Behind the SME

Behind the SME with Rahan Arif, Co-founder of BossUp AI is moving from tool to teammate, and that changes what leadership looks like inside an SME. In this episode of Behind the SME, Adam Kene speaks with Rahan Arif, a seasoned entrepreneur and transformation leader with nearly two decades at the forefront of digital disruption. Rahan has built and scaled product organisations across cloud, low co...

Behind the SME with Evgeny Shadchnev, Founder of Makers, CEO coach and author specialising in leadership transitions. In this episode of Behind the SME , host Adam Kene sits down with Evgeny Shadchnev , founder of Makers and one of the UK’s most respected voices on founder-to-CEO transitions, to unpack the real journey of building, scaling and ultimately stepping away from a high-growth startup. E...

Behind the SME with Leanne Maskell, 5x best-selling author, coach and Director at ADHD Works. In this episode of Behind the SME , host Adam Kene speaks with Leanne Maskell - author, coach, and Director at ADHD Works - about her remarkable journey from international modelling and severe mental health struggles to becoming a global voice for neurodivergent empowerment and workplace inclusion. Leanne...

Behind the SME with Michael, Co-Founder of Community Wolf. What if public safety could be crowdsourced and improved with the power of AI? In this episode of Behind the SME , host Adam Kene speaks with Michael Houghton - entrepreneur and co-founder of Community Wolf - about his journey from corporate engineering to building a mission-led startup tackling public safety challenges in South Africa. Th...

Behind the SME with Athena Peppes, Futurist and Economist, Advisor at BossUp. AI and Director of Futures at Beacon Thought Leadership What if you could see disruption coming and turn it into opportunity? In this episode of Behind the SME , host Adam Kene, speaks with Athena Peppes — futurist, economist, and former Accenture strategist — about how small and medium-sized businesses can use fore...

Behind the SME with Mike Jones, CTO of LoveHolidays From turning a £5 million turnaround story into a £2.2 billion exit to steering a travel brand through the chaos of COVID, Mike Jones has built a career on turning complexity into clarity through technology, leadership and curiosity. In this episode of Behind the SME , Mike shares 30 years of lessons in scaling fast-moving businesses, rebuilding...

Behind the SME with Nicole Spencer, MD of RMC & Board Member at FESPA UK From navigating self-doubt at breakfast in a room full of technical jargon, to earning respect and building trust as a new face in the factory, Nicole shares how humility, curiosity, and grit have shaped her leadership journey. In this episode of Behind the SME, Nicole unpacks how “knowing nothing” became her secret weapo...

Behind the SME with Steve Peralta, Co-Founder of Unmind, cultural advisor, and leadership coach. From redefining psychological safety as a strategic advantage, to exposing why leader well-being is the single biggest predictor of business performance, Steve brings a refreshingly human perspective to the future of work. In this episode of Behind the SME , we dive into why culture can’t be fixed with...

Behind the SME with Steve Morris, Senior Leader at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC). From helping startups transform Tupperware-box prototypes into world-ready products, to guiding 800+ SMEs a year through automation, funding, and growth - the MTC is quietly powering some of the UK’s most exciting manufacturing success stories. In this episode of Behind the SME, we go inside the High Valu...

Behind the SME with Erika Robinson, UK General Manager at Constant Contact and Founder of PICNIC. From building a thriving soft play business while raising two small children, to leading the UK arm of a digital marketing company, Erika Robinson’s career has been shaped by curiosity, grit and a love for small business. In this episode of Behind the SME , Erika shares how she balanced entrepreneursh...

Behind the SME with Alex Merry, Founder of TEDxClapham and Public Speaking Coach at MicDrop From knocking on doors as a sales rep to helping leaders own global stages, Alex Merry’s journey is rooted in storytelling, tenacity and a mission to make ideas worth sharing truly heard. In this episode of Behind the SME , Alex reunites with host Adam Kene – his former door-to-door sales partner – to unpac...

Behind the SME with Lyndsay Mason, Founder and CEO of For The Creators. From climbing the corporate ladder to launching two purpose-led businesses, Lyndsay Mason’s journey is one of resilience, reinvention and relentless curiosity. In this episode of Behind the SME , we sit down with Lyndsay to hear how growing up in an entrepreneurial household shaped her ambitions, why she walked away from a hig...

Behind the SME with Tom Parsons, Founder of Aetha Design. From Dyson engineer to launching his own design studio, Tom Parsons has always believed great products come from asking the right questions. In this episode of Behind the SME , we sit down with Tom, Founder of Aetha Design, to explore what it takes to build a purpose-led product agency, why simplicity wins, and how his love for nature inspi...

Behind the SME with Tom Kennard, CEO of Pragma Holis. What happens when a consultancy puts people before process — and still delivers world-class outcomes? In this episode of Behind the SME, we sit down with Tom Kennard, co-founder and CEO of Pragma Holis, a strategic consultancy that's rethinking how businesses approach transformation. With a background that spans the public and private sectors,...

Behind the SME with George Hosegood, Founder & Director at Trailpoint. What does it really take to build a successful business – and what happens when you do things differently from the start? In this episode of Behind the SME , we speak with George Hosegood, a serial entrepreneur who co-founded Turvec, a leader in active travel infrastructure, before launching Trailpoint – a company acquiring...

Behind the SME with Stuart Lotherington, Managing Director at SBR Consulting. What makes a high-performing sales team – and how can SMEs build one? In this episode of Behind the SME, we sit down with Stuart Lotherington, Managing Director of SBR Consulting, a specialist consultancy focused on developing world-class sales capabilities for businesses of all sizes. With decades of experience in sales...

Behind the SME with Will Newland, founder and MD of SoBold. What happens when you skip the corporate ladder and go straight into starting your own company? In this episode of Behind the SME , we sit down with Will Newland , founder and MD of SoBold , a high-performance WordPress agency working with enterprise clients across healthcare, finance, real estate, and SaaS. Straight out of university, Wi...

Behind the SME with Tim Gray, Owner & Managing Director of Dairi-Pak. What does it take to build a business that stands the test of time? In this episode of Behind the SME , we sit down with Tim Gray, the driving force behind Dairi-Pak, to explore how he’s shaping the future of sustainable packaging. Tim has spent decades navigating the evolving landscape of manufacturing, steering Dairi-Pak t...

Behind the SME with Arabella Dupont, Co-Founder & Director of The Bridal Beauty Co. How do you turn years of industry expertise into a thriving business? In this episode of Behind the SME , we sit down with Arabella Dupont , former Conde Nast Brides editor turned entrepreneur, to uncover the journey of launching and growing The Bridal Beauty Co . Arabella spent over a decade in luxury magazine...

Behind the SME with Former Banking Exec, Jonathan Beebe What happens when a senior banking leader transitions from global finance to advising SMEs? In this episode of Behind the SME , we sit down with Jonathan Beebe , a former Barclays and Merrill Lynch executive who now serves as an advisor, investor, and non-exec across multiple businesses. Jonathan shares his unique perspective on the SME world...

Behind the SME with Niama El Bassunie, Managing Partner of Baobab Network In this episode, we sit down with Niama El Bassunie , a trailblazing entrepreneur who built and exited a successful B2B marketplace in Africa and is now backing the next generation of founders at Baobab Network . Niama shares her journey — from starting WaystoCap , navigating the challenges of scaling a cross-border trade pl...

Behind the SME with Jordan Relfe, Co-founder of Lifeproven In this episode of Behind the SME , Adam Kene sits down with Jordan Relfe, Co-founder of Lifeproven , to explore the challenges and rewards of building a purpose-driven business in the real estate sector. From navigating the early days of entrepreneurship to embedding ESG principles in the property industry, Jordan shares candid lessons on...

Behind the SME with Sage Lakhani, COO of Kene In this episode of Behind the SME , Adam Kene is joined by Sage Lakhani, COO of Kene , whose career journey has taken her from working at PwC to leading high-performing teams in the SME space. As a Chartered Tax Adviser, Sage brings deep expertise in tax solutions, process optimisation, and team management, paired with a passion for building strong cl...

Behind the SME with John Wyer, Founder and Co-owner of Bowles & Wyer In this episode, Adam Kene speaks with John Wyer, Founder and Co-owner of Bowles & Wyer, about his 30+ years of experience leading a successful landscape design and build business. John reflects on navigating crises, redefining business identity, and the powerful role of culture in driving growth. From battling financial...

Behind the SME with Hugo & Rupert, Co-founders of Pockla In this episode, Hugo and Rupert, co-founders of the AI-powered marketing tech platform Pockla, share their entrepreneurial journey. They dive into the importance of deeply understanding customer needs through discovery calls, rather than focusing solely on product-building. They also discuss simplifying business hypotheses and objective...