Dorset Business Matters

From the farm to the Britain’s Got Talent stage, Ben Chick is redefining what it means to be a modern farmer. In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , Simon Ellson sits down with third generation Dorset farmer, entrepreneur and Britain’s Got Talent winner Ben Chick to explore the realities of farming today, the challenges facing British agriculture, and why diversification is no longer optiona...

Spotify Episode Description What does it take to build a successful digital agency from a bedroom business selling cufflinks at the age of 13? In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , Simon Ellson sits down with Luke Fribbens, Founder and CEO of Cold Banana, to explore an entrepreneurial journey driven by curiosity, technology and a willingness to take calculated risks. Luke shares how an over...

Josh Williams didn't get the stockbroking job. He stacked shelves at Asda instead. Today, he runs Bizpedia — a premium business networking community with 165 members across 11 towns and cities, targeting the £500k to £1 billion entrepreneur. That's not a bad pivot. In this episode, Josh sits down with Coach Simon in Poundbury and gets into far more than networking strategy. We cover the mi...

Caring for Dorset: The Social Care Crisis, Workforce Challenges and the AI Revolution with Anna Knight Social care touches all of our lives, yet it remains one of the least understood sectors in the UK. In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , I sit down with Anna Knight, Chief Executive of the Dorset Care Association, to explore the realities of social care, the challenges facing care provide...

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, Simon sits down with Lorraine Barber, founder of Wincombe Payrolls in Poole. Lorraine shares her journey from a controlled upbringing and failed RAF ambitions, through corporate finance roles, redundancy, motherhood and burnout, to eventually building her own successful payroll business from scratch. This is a conversation about resilience, taking back c...

What does a modern Chamber of Commerce really look like? In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, Simon Ellson sits down with Ian Girling, CEO of Dorset Chamber, for a candid conversation about business, leadership, resilience and why community matters more than ever. Ian shares his journey from delivering coal up Gold Hill in Shaftesbury to leading one of Dorset’s most influential business org...

What if the advice you keep giving people is the reason nothing is changing? In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, I sit down with Sam Stone, founder of Life Coaching with Sam, for her very first podcast appearance. Sam spent 11 years in the NHS, children's social care, pupil referral units and schools — giving advice for a living. Then she discovered coaching, handed in her notice, and with...

If you've been telling yourself AI is "a bit like Y2K" and will quietly blow over, this episode is the wake-up call. I sit down with Simon Kinsey, founder of Sparkstone Technology and Agent Factory, for a properly unflinching conversation about what AI actually means for SMEs right now. Simon spent 10 years as a chartered accountant before backing himself into business, has run Spark...

Most people don’t start businesses because they’re ready. They start because something inside them says, “There’s more than this.” In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , Simon sits down with Michelle Reade, founder of a wellness coaching practice, to unpack what it really takes to move from employed, to franchise success, to building a business of your own. Michelle spent 17 years helping ot...

In the latest episode of Dorset Business Matters , I sat down with Rupert Holloway , founder of Conker Distillery — now 12+ years into the journey.  This isn’t a “look how successful it’s been” story. It’s a real look at what it takes to build, survive, and evolve a business through: • A booming start with zero real strategy • Hitting a plateau when the market catches up • Navigating COVID, cost o...

From Car Dealer to Independent Finance Broker: Courage, Cashflow and Building a Business the Hard Way In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , I sit down with Chris , who made the leap from the motor trade into building his own business as an independent finance broker . Chris shares the real story behind that move. Not the polished version. The honest one. Leaving a secure role, stepping away...

Marketing Without Research Is Guesswork: Lee Hill on Why SMEs Jump Too Fast In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , I’m joined by Lee Hill , founder of Runway . Lee and his team do two things. For larger businesses and corporates, they deliver customer and market research . For SMEs, they’ve recently launched a drop-in Head of Marketing service for Managing Directors who need proper strategic...

From Teen IT Fixer to Trusted MSP: Building OTECH with Confidence, Character and Care In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , I sit down with Kyle Sharland , founder and Managing Director of OTECH , a managed service provider supporting businesses across the UK with IT, cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity. Kyle’s journey didn’t start with a grand plan or corporate backing. It started at 15...

From Garden Shed to 7,000 Sq Ft: Building Mad Mowers What started as a home-schooling project fixing broken lawnmowers in a garden shed has grown into a serious Dorset business with a 7,000 sq ft unit, commercial contracts, cutting-edge technology and a clear plan for the future. In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , I sit down with Michael and Andrew Drapper of Mad Mowers . Michael, just 1...

Photography, Self-Doubt and Saying Yes: Building Folio Creative In this episode of Dorset Business Matters , I’m joined by Beth , founder of Folio Creative — a personal brand photographer and content creator working with female founders across Dorset to elevate their online presence with confident, warm, story-led brand visuals. Beth started her business in 2020 , right in the middle of COVID, aft...

Having been an employee, then in a partnership, and now a Ltd company you could say Louise had done it all. She shares some great insight, from self doubt to motherhood and of course the best bit, would I do it all over again and some advice to newbies just getting going. At the Inspiration Agency we value communication, taking the time to listen to and really understand our clients. Every client...

 Kaz is a chartered financial planner. She deals with everything all the way from mortgages up to complex tax cases, business owners selling their businesses and large inheritance tax cases. 10 years in the business and some key lessons along the way, learning from mistakes, ambitious to grow and in the enviable position of loving what she does! Again, some great insights and advice, particularly...

In the heart of Dorset lives Domvs Estate Agents. 20 years in the making, a wealth of knowledge and insight and a very informed CEO in Polly. You'll hear the pain, frustration, delights, learnings, balancing work and motherhood and much more in this episode, tune in for some great insights, whether you are getting started or already in business, this is one for you! Polly says "It might not be wha...

This week, we feature another Dorset Business and ask Alison why and how she got started, what her biggest challenges are and what's next. Alison and her husband Steve have built their business over 8 years and are not finished yet! Have a listen and don't forget to subscribe....

Miranda and Karen, veterans of the world of journalism, but have never run a business prior to 2022. A great story, full of trials and tribulations, now in year 4 and finally feeling like they are getting a handle on the business. A circulation of 20,000 and >70,000 readers every month! If you arent reading it or advertising in it, you should be. The Hyperlocal Newspaper of the year 2025!!

In this episode, we'll hear about Stuart's remarkable journey from working in the nightclub industry to a huge health scare, to becoming a trusted financial advisor, and we'll learn what it takes to build a successful independent financial services business. Stuart is the owner and principal advisor at MacNab Financial Services Limited, bringing over twenty years of experience in financial service...

 Welcome to the premier episode of Dorset Business Matters, where we sit down with the region's most inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders to uncover the stories behind their success. Today we have an incredible guest joining us. She's the founder and managing director of Total Guide To Group, a thriving enterprise that's been connecting businesses and communities for over 14 years. She's a...

A Female founder with a fascinating story, this is just the first minute of the full recording, just to whet your appetite! Much more to follow in this first episode of Dorset Business Matters, launching soon! If you follow this podcast and run a business in Dorset, and want to drop in for an episode, send your details to westdorset@actioncoach.co.uk and Danielle will get you booked in!

Welcome to Dorset Business Matters — the podcast that gives Dorset business owners a voice and shares their lessons on business and on life. After coaching hundreds of business owners across the country, one thing’s always clear — behind every successful business there’s a story. Usually, it involves a few sleepless nights, a near miss or two, and a lesson that only experience can teach. This podc...