Stay Connected‘James Reed: all about business’ puts you at the heart of fun, dynamic, candid conversation with business leaders, philanthropists and charitable celebrities as they use their journeys to give clear, actionable advice.
Hosted by James Reed CBE, the Chairman and CEO of Reed Group, you’ll hear the highs and lows of what it means to be a true business leader to empower you to implement smarter, more meaningful strategy in your business or career.
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The question is...are you a faithful, or are you a traitor?
Television is something we all enjoy. But few of us get to see how the shows we love actually come to life and why some of them grip the nation in what can only be described as a phenomenon.
Today on All About Business, James is joined by Stephen Lambert OBE. Stephen is a producer and founder of Studio Lambert, the production company behind some of the UK’s most successful shows like The Traitors, Gogglebox, Squid Game: The Challenge and Race Across the World.
In this episode, they explore how Stephen built the UK’s most successful independent production company, what goes into producing formats that connect with audiences around the world, and why encouraging risk-taking and innovation is so important in TV.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:09 How Stephen Lambert Started His Career
03:27 The Evolution of the TV Business
20:00 Studio Lambert – Sued by Michael Jackson
20:50 Undercover Boss
25:51 Gogglebox
29:02 Celebrity Traitors
35:08 Celebrity Race Across the World
38:34 Squid Game: The Challenge
42:48 Confidentiality – Avoiding Leaks & Spoilers
47:09 How to Find Work in Television
55:28 Developing a Show
1:01:05 The Future of Unscripted Television
1:08:43 