Business Without BS

EP 303 - Gemma is director of True Sports Hydration. She's also a business owner in the health & wellness industry. We discuss what makes True Sports Hydration so unique, Gemma’s startup challenges, career progression and balancing her professional aspirations with impending motherhood. We cover diverse topics like entrepreneurship, work-life balance, family dynamics, charitable work, the impa...

EP 302 - Celia jumps in the quiz seat this week to shares her views on a bunch of quiz topics. We explore the relevance and extremes of health and safety, the nuances between bluffing and lying in business, the real meaning of business etiquette, and the tokenistic potential of B Corps certification! Chapters: 00:00 Business or Bullshit with Celia Chartres-Aris 00:22 Health and Safety: Necessity o...

EP 301 - Celia is a disabled founder and Investor, a multi-award winning campaigner, lobbyist, researcher and policy designer, advocating for the improvement of disability equity and accessibility inclusivity. We discuss Celia's life long journey with Loeys-Dietz syndrome, and her personal and professional challenges. We talk about the importance of representation, access to benefits, and inclusiv...

EP 300 - Mr Bug founder jumps in this week's quiz seat to give us his take on a bunch of topics including personality type tests, planned obsolescence, TV investment shows and China. Candid opinions, insights into business practices, and discussing the reality of sexism in TV show auditions are all packed in! Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Business or Bullshit! 00:45 Personality Type Tests: Insight or...

EP 299 - Conal is the founder of Mr. Bug, a revolutionary pet food company using insect protein.  We talk about Conal’s pivot from the music industry to starting an insect farm during lockdown, highlighting the sustainability and health benefits of insect-based pet food. We talk about the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship in the pet food industry, the process of farming mealworms, an...

EP 298 - BOXXER founder & CEO Ben Shalom is in the quiz seat this week giving his thoughts on Andy and Pippa’s hit list of business terms - from bootstrapping and guerrilla marketing to golden handshakes and five-year forecasts, Ben answers with insights from his own experiences, shedding light on the practicalities in real business life. Chapters: 00:00 Business or Bullshit with Ben Shalom 00...

EP 297 - Ben is the the founder and CEO of Boxer, a boxing promotion company valued at £25,000,000. Starting with a £10,000 loan at the age of 23, Ben successfully broke into the boxing promotional industry, a feat not achieved since the 1970s. Now at 30, he has secured exclusive contracts with Sky Sports in the UK and NBC in America.  We discuss the uniqueness of the boxing industry, its' la...

EP 296 - The Humble Penny founder and co-author of Financial Joy Ken Okoroafor jumps in the quiz seat this week giving his views on a range of business terms. Ken particularly emphasises the importance of understanding various financing options, advantages of intrapreneurship, necessity of insurance, preparing for life's inevitabilities and the significance of personal financial management. Chapte...

EP 295 - Ken, alongside his wife Mary, are the creators of The Humble Penny and Financial Joy Academy, helping people achieve financial independence. Ken is a Chartered Accountant and former CFO who achieved financial independence by the age of 34 with his wife Mary. He joins us to talk their debut book Financial Joy We discuss achieving financial freedom through financial literacy, responsible mo...

EP 294 - Gary's in quiz seat this week giving us his quick fire answers on topics like equal paternity leave, trader’s egos, corporate gifting to mental health in professional interactions. We also discuss the implications of Christmas bonuses and skepticism on cryptocurrencies and over trading. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Quiz rules 01:18 Exploring Business Jargon and Practices 01:28 The R...

EP 293 - Gary is a former trader and now inequality economist who’s known for becoming Citibank’s most profitable trader in 2011 by predicting there would be an increase in economic inequality. Since then, he left trading and now campaigns for solving inequality. Gary joins us to talk about his debut book The Trading Game: A Confession We talk about Gary's transition from the trading floor to bein...

EP 292 - Over The Moo founder Simon Goodman is in the quiz seat giving his frank opinions on influencers in marketing, corporate gifting, monthly management accounts, and the reality of foreign espionage risks. He also sheds light on the fine line between innovative strategies and mere industry jargon. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Business or Bullshit quiz 00:58 Influencers: Business Necessity or Ov...

EP 291 - Simon Goodman is founder of Over the Moo who are leading the charge for recyclable pouches of ethically made bite-sized, dark chocolate coated chunks. We discuss the importance of sustainably sourced ingredients and the brand's commitment to eco-friendly practices. We hear about Over The Moo's future plans, challenges in the dairy-free market and Simon’s transition from a family-owned but...

EP 290 - Founder and CEO of MetaGen Merida Sussex is in the quiz seat this week discerning between what is business and what is bullshit on topics like audits, government grants, to drinking at lunch and office spaces in the meta verse.  We also hear her perspectives on a bunch of things like the dynamics of family businesses, the role of equal paternity leave, and thoughts on decentrali...

EP 289 - Merida is founder of MetaGen, an app which simplifies metadata collection to ensure artists receive their fair share of royalties. We unpack the complexities of music metadata management and its impact on artists' financial stability. Merida explains how MetaGen works to ensure artists receive the royalties they deserve. Merida sheds light on her journey from musician to tech entrepreneur...

EP 288 - Founder & CEO of GloveGlu Paul Sherratt is in the quiz seat this week for a rapid-fire session delving into personal anecdotes and broaching topics like the value of family, changing dynamics with generational shifts, and the effects of social media on the business landscape. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to BoB quiz 00:49 Business Cards and Health & Safety 01:37 Debate on Spending Time...

EP 287 - Paul is founder and CEO of GloveGlu, a global sports brand that specialises in goalkeeper products and services.  We speak about Paul’s personal and professional journey, from his initial leap into entrepreneurship to creating and scaling GloveGlu. He shares crucial lessons on product development, market analysis, and the significance of adaptability and honesty in business. We discu...

EP 286 - Co-Founder and CEO of Global Street Art Lee Bofkin jumps in the quiz seat this week to give his very illuminated thoughts on a variety of topics including the role and impact of influencers, the concept of price negotiation, the significance of mentors and the relevance of terms like 'Digital Nomads'. We touch on political power dynamics in Russia and China, critiquing absolute power and...

EP 285 - Lee is Co-Founder and CEO of Global Street Art, the UK’s largest mural painting organisation, creating incredible murals for commercial and community initiatives. Lee co-founded Global Street Art in 2012, organising murals with artists and local property owners, and since then, the agency has delivered over 2,500 murals for communities across London, and hundreds of commercial murals in o...

EP 284 - Daniel keeps the quiz seat warm this week giving us his verdicts on workplace humour, GDPR face-to-face meetings, B Corp and more. He also shares insights about his business and experiences with crowdfunding and conferences. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to BoB quiz 00:43 Workplace Humour 01:27 GDPR and Work-Life Balance 01:53 Family and Business 02:36 Charities and Business Cards 03:03 Crowdfu...

EP 283 - Daniel is founder of Made For Drink - simple, authentic and utterly delicious snacks to be enjoyed with a drink. Major listings include The Fat Duck, Waitrose, Sainsburys and Fortnums, as well as partnerships with Laurent Perrier, English Heritage and Molson Coors. Made For Drink were also winner of the Edie Sustainability Leadership Award in 2022. We discuss the challenges and successes...

EP 282 - CEO of Paralympics GB, David Clark OBE is in the quiz seat this week. Founder's egos, hockey stick growth, offshore tax havens, and even Russia pop up for questioning. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to BoB 00:41 Corporate Gifting 00:47 Insights on Formal Directors Meetings 00:53 Thoughts on Downplaying Capabilities 01:01 Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) 01:11 Debunking Hockey Stick Gr...

EP 281 - Dave is a former footballer for the England and Great Britain blind football team. His career spanned 17 years with 144 international appearances scoring 128 goals, making him England’s highest all time scorer. He received a lifetime achievement award from the FA and an OBE for his services to Paralympic Sport. Today, David is currently CEO of the British Paralympic Association. In this e...

EP 280 - Entertainment mogul James Sinclair candidly discusses our business quiz topics, shares his frank opinions, and provides valuable insights from his own experiences. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to BoB 00:33 Planned Obsolescence and Founder's Egos 01:16 Work-Life Balance and Workplace Humour 02:22 Charities and Ageism 03:22 Business in China and Social Media Platforms 04:33 Crowdfunding and Face...

EP 279 - James is an entrepreneur, author and speaker who went from running a children's entertainment agency to building a £40 million business empire in leisure, childcare, outdoor attractions, commercial property, historic hotel, arts and crafts manufacturing and one of the UK’s oldest Ice cream companies - The Rossi Ice Cream Company  James shares valuable insights on various facets of en...