Steel City Business

We meet Joada Allen, director of video production business Visualised It. But this isn't really a chat about video production or marketing. Joada tells James about her background and unlikely journey into becoming a business owner, and why helping young people is so important to her. Joada was a remarkable and inspiring guest - we hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording. Steel City Bu...

Simoda have had an incredible few years, winning awards left right and centre and making a real name for themselves. But, why? What are they doing differently? Well James went along to their HQ in Neepsend to meet founder Daniel Bumby and learn more about Simoda's secrets. It's not all tech talk - we also discuss space and the final frontier, why Daniel hates butter, a bit of music and football, a...

We have some amazing print and promotional businesses in Sheffield and the surrounding area. Instantprint have recently announced a £5m investment in their sprawling factory at Manvers, so James went along to meet Laura Mucklow, head of Instantprint. We talk about some amazingly nerdy printing machines, female leaders in the print industry, future expansion plans and - of course - business cards....

James Marriott and Stephen Kenwright chat to Katy Powell, one of the founders of Bottled Imagination. Katy previously worked with Stephen at Rise at Seven, as one of the first employees of the agency, before her and two colleagues broke off to start their own. It's a really interesting story, with Katy not particularly having a long-standing aim to run an agency. We talk about the health of digita...

Evoluted is a digital agency in Sheffield, and a smashing one at that. Giorgio Cassella and Sam Biggins are joint Managing Directors and join James to talk about their respective journeys and their work to turn it into a true people-first business. Plus they now have their own podcast which is ruddy marvellous (full transparency: James helped them set it up). You can check it out by searching for...

We love a good origins story on Steel City Business - and the moment Mike Kent met his future business partner is one of the best. No spoilers, but it's definitely worth a listen. James spent an afternoon at Kitlocker's huge operation near Attercliffe to find out more about the work they do for an impressive array of clients, ranging from seriously huge like the Premier League all the way down to...

This month's Uncut episode features the awesome Amy Kilner. She joins hosts James Marriott and Stephen Kenwright at The Kurious studios to reflect on her background working at several agencies, including Rise at Seven, before starting her own design brand, Skyhi Creative. We talk about loads of stuff, including: Working with actual proper music stars including Fatboy Slim NFTs / digital collectabl...

We delve into the manufacturing industry for the first time in this week's Steel City Business. Adam Bradley is a familiar face on the networking scene around South Yorkshire and has quietly been leading an amazing period of growth and success at Corrosion Resistant Materials. James went along to find out more about Adam, the business, and the changing face of the wider industry. Steel City Busine...

Something a little different on this episode of Steel City Business. James meets Greg Hewitt from the Sheffield Action on Plastic group to find out about their campaign and what they're working towards. It's super relevant at the moment and especially for venues including pubs, bars and coffee shops. Find out more about the group here: https://sheffieldactiononplastic.co.uk/

Hayley Toothill-Taylor's path to freelancing and launching Find Narrative is quite a journey. She told James all about it, including the challenges and obstacles along the way - a stark reminder of just how imperfect the world of work is for some people. We touch on mental health and general wellbeing among a host of other topics. Find out more about Hayley and her awesome work at https://www.find...

Johnny Pawlik is different. His background is different, the way he does business is different, the way he approaches marketing is different. You could say his mantra is different. James Marriott went along to Mantra Media's headquarters at Ikigai House in Sheffield City Centre to meet Johnny and hear more about his story. Steel City Business is brought to you by audio marketing experts Sound Medi...

 The first episode of the month means Steel City Business UNCUT where we dig a little deeper with an amazing guest to bring you a raw, honest and largely unedited conversation. James Marriott is joined by regular co-host Stephen Kenwright, exited founder of Rise at Seven. We welcome Tom Scott who founded Little Mesters agency in 2020. The agency grew quickly, but soon hit troubles and had to let...

Yes Steel City Business is returning - here's a sneak peak in our new trailer

Industry 4.0 sounds scary, doesn't it? At a time where most businesses are barely thinking a few weeks ahead, it's difficult to start imagining another industry revolution is around the corner. James meets Tim Woolliscroft, a digital innovation consultant based in Sheffield, to talk it all through. Read Tim's full blog and his thoughts on lots more at https://digitaltim.uk/ - How Can Podcasti...

Daniel Bale and Joseph Palmer run Open House Pictures - a video production company - and they want to help your business carry on marketing during these uncertain times. We chat about their work to date and their new video marketing relief scheme. Find out more about Open House Pictures here: https://www.openhousepictures.co.uk/ and the Video Marketing Relief Scheme here: https://www.openhousepict...

Podcasting is booming. But as more and more people take it, can it really help your business to grow? James chats to Mark Asquith, CEO and co-founder at Rebel Base Media to talk about the truth of what podcasting can do for you and your brand - and how to get started. - How Can Podcasting Help You Through The Coronavirus (And Beyond)? Read this Steel City Business is the Sheffield Business podcast...

Social distancing seems to be here to stay - for the foreseeable future, at least. More people are working remotely, at home. What does that mean for team morale, and what can you do to keep spirits up? James meets Nathan Angus from Wildfire Agency to discuss what they're doing to keep team building firmly on the agenda. Find out more about their socially distanced team building activities at spre...

It's unusual times for business in Sheffield. Nimble, founded by Chris Roberts, is thriving - we met up (remotely, of course) to find out more. - How Can Podcasting Help You Through The Coronavirus (And Beyond)? Read this Steel City Business is the Sheffield Business podcast, highlighting the great stuff happening within the business community here in Sheffield.

What really is marketing in 2020? It's a word we see and hear all the time - and what it means to me might be different to what it means to you. Abby Abrames has an established track record behind her, working in several positions before branching out on her own. We catch up to hear her story - and see what she thinks marketing is all about. ** Please note this episode was recorded before the Coro...

It takes a keen business eye to spot an opportunity - a gap in the market - and quickly exploit it. When Hugo Russell realised it was time for the cleaning industry to keep a bit of a cleaning up of itself, it set him on a path to success. We chat to Hugo about his journey so far - and what may lay ahead. ** Please note this episode was recorded before the Coronavirus outbreak, so please excuse an...

Setting up your first business at the age of just 18 is a brave move. But Hayley Koseoglu certainly isn't afraid of a challenge. Now she works as a business consultant while also helping her husband's business to thrive too. Hayley chats to us about her career path which led her into consultancy, and her aims for the future. ** Please note this episode was recorded before the Coronavirus outbreak,...

Why do you need a coach to help you succeed in business? Jon Asquith can explain why - and what sets him aside from the other business coaches out there at the moment. He's been working with companies across Europe for 15 years - from multinationals to start-ups. ** Please note this episode was recorded before the Coronavirus outbreak, so please excuse any references which seem out of place ** Ste...

Shehla Ali's journey is unique. And it truly is a journey - she travelled the world before settling back down in Sheffield to set up Vantage 66, her social media agency. She has some great stories to tell, and some great thoughts and tips on how to use social media effectively. (Please note this episode of Steel City Business was recorded before the Coronavirus outbreak) Steel City Business is the...

We are unprecedented times for businesses in Sheffield and everywhere, as the Coronavirus outbreak spreads. In this special episode of Steel City Business, James is joined by Ben Kearns from 24 Seven Cloud to explore how we can continue in the face of the current crisis. Companies who might never before have offered remote working now find themselves quickly having to adjust to that very situation...

Power cuts happen - usually they're short, and mainly an inconvenience. But for a business, power cuts of any length can be a nightmare. From revenue grinding to a halt, to losing valuable data - you have to be able to keep going. That's where Jonathon Morley and Secure Power come up. He met up with James to explain more. Steel City Business is the Sheffield Business podcast, highlighting the grea...