Living the Small Business Life

Join us for this fun episode as we close out Season 3. Ben, Ben and I have only 5 seconds to answer the questions which Ben generated with AI and our cameraman Wes calls out! 0:06 - Welcome to *Living a Small Business Life* 0:28 - Question 1: What's your favourite midnight snack? 0:44 - Question 2: Who would you choose if you could be friends with a fictional character? 1:14 - Question 3: What's t...

In this episode we explore the rapidly evolving world of AI and its immediate and future implications for small businesses. We chat about our own levels of AI adoption, ranging from complete skepticism to leveraging it for daily operational efficiency. We talked about key tools like Microsoft Copilot, concerns over data security, the impact of AI on creative content and jobs, and the necessity of...

Welcome back to Living the Small Business Life! In this episode, we're joined by Laura Dolphin, the founding director of Dolphin Outsourcing. Laura shares her inspiring journey of building a social enterprise that champions flexible work and empowers individuals facing challenging circumstances. She talks about the origins of her company, the unique services they offer, and how they navigate the e...

In this episode of "Living the Small Business Life," join us as we chat with Jamie Thacker, Managing Director of Hearn's Coaches. Jamie shares his unique journey of entering the family business straight out of university, the challenges of navigating the coach hire industry through the pandemic, and his insights on managing a growing fleet. He discusses the evolution of Hearn's Coaches from a scho...

Next up on Living the Small Business Life, we sit down with Chris from ACS Staffing Solutions to discuss the challenges and successes of scaling a recruitment business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hear about Chris's journey, from how he and his wife Helen started the business, to navigating the ups and downs of the recruitment industry. Learn about the impact of COVID-19 on their operations, the...

Welcome to Season 3 of Living the Small Business Life! In our first episode we recap the end of 2024, discussing highs, lows, and market hesitancy. Then we dive into our strategies for 2025, highlighting plans for growth and customer retention. With personal anecdotes and insights, this episode provides valuable perspectives for small business owners facing uncertain times. Don't miss out on heari...

In the final episode of 'Living the Small Business Life' Season Two, Ben, Ben and I reflect on the highlights and lessons learned from our conversations with various guests. We discuss the realities of running a small business, the unplanned nature of business growth, the importance of drive and determination, and the significance of work-life balance. We also emphasise the value of backing onesel...

In this episode of Living the Small Business Life, the host welcomes Wes Venn, a multi-business entrepreneur and the show's cameraman! Wes shares his journey from being a radio presenter to starting a greetings card company, Buddy Fernandez, known for its 'naughty' cards. He discusses how COVID-19 led him to focus full-time on his ventures, including founding Red Rascal Creative, a company providi...

In episode 4 of the Living the Small Business Life podcast, hosts Ben and Ben welcome Jo from Vision 29. Jo shares her 10-year journey from starting a marketing consultancy to transforming it into a company focused on internal communications, employee experience, and organisational culture. She discusses the initial challenges she faced in balancing work and family life, the trigger that led her t...

In this episode of 'Living the Small Business Life' we hit the road and are on tour in Leighton Buzzard! Sarah and Carrie, owners of Happydashery and The Workshop, two shops next door to each other on the High Street, share their inspiring journey from pop-up shop to two premises. They discuss the transition from part-time jobs to full-time business owners, the importance of a supportive local bus...

In this episode of 'Living the Small Business Life' podcast, Laura, Ben and Ben discuss the interconnectedness of branding and reputation for small businesses. We explore personal experiences with branding, including how a recognisable brand can spark memories and influence customers' buying decisions. Drawing on our own (mis)adventures in coming up with branding for our businesses, we also look a...

We're back for Season 2! In this episode of Living the Small Business Life, we welcome Emily and Nikki of More Driver Solutions. They dive into their journey of building a business from its humble beginnings in 2008 to becoming a key player in driver recruitment in the logistics industry. They discuss their initial lack of a formal plan, how they funded and eventually bought out their initial busi...

In our final episode of Season 1 we've gone off-script and are answering questions about running a small business that Ben has found from Chat GPT! Find out what AI thinks we should have been talking about in the last 5 episodes and what answers we have. Subscribe to the podcast now so you're the first to know about Season 2 - coming soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

How do you achieve work life balance as a small business owner? What is important to you? In this episode Ben, Ben and Laura discuss how they achieve and work on a work life balance that works for them. How does it work for you? Let us know in the comments! Produced by Move Digital: https://movedigital.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This time around we're talking about growth and expansion for small businesses. What does it look like? What are the growing pains that small businesses face? And what does it look like when your business is growing and expanding but you're constantly trying to keep up. Join Ben, Ben and Laura to chat about all things small business, the highs, the lows and everything in between. Hosted on Acast....

This time round Ben, Ben and Laura talk about the small business reality of recruitment and outsourcing. We talk about everything to do with building a team, growing a team, what your team my look like in terms of employment versus using freelancers and outsourcing including outsourcing overseas. Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcast to hear the next episode first and find us on YouTube...

When you’re starting out, how do you plan for your small business? What is recommended, and what is the reality?  We’re Laura, Ben and Ben and we all run small businesses. In this episode of Living the Small Business Life, we tackle strategy and planning. What did we do when we were starting out? Was it helpful? How has it changed along with our businesses?  Join us for a frank conversat...

Join Ben, Ben and Laura to find out all about us, the small businesses that we run and why we've decided to start this podcast. We'll also be talking about what we're going to cover in our first series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.