...
2024-01-3119 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 085: Fighting Sex-Trafficking with Ruth Robb Fighting sex trafficking with Ruth Robb is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Ruth founded a fantastic charity, Azalea, fifteen years ago, helping women who have been sex-trafficked. Her work led to a Gold Award at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards. Having worked in social care, Ruth became increasingly aware of the horrors of sex trafficking in her local area around Luton. Being easily accessible from Luton airport and Dunstable logistics hubs, Ruth realised her town was increasingly becoming an accessible location to use for bringing oppressed women into the UK. She...
2024-01-2424 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 084: Scaling Tutor Businesses with Helen DickmanScaling Tutor Businesses with Helen Dickman is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Helen was a Silver Award Winner in the Best New Business category of the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards. Helen studied English at university and, almost inevitably, became a teacher and then an educational consultant. In 2018, she became a private tutor, experiencing the ups and downs of being self-employed in the education sector. Having developed a clear understanding of what makes a strong tutoring business, Helen set up her own business, Love Mondays Club, in 2021. She aimed to help busy fem...
2024-01-1631 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 083: Going Green with Danielle Seatter Going Green with Danielle Seatter is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Danielle was a Silver Award Winner in the Best Green Business category of the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards. Danielle was an early learning teacher, but having left the sector, she decided to start an eco-business, Eco-Able, in 2019. In 2022, she opened her shop in Cirencester, selling a multitude of eco-friendly products, and hasn't looked back. She tells us why she started a green business and how the product range has been diversified to meet her customers' needs. She has published two children's bo...
2024-01-0922 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 082: Building loyalty in hospitality with Ashleigh DonaldBuilding loyalty in the hospitality industry is our latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Ashleigh was voted Best Businesswoman in Marketing and PR at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards. She explains why she and her husband set up their business Halo Business Consulting offering businesses in the hospitality sector the benefit of their twenty years' of experience in marketing, PR, and customer experience in the industry. Ashleigh explains why the pandemic was such a pivotal moment in hospitality, and how it affected her and her customers. The changes that have emerged have had a h...
2024-01-0229 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 081: The Joy of Music for Children with Cat Bateman The Joy of Music for Children is the latest release from The Business Awards Show. It features an interview with Cat Bateman, silver award winner at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards, and founder of Little Folk Nursery Rhymes Ltd. Sophie had a passion for music from a young age, so setting up a business twelve years ago bringing mothers and their toddlers together to sing nursery rhymes, seemed like a natural thing to do. She has built a substantial local community, and many of the the young children she taught in the early years, are now l...
2023-12-2043 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 80: A New Kind of VA with Sophie Ryan A New Kind of VA with Sophie Ryan is our latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Sophie was a silver award winner at this year's Best Businesswomen Awards in the Best New Business category. In this interview, she tells us about setting up her business, Interactive VA, which aims to deliver a more holistic approach to customers. She explains why she created a VA company offering business and physical and mental well-being support. She has a varied client portfolio with a broad range of needs and describes how she fulfils them. Marketing is a vi...
2023-12-1218 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 079: Branding and Design with Emily Hewett Branding and Design with Emily Hewett is the latest episode of the Business Awards Show. Emily left Leeds to come south, where she knew nobody, but that did not stop her from setting up her own branding and design business fourteen years ago. She has remained a sole trader, building a solid team of marketing professionals to support her clients as she grows her customer base. Supporting local charities is a key driver, as she offers marketing work pro bono to aid their efforts. This is an entrepreneur who lives her values. Emily tells us about...
2023-11-3023 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 078: Awakening Women's Lives with Jane Galloway Awakening Women's Lives is our latest episode featuring coach Jane Galloway. The title comes from Jane's flagship programme as she seeks to help and champion women to live their best lives. Jane worked in the NHS for many years, whilst developing a coaching practice on the side. In 2023 she has taken the leap and her coaching business Quiet the Hive is now her full-time focus. She has a degree in psychology and is fascinated in people generally, igniting a desire to help others from a young age. Many of the decisions and mental processes she h...
2023-11-2831 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 077: Branding for Small Business with Andrea Boughton Our latest episode discusses branding for small business with Andrea Boughton, founder of branding design consultant, Beehive Green. Andrea worked in large London agencies before having children, taking a break from work for five years before setting up her own branding design business. Our discussion looks at the origins of her company, and how she got it off the ground. Having worked with small businesses for nearly ten years, she tells us what she has learnt about branding over that time, and what advice she would give others considering a similar career move. ...
2023-11-1631 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 076: Interview with Angela SpencerIn today's interview with Angela Spencer, we learn about Angela's journey from the corporate world to starting her coaching business Virago Wellness. She was Head of Culture in a well known retail business employing over 4000 people. Now she runs her own solopreneur business. As you will hear, she has absolutely no regrets. Consequently she is thriving in her mission to help empower women through self-discovery to achieve their best selves. She tells us how the pandemic was a game-changer for her and her husband. It led her to quickly grew her coaching practice, although she e...
2023-11-1532 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 075: Connecting Through Singing with Emma BaylinOur latest episode features an interview with Emma Baylin, the inspirational founder of Shared Harmonies CIC. The charity was set up ten years ago to fulfil Emma's passion for wellbeing with a love of singing to bring about powerful human connections. Emma tells us about her journey over the last ten years, how her charity helps those with dementia and respiratory problems, and the benefits she brings to corporate clients. Her work in the community makes such a difference, never better demonstrated than during the pandemic. Emma explains why being a Silver Winner at the...
2023-11-0829 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 074: Being a Headline Sponsor with Steven Lambert Today's episode features an interview with Steven Lambert, Relationship Manager for business support charity and Best Businesswomen Awards headline sponsor, Be The Business. Be The Business is a significant contributor to business growth in the small business sector, providing mentorship and productivity programmes, research from across the sector, and campaigns for better productivity, tackling information gaps and fixed mindsets. During our discussion, Steven talks about Be The Business, the work they do to support small businesses, and the typical challenges he regularly sees. He explains why he recommended sponsoring the Best Businesswomen Awards and why...
2023-10-2530 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 073: Interview with Tessa Day Today's episode features an interview with Tessa Day, founder of the largest UK directory for kids activities, Club Hub UK. She also runs the Club Hub Awards for entrepreneurs working in the child activity sector. Tessa's energy and positivity shines through in this discussion, as she covers Club Hub's activities, to the huge amount work behind entering and running awards. She is part of f:Entrepreneur, a leading organisation celebrating the very best female entrepreneurs in the country. The connections she has made from this and by meeting awards finalists has helped her grow her...
2023-10-2526 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 072: Interview with Zeenat Ahmed-Peto Today's episode features an interview with Zeenat Ahmed-Peto, winner of Best Customer Service at the 2023 Best Businesswomen Awards. Given this is one of the most competitive and demanding categories to win, I was delighted to speak to Zeenat about her success. Her approach to customer service in the therapy field makes her stand out. Once your a client of Zeenat's, she's with you for life as you will hear. Find out how a successful teaching career transitioned into training to become a therapist, determined to help others as she had been helped herself. S...
2023-10-1723 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 071: Interview with Tracy FishburnIn today's episode we have an interview with Tracy Fishburn, founder of Tracy's Treasured Keepsakes. She was the winner of a silver award at the recent Best Businesswomen Awards and also won the Best New Business Award at Biz4Biz awards in July. She runs an amazing business taking clothes that people cannot bear to part with that may once have belonged to a loved one, turning them into beautiful teddy bears, elephants and cushions among other things. In this episode you can find out how Tracy came to run her own business, even though sh...
2023-10-1120 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 070: Interview with Alec Jones-Hall In this interview with Alec Jones, we learn about the various businesses he has created. Those businesses include the Great British Expo, The Thames Valley and South West Awards, The Great British Business Awards, SME Today magazine, and a wonderful charity, Cherishers. We learn about Alec's younger years, and what has driven him to build his businesses and to form his charity. Alec explains what contributes to winning award entries, and what is likely to put judges off. You will find out the most important characteristics of award winners, and why winning awards can be so transformative for so many bus...
2023-10-0930 min
The Business Awards ShowEpisode 069: Interview with Shelley OtwayToday I am joined by one of the Gold Award winners from last week's Best Business Women Awards Gala Evening, Shelley Otway. Having run her own children's stage school for nearly fifteen years, Shelley was rewarded with a Gold Award in the Children and Families category. Shelley shares the challenges of setting up her stage school, Steppin' Out Stars of Tomorrow. She explains how she dealt with national competitors, navigated the challenges of Covid, and why entering and winning awards has been so positive for her and her business. Like most business owners, she has...
2023-10-0428 min