Business Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs

t was a pleasure and privilege to attend Monday’s opening of Grimm & Co, the “apothecary supplying sorcery services and unnatural products to magical beings,” which is also a Yorkshire charity, a writing and mentoring centre for children and young people. Rotherham's Grimm and Co is a treat and an imaginative triumph. Whilst there I interviewed founder Deborah Bullivant, whose determinati...

It’s a challenge to run or to be a co-director of one business or social enterprise. Running four, and multiple projects too, involves a commitment and ability to organise and plan that would be well beyond many of us. After today’s radio show featuring guest Sara Hill, one listener tweeted “You’re an inspiration – can’t get over how much you do Sara.” Sara joined me in the studio to talk about wh...

Toy Like Me is an initiative seeking better representation of disability in children’s toys. It works both with independent makers and with global giant Playmobil and hit a fundraising target in a crowdfunding campaign. Sheffield Antiques Quarter supports a growing number of independent retailers in Sheffield and is a community and retailer-led initiative.  Timings (music played on air removed fro...

Three guests today. Sam Chapman is chief innovation officer at growing Sheffield tech firm The Floow, part of a three year pilot project to test driverless cars on UK roads. Next Angga Kara and Zak Ahmed of Learn Create Sell, a creative social enterprise supporting people to learn new skills. Students on the 10-week Learn Create Sell programme learn how to design and create products on a laser cut...

Kate is senior recruiter at specialist tech recruitment consultancy, Affecto. Kate discussed why recruiter Affecto are sponsoring Django Girls' volunteer-led workshop in Sheffield this February. Django Girls is a non-profit organisation that empowers and helps women through free, one-day programming workshops providing the opportunity to gain the skills in creating an application and understa...

If you're running a business or a social enterprise, you probably have a number of goals and objectives you want to achieve in the year ahead. And just like with New Year resolutions - which only 8% of people manage to keep - business goals can be vague and hopeful, or concrete with a carefully planned strategy to help to achieve them. On today's Business Live radio show I was joined in...

Mairi leads the British Council’s Global Social Enterprise programme, which promotes the development of social enterprise and investment to help address entrenched social and environmental problems, build trust between the UK and other countries, and support more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous societies. Tim’s a former journalist who created a marketing agency in San Francisco and has recen...

A popstar turned farmer, a CEO* at Microsoft UK, an assassin, some investors, a lawyer, an impact analyst and a social entrepreneur: all feature in this episode. It includes: JB Gill, formerly of pop group JLS and now farmer and entrepreneur, talks about the value of finding a mentor in business. Dave Coplin is a CEO at Microsoft UK: he's their chief envisioning officer - and contemplates how...

What does it take to be a great leader in a social enterprise or business? In this episode some of the UK's most innovative social enterprise and business leaders offer practical tips on leadership, purpose and excellence. It features: Baroness Sue Campbell who chaired UK Sport and presided over Team GB's and Paralympic GB's huge increase in medals, talking about leadership with mor...

It’s rightly famous for the outdoor economy. My home city of Sheffield is also home to an estimated 10,000+ rock climbers, numerous cyclists, runners, walkers, riders, and outdoor enthusiasts. Local talents forged in Sheffield have participated in sports at international level; and a raft of successful businesses: climbing walls, bike shops, and many more, exist thanks to the strength of Sheffield...

Oliver Coppard is standing as the Labour Party candidate in the general election in the Sheffield Hallam constituency. On Friday 27 February 2015 I interviewed him for my Business Live programme on Sheffield Live 93.2FM, Sheffield’s community radio station with 40,000+ listeners. Oliver Coppard was born and raised in Sheffield Hallam, attending Porter Croft, Silverdale and High Storrs schools, goi...