Bang the Drum

Want to craft a strategic and agile plan that drives sustainable growth? Tune into the latest Bang the Drum episode for key frameworks and best practices to navigate today’s fast-paced business world.  In this episode, Emma Sheppard is joined by Emma Jones, Founder of Enterprise Nation, Paul Millard, Owner of Alchemy Creations, and Katie Watson, Accounting & Business Advisory Services Director...

Curious about how venture capital and private equity can fuel your business growth? Stream the latest episode of Bang the Drum to uncover key strategies for securing investment! In this episode, Emma Sheppard is joined by Ian Wilson, Fund Principal at Mercia Asset Management, and Lee Humble, UK Head of Corporate Finance at Azets. They explore the world of VC and PE funding, unravelling their impac...

Wondering how pay-on-demand models like Salary Advance impact employees and employers? Dive into the latest episode of Bang the Drum ! In this episode, Emma Sheppard is joined by Jason Davenport, CEO of The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), and Stephen Abbotts, Director of Payroll Services at Azets. They investigate pay-on-demand as an emerging model, evaluating its sustainabili...

Curious about how credit ratings impact business growth? Dive into the latest episode of Bang the Drum !  In this episode, Emma Sheppard is joined by Paul Surtees, CEO and Co-Founder Capitalise; and Fraser Campbell, UK Head of Accounts & Business Advisory at Azets.  They examine the significance of credit ratings, highlighting how credit rating hygiene can shape the trajectory of growing busin...

Are you a sports enthusiast curious about the financial side of the game? Dive into the latest episode of Bang The Drum ! In this episode, Emma Sheppard is joined by Gareth Griffins, Managing Director at Pro Sports Wealth; and Lee Stott, a Tax Partner at Azets. They uncover the complexities of tax in sport, discussing the unique challenges and considerations faced by athletes, clubs, and governing...

In this special UK Autumn Budget 2024 episode, six of Azets’ expert advisors join host Emma Sheppard for live reaction to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcements. They discuss the potential impact on business and how Labour tax reforms and support initiatives could shape the economic landscape and future growth. Bang the Drum has featured at #1 in the Apple Podcast charts for Management podcasts a...

Ready to supercharge your business with electric vehicles? Tune in to the latest episode of Bang The Drum ! In this episode, Emma Sheppard is joined by Tom Baker, Partnerships Manager at Octopus EV; Richard Whitelock, Partner & Head of Employer Solutions at Azets; and David Pinner, Employee Benefits Consultant in Azets Wealth Management. We explore the transformative journey of EV adoption in...

Bang the Drum is back! The chart-topping podcast for ambitious businesses and their owners returns for an exciting third season, with topics including tax in sport, why credit ratings matter, the fundamentals of wealth management, and driving change through EV adoption.  Kicking off S3, host Emma Sheppard is joined by Justine Riccomini, Head of Tax for Employment & Devolved Taxes at ICAS, and...

In this special UK Spring Statement episode, four of Azets’ tax experts join host Emma Sheppard for live reaction to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s statement. Predictions for tax reforms in the UK Spring Budget 2024, ahead of the upcoming general election, are generating significant anticipation. How might these expected reforms influence the overall economic landscape and fiscal outlook? Bang the Drum...

Host Emma Sheppard is joined by Hayley Kingsnorth, Partner of Accounting and Business Advisory Services at Azets and Mark Rose, Employer Engagement Lead at Bemix. With the growth of social enterprises, more businesses are being founded to build a better world. From reducing of economic inequality and improving social justice, to implementing environmental sustainability, the panel explores the wor...

In this episode, host Emma Sheppard is joined by Dan Fallows, Managing Director at Gorilla Accounting and Tim Waterton, Chief Revenue Officer, HappyOrNot. The panel discusses the value of receiving customer feedback: How to get it, what to do with it, and why building long-lasting, trusted relationships is so important to growth for ambitious businesses and their owners. Bang the Drum has featured...

In this episode, our guests discuss the fundamental role of business leaders and HR professionals in supporting employees' mental health and wellbeing. This podcast episode includes discussions on mental health and suicide. We want to emphasise that the content shared in this episode is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The conversations within may touch on sensitive topics...

