Essex Business Podcast

The focus on sustainability, along with ethical and environmental working practices, has become increasingly important for businesses of all sizes in recent years. In this episode, we explore sustainable development and ethical business practices in Essex with four inspiring guests. We highlight their significant contributions to sustainability and how they have effectively incorporated eco-friend...

Selling a business involves more than just finding a buyer; it requires meticulous planning, negotiation skills, and an understanding of a range of legal and financial implications. In this episode, we focus on the intricacies of navigating the sale process, discussing common challenges and best practices to ensure a successful transaction. First, Paul Forsyth, Partner at Ellisons Solicitors, spea...

In this episode, we explore the power of networking with three Essex-based networkers and relationship-building experts. From leveraging social media to attending industry events, our guests share practical tips and strategies for expanding your network, nurturing meaningful relationships, and unlocking new opportunities. To kick things off, Aaron Desmond, Founder of Networking Essex, the largest...

In this episode, we talk to three Essex-based business leaders about their personal stories, the challenges they have overcome, and the leadership principles that have guided them to success. This episode offers valuable insights into effective leadership strategies that you can implement in your own business pursuits. Reporter Chris Penhall speaks to Lis McCormick, Director at McCormick Consultan...

In this episode, we explore the digital landscape alongside three Essex business leaders who have embraced technology to drive growth and innovation. Learn about their digital transformation journeys, the tools and strategies they found most effective, and how technology has become a crucial component of their overall business strategy. Reporter Chris Penhall speaks to Matt Carr,  Co-Founder of EC...

In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, we dive into the dynamic world of business expansion, exploring the journeys of three successful entrepreneurs from Essex to uncover the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and the strategies they employed to successfully grow their business on a national and international level. Reporter Chris Penhall talks to Alistair Hunter, Managing D...

Predicting the future landscape of the business world is becoming increasingly difficult, but strategic planning for what lies ahead remains vital for organisations of all sizes. In this episode, we've asked three experts to gaze into their crystal balls and share their opinions on what's in store for the Essex business scene in 2024. Ann Scott is Essex Development manager for the Federation of Sm...

In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, amidst the festive aroma of mince pies and satsumas, we explore the significance of Christmas as the pivotal lifeline for the retail sector. The widespread belief suggests that the holiday season is a decisive make-or-break period for many businesses. However, we examine whether this notion still holds true, or if it has evolved into something of a my...

Hybrid working is now considered to be the new norm in many sectors, so in this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, we explore how employers can get the right balance and maximise productivity whilst simultaneously ensuring their employees are fully engaged with the business. Lis McCormick, Director at McCormick Consultants Ltd talks to our reporter, Chris Penhall about the multifaceted challen...

As another batch of apprentices embark on new careers, and with apprenticeships available in just about every subject you can imagine, we ask whether apprenticeships are key to solving the skills shortages affecting so many sectors of business. In this episode, we hear from Hannah O'Brien and Toni Parrish, Employer Engagement Officers at Adult Community Learning Essex, which oversees hundreds of a...

In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, we discuss the future of town and city centres, focusing specifically on Colchester where town centre businesses have just voted for the renewal of the Our Colchester BID (Business Improvement District). Are town and city centres dying on their feet or are they merely going through a period of reinvention?  We hear from Peter Richardson, Colchester-ba...

We dive into the glitz and glamour of the highly anticipated King's Awards for Enterprise, a prestigious event that recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements of local businesses, and explore the profound impact that awards have on the growth and development of businesses within the Essex community. In this episode our reporter, Chris Penhall, talks to Keith Attwood, Deputy Lieutenant...

A recent trial in the North-East found employers and employees alike favoured a four-day week. In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, we ask if this could be the future and are we about to see a seismic shift in traditional working patterns. Our reporter, Chris Penhall, talks to Carla Beard, Director at Colchester-based Koala Digital, who has successfully implemented a four-day work week i...

In an age when multinational conglomerates grab most of the headlines, for good or bad, family-run businesses are still the bedrock of most communities. With the search on by Family Business United to find the top 50 family businesses in Essex, this episode looks at the continuing important role played by family businesses, not just in term of direct employment, but in the broader supportive role...

Are there still up-and-coming and highly ambitious entrepreneurs rising through the ranks across Essex? In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast   we speak to some of the people in the county making their mark, and find out about the support they are receiving to realise their potential and what they are learning along the way. Offering their thoughts are Ben Smyth, CEO and founder of Colches...

Particularly in the aftermath of Covid and the increase in hybrid working, settling on the right size and type of office premises is quite a challenge. This episode of the Essex Business Podcast looks at what people are searching for, what is available in Essex, what will it cost and how do you best source it? Offering their views are Mike Gray, Managing Director at south Essex-based property cons...

Artificial Intelligence has been talked about for a while now, but still often with an air of what could happen in the future. The reality is somewhat different, and AI is playing an increasingly key role in business life.  In episode 31 of the Essex Business Podcast, we talk to Dr Faraz Janan, Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, who discusses artificial intelligence in medic...

Research & Development (R&D) investment has fallen by over 300% in Essex since 2002, which is now hindering productivity growth of the county's businesses. With Rishi Sunak declaring his desire to make the UK the most innovative economy in the world, how can Essex businesses play their part in growing a culture of creative thinking and supporting innovation? In the latest episode of the Essex Busi...

As 2022 comes to an end (hooray will be the cry of many!), what challenges will 2023 offer and how will Essex likely rise to these challenges? With at least a whiff of uncertainty still likely to be hanging in the air, what will 2023 hold in store for the under-pressure Essex businessperson? Will we be soaring skyward or bumping along the runway? In this episode we hear from Ann Scott, Development...

With endless talk of soaring energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis, which hit businesses as much as individual consumers, what can businesses do to save on costs and protect their bottom line? In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, we speak to Paul Hughes from PLH Utilities , who offers advice on ways for businesses to reduce energy and water bills, and Neil Griffin, Director at the I...

After so many years of being a city-less county, Essex now boasts three, following this year's news that Southend and then Colchester were to join Chelmsford as having city status bestowed upon them. But what does this mean economically for the county? A path to new riches or simply a name-change? In this episode of the Essex Business Podcast, we look at what city status has done for the Chelmsfor...

There was a time when businesses supported charities out of the goodness of their hearts, sustaining not much more than a warm glow in the process. Times, though, have moved on. Nowadays, supporting charities is an important business decision and the ongoing relationship which ensues is very much a strong two-way partnership designed to benefit both the business (be it from the private or public s...

When it comes to funding for your business, the days when a meeting with your bank manager was the best or only option are long gone. Crowdfunding, tokenization and special purpose acquisition companies are just some of the avenues you can now explore, in addition to the more traditional routes. In this episode, we talk to Jacqui Stimpson from Best Growth Hub, a government-backed organisation that...

Rickard Luckin has teamed up with Family Business United to find the oldest family firms across Essex and celebrate family businesses throughout the county. To mark the occasion, episode 24 of the Essex Business Podcast features Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United , and James Boustead, Tax Director at Rickard Luckin, who highlight why they're running this inaugural piece of res...

Now the dust appears to have mostly settled on the COVID crisis, one debate still rages: where should we all be working? Should we by now be back in the office 100% of the time, should we still have the freedom to work from home, or should we be combining the best of both worlds? Views vary, but in episode 23 we discuss the options for employers and employees alike. Jessica Douglas, Strategic Peop...