UMicast

#014 UMi speaks to Lisa Hart Shepherd about growing an international business

Lisa Hart Shepherd is a market researcher and serial entrepreneur who expanded her market research business all over the world before selling it to Thomson Reuters in 2019. Acritas is well known by global top 100 law firms for developing the Sharplegal programme, which has become the world’s most comprehensive annual study of the legal market. Passionate about building relationships and making connections, Lisa is now turning her focus to growing The Lamp House - a shared office and coworking space in the North East. 

#013 UMi speaks to James de le Vingne on building a new economy through employee ownership

James de le Vingne is the CEO of the Employee Ownership Association (EOA) and in this episode of podcast, we speak to him about how businesses can unleash the potential of their people by becoming employee-owned. Given his extensive prior experience of working for NGOs in different parts of the world, we also discuss what James has learned about leveraging the power of business to tackle local and global challenges.

#012 UMi speaks to Heidi Fisher on building a world run by social entrepreneurs

Heidi Fisher is an award-winning social enterprise consultant, public speaker, author and change advocate who wants to build a world run by social entrepreneurs. She began her career in accounting and finance working at multinational professional services firm, PwC, but soon realised that she wanted to strike out on her own and set up a purpose-led business. Over the last 20 years, Heidi has helped over 2100 social enterprises, CICs and charities through her business, Make an Impact CIC, and in 2020, she was awarded an MBE for Services to Innovation in Impact Measurement & Social Enterprise. In this podcast, we speak to the author of ‘Impact First: The Social Entrepreneur’s Guide to Measuring, Managing and Growing your Impact’ to find out exactly what it takes to start and run a purpose-led business.

#011 UMi speaks to Aircards and Kinewell Energy for VentureFest 2022

This special episode of the podcast was recorded for the Innovation SuperNetwork as part of VentureFest North East. It features Graeme Miller, Head of Innovation at Innovation SuperNetwork, Gordon Dodd, Chief Strategy Officer of augmented reality marketing specialist Aircards, and Andrew Jenkins, CEO of renewable energy optimisation specialist, Kinewell Energy. The panellists discuss what it means to run an innovative company in the current environment, highlighting challenges around access to talent and opportunities around the productisation of services to create new revenue streams. 

#010 UMi speaks to Nicki Clark about running a responsible business

In the 10^th episode of the podcast, we speak to UMi chief executive, Nicki Clark to find out more about her life and career and learn about the journey she’s been on with UMi since starting the business as one of the founding directors in 2007. Over the years, Nicki has worked in a variety of sectors and believes that the best way to be successful in the world of business is to plan for the long-term while keeping a close eye on new opportunities for growth. 

#009 UMi speaks to Dan Martin about stepping out of your comfort zone

In our latest podcast, we speak to Dan Martin, the Founder and CEO of electric vehicle charging business, Elmtronics. Dan's journey in business has been full of many twists and turns, but his perseverance has seen him build one of the UK's most exciting EV start-ups. Elmtronics has just been acquired by Mer, which is owned by renewable energy giant Statkraft. The company is also working with Octopus Energy and a number of public and private sector organisations to bring the green transport revolution a step closer. 

#008 UMi speaks to Raman Sehgal about finding balance when you’re starting a business

In our latest podcast, we speak to Raman Sehgal, the Founder and Global President of international marketing agency, ramarketing. When he's not running his life sciences-focused company, Raman is the Host of the Molecule to Market podcast, an experienced keynote speaker, a regular contributor to Forbes and most recently, the author of The Floundering Founder: 24 Lessons to Refocus Your Business and Better Yourself. The book tackles issues around work/life balance and how not to get consumed by your business - something Raman himself has struggled with over the years. 

#007 UMi speaks to Jo-Anne Chidley about the beauty of sustainability

In our latest podcast, we speak to someone who is at the forefront of efforts to make the beauty industry more sustainable. Jo-Anne Chidley is the Co-Founder and CEO of Beauty Kitchen. You might have seen Beauty Kitchen's natural beauty products in Boots or Holland and Barrett, but the company was really set up to address the fact that 95% of beauty packaging is thrown away after just one use. Which is why Jo and the team launched the Re scheme as a buy anywhere, return anywhere, reuse anywhere alternative to single-use packaging. Jo was also a delegate at the recent UN Climate Conference in Glasgow (COP26). 

#006 UMi speaks to John Blackburn about video recruitment and employer brand

In our latest podcast, we speak to recruitment expert and Chief Vision Officer, John Blackburn. John is the boss of video-first recruitment agency Vocacio and has spent the last ten years helping businesses in a variety of sectors access the best talent. He is also a sustainable business advocate and believes in putting people and planet above profit. Founded in 2017, Vocacio uses video throughout the recruitment process to increase efficiency, reduce timescales and find better candidates. The video-first approach also helps to improve the candidate experience and employer brand. 

This podcast is part of the Recruitment & People hot topic over on the UMi platform. 

#005 UMi speaks to Mike Southon about sales and intrapreneurship

In our fifth podcast, we speak to serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, keynote speaker, sales consultant and university lecturer, Mike Southon. Co-author of business management book, The Beermat Entrepreneur, Mike started his career building his own IT training company in the 1980s before going on to advise a number of start-ups on how to build stronger teams and get better at selling their products and services. Now, he’s a lecturer in entrepreneurship at City, University of London and sharing his multi-decade experience of all things sales and business development with the next generation.

This podcast is part of the Getting More Sales bundle on the UMi platform

#004 UMi speaks to Shaun Fooy about business banking and start-up loans

In our fourth podcast, we speak to finance expert Shaun Fooy. Shaun is a Network Manager at the British Business Bank and has 30 years’ experience in business banking, having worked at major high street banks including Barclays, RBS and NatWest. The British Business Bank is best known for delivering government-backed COVID-19 loans such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Bounce Back Loan Scheme and the Future Fund. It also runs a number of programmes for start-ups and SMEs and provides advice and mentoring opportunities for UK founders taking their first steps in business.

This podcast is from the Finding Money tab on the UMi platform

#003 UMi speaks to Lizzy Hodcroft about finding yourself in business

In our third podcast, we speak to public speaker, entrepreneur and wellbeing consultant, Lizzy Hodcroft. A disruptive force in the UK start-up community, Lizzy has founded and raised investment for multiple businesses and is a firm believer in the power of entrepreneurship as self-discovery. After suffering from severe mental ill health and addiction since the age of 14, it was only when Lizzy entered the world of business that she really started to put some of those troubles behind her. People may remember her appearance on Dragon’s Den in 2018 and her emotional Tedx talk in 2019 where she spoke candidly about the phenomenal journey towards self-compassion and self-acceptance that she’s been on.

This podcast is part of our Wellbeing at Work bundle on the UMi platform.