In this special UK Autumn Statement episode, five of Azets’ tax experts join host Emma Sheppard for live reaction to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s statement. With economic forecasts showing growth is stagnant and Britain is teetering on the edge of a recession; how has the Chancellor eased these pressures and what support has been offered to business leaders to boost economic growth? Bang the Drum has...

In this episode, host Emma Sheppard is joined by Tom Shakhli, Head of Project Success, Spacehive, alongside Ursula Stone, Founder of The Flower Bank. The panel explores the world of crowdfunding and how it can enable SMEs and social enterprises to access the capital they need to flourish.  Bang the Drum has featured at #1 in the Apple Podcast charts for Management podcasts and #19 in the Apple Pod...

In this episode, host Emma Sheppard, is joined by Emma Green, Deputy Director for Cyber Resilience at Dept. for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT); and Paul Kelly, Head of Cyber Services at Azets.  The panel delves into the topic of cyber security and how preventing fraud doesn't have to be an overwhelming task for small business owners.  Bang the Drum has featured at #1 in the Apple Podcas...

Bang the Drum is back! In this first episode in the new series, host Emma Sheppard is joined by Robert Halfon MP, Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education; Victoria Wainwright, Office Managing Partner at Azets; and David Whitson-Black, Global Head of Talent and Performance at Azets. They discuss the benefits to SME businesses and young people embarking on an apprenticeshi...

It's the last episode of the S1! SME business leaders are under more duress than ever before, with economic uncertainty, rising costs, and talent shortages all adding to every day stress. So, how can entrepreneurs spot the signs they may be approaching burnout? What positive habits can they adopt to achieve a better work-life balance? And what other support is available to them if they feel they n...

This episode is all about franchises, with the world's largest 24/7 fitness franchise Anytime Fitness. We’re discussing how you decide whether franchising is for you, how to find the right franchisee, some of the common mistakes to watch out for, and the financial parameters to have in place. Host Emma Sheppard is joined by Daniel Penn, Head of Network Development at Anytime Fitness; multi-site fr...

In this episode, we’re discussing business innovation and what incentives are available to research-intensive SMEs. We’ll explore Research & Development (R&D) tax relief and capital allowances, and explain how entrepreneurs can navigate this seemingly complex world. Host Emma Sheppard is joined by Tim Croft, National Head of R&D Tax at Azets; Gurj Sandhu, National Head of Capital Allow...

Paying people accurately and on time is the cardinal rule of payroll. But what more value can a successful payroll process add, and when is the right time for a growing SME business to seek help? Host Emma Sheppard is joined by Erik Bekkåsen, Director of Nordic Payroll at Azets; Stephen Abbotts, Azets’ Director of UK Payroll Services; and Kirk Boster, Managing Director of M+M Matting, to find out....

Times are tough. So, how do SME business leaders maintain continuous operations, protect people and assets, and preserve brand equity in the face of disruption? To find out, Emma Sheppard is joined by Azets UK Partner Nick Parrett, and Ron Wain, Managing Director of Deep South Media, a public relations consultancy based in the South of England, which this year celebrates 25 years in business. Bang...

In this special episode, five of the UK’s leading tax experts join host Emma Sheppard for live reaction to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s 2023 Spring Budget statement.  Billed as a ‘growth’ Budget that aims to get the UK economy growing sustainably again, what levers did the Chancellor pull and what support has been offered to business leaders to boost economic growth? Let’s find out… Bang the Drum has...

In this episode, host Emma Sheppard is joined by Chris Horne, Group CEO at Azets, and Chris Herd, CEO of Firstbase, a management platform for remote work. They discuss cross-cultural leadership and how to lead a growing #international organisation, integrating diverse cultures to create a homogenous business. Bang the Drum has featured at #1 in the Apple Podcast charts for Management podcasts and...

In this episode, host Emma Sheppard is joined by Paul Clifford, Regional CEO at Azets, and Andrea Hartley, CEO of creative social and environmental impact consultancy Skating Panda. They discuss the importance of ESG and sustainability for SME business leaders; some of the low-cost, high impact initiatives that can be used; and how to turn being good to the environment into profitable growth. Bang...

In this episode, we’re discussing mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and asking the big question: when is the right time to buy? Host Emma Sheppard is joined by Jeremy Fearnley, Azets Group Head of M&A; Warren Munson, founder of Inspire Accountants, a firm based in the South of England which Azets acquired in March last year; and Jo Barry, Managing Director of acquisitive SME Platinum Care So...