Beyond the Numbers with Bev Wakefield

Season 4 opens with a big one. In this first episode, Bev is joined by executive coach and Tough Talk Mentor Cheryl Thompson for a bumper conversation for business owners who need their people at their best if they want to scale, grow and stop carrying everything themselves. Cheryl shares why leadership is not about being liked, why being clear can be kinder than being comfortable, and why the con...

“I’ll sort that later.” “I’ll pay myself properly when things settle.” “One day I’ll sell, and that will be my pension.” In this final episode of the series, Bev shares the shift that changed everything for her: moving from building to sell to building for freedom now. She breaks down the three layers of real financial security, your Enough Number, your Freedom layer and business value, and explai...

More clients. More revenue. More staff. More pressure. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev challenges the idea that bigger automatically means better. She shares why most businesses don’t hit a revenue ceiling, they hit a capacity ceiling, and how chasing growth without intention can quietly erode your profit, energy and freedom. Through the Visionary, Deliverer and Generalist model, she br...

What happens when you stop waiting to be promoted and start building your own table? In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev sits down with Kavita Oberoi OBE, founder of Oberoi Consulting and the Oberoi Business Hub, to talk about resilience, cultural expectation and backing yourself when no one else will. From being passed over for promotion to landing a half-million-pound contract with no tea...

The 3am spirals. The weight of payroll. The quiet fear of getting it wrong. Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, even when you’re surrounded by people who love you. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev shares why building a business in isolation is one of the biggest mistakes founders make. She opens up about the mentors, masterminds and honest conversations that helped her carry both the emoti...

You can be busy all day and still not be building anything bigger. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev explores the identity shift that changes everything, moving from operator to owner. From being the rainmaker and problem solver to becoming the architect and leader, this is the transition that unlocks growth, authority and freedom. She breaks down the trap of staying in your Zone of Excel...

Rapid growth looks impressive from the outside. It feels very different on the inside. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev sits down with Matt Hay, founder of Bulbshare, to talk about scaling too fast, rebuilding after collapse and ultimately exiting the business. From early agency challenges to landing global clients and navigating acquisition, Matt shares the honest lessons behind the hea...

If everything in your business lives in your head, no wonder you’re exhausted. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev shares why systems are not just efficiency tools, they are wellbeing tools. From scattered processes and constant interruptions to being the bottleneck in your own business, she unpacks the hidden cost of chaos and the freedom that comes from clarity. You’ll hear how consolidat...

Why don’t my team care as much as I do? How do I find the right people? In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev shares what she would do differently if she started again, starting with hiring for heart and leading with trust. She reflects on early hiring mistakes, the real cost of keeping the wrong people too long, and the shift from firefighting to coaching. From values over CVs to clarity wit...

What does leadership really look like when lives depend on it? In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev sits down with Gillian Sewell, Chief Executive of YMCA Derbyshire, whose three decades of service have transformed opportunities for young people across the county and beyond. Gillian shares what it means to lead an organisation that is more than a workplace. From building award winning campus...

Pricing is where confidence wobbles and self-doubt creeps in. It is also where so many business owners quietly undercut themselves. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev shares what she would do differently if she started again, and it starts with charging properly from day one. She unpacks how fear-based pricing keeps businesses small, why waiting for “one day” rarely works, and how underpri...

When you start a business, it’s easy to tell yourself you’ll sort the balance later. Later, when things calm down. Later, when it’s successful enough. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev shares what she’d do differently if she started again, and it starts with building a business around life, not squeezing life in around work. From the invisible mental load of being a business owner to the...

We’re often taught that leadership is about control, authority, and having all the answers. But what if real leadership starts somewhere quieter, with self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the courage to change how you show up? In this episode, Bev is joined by Nicky, whose career began with more than two decades in the Metropolitan Police, before moving into coaching and leadership developm...

In this live episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev takes the podcast to the Vibrant Supper Club for an evening of food, conversation, and connection. Local business owners share what they’ve learned this year, the advice they’re taking into the new year, and what keeps them going. From the importance of community to reflections on health, energy, and purpose, this episode captures the honest, human s...

In this episode, we took the podcast on the road to ask business owners a simple question: “Life is good when…?” In this live episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev dives into candid conversations that explore the highs, challenges, and surprising insights of both personal and professional life. From what fuels motivation to what truly makes work feel worthwhile, we uncover the moments that make busin...

Most business owners don’t fail from lack of opportunity. They fail from saying yes to too many of them. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev explores how to make decisions that create focus instead of chaos. You’ll uncover why your calendar fills faster than your capacity, how to spot the offers and ideas that genuinely move you forward, and the simple filters that make “no” feel strategic...

The feast-and-famine cycle is exhausting. Chasing clients, starting every month at zero, and never knowing when the next payment will land. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev breaks down how to build recurring revenue that fits your business and your brain. You’ll explore nine proven models - from retainers to memberships - and learn how to choose one that’s scalable, profitable, and joyfu...

Scaling a business isn’t just about ambition - it’s about grit, clarity, and knowing when to hold your nerve. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev Wakefield speaks with Scott Parsons, co-founder of Forsyth Barnes, about building one of the UK’s fastest-growing recruitment firms from the ground up. From selling sweets at school to leading teams across four continents, Scott shares the mindset...

What happens to your business if you take three months off? If the answer makes you nervous, this episode is for you. Bev dives into what it really means to build a business that works without you at the centre of every decision. She explains why exit planning isn’t just for people looking to sell; it’s the blueprint for freedom, flexibility, and long-term value. You’ll discover how to calculate y...

You hit the big revenue goals. You buy the car, upgrade the office, hit those £10k months, and still feel exactly the same. If more money was supposed to bring happiness, why does it so often come with stress, guilt, or emptiness? In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev unpacks the psychology and science behind the link between income and happiness. You’ll hear real-life stories of business own...

We’re told that success is about pushing harder - longer hours, bigger goals, and never switching off. But what if the real win is building a business that gives you freedom, not burnout? In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev sits down with Serena Humphrey, founder of The F Word, to explore what happens when hustle culture hits breaking point. From becoming head of finance for a £10 million c...

You started your business for freedom. To build something that gives you flexibility, fulfilment, and a better life. But too often, that dream gets lost in the day-to-day reality of running the business. You pay your team, your suppliers, your taxes… and somehow, you end up last in line. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev helps you flip that script. You’ll learn how to build a business tha...

Too many founders build businesses that pay everyone except themselves. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev breaks down how to finally flip that script and start paying yourself a proper, consistent salary without guilt or guesswork. You’ll learn how to calculate exactly what you should be earning, structure your pay tax-efficiently, and make it a non-negotiable part of your cash flow. Plus...

Building a business isn’t a straight line. It’s a series of small battles, big pivots, and hard-earned lessons. In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev sits down with Dave Pounds to uncover what it takes to turn an idea into a thriving business. You’ll hear the moments of doubt, the decisions that changed everything, and the habits that separate those who plateau from those who scale. By the en...

In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev builds on the conversation about defining “enough” and shows you how to put an actual figure on it. You’ll discover how to work backwards from the life you want, calculate the revenue your business needs to support it, and price your offers with clarity and confidence. Along the way, Bev shares a simple step-by-step formula to stop chasing vague goals and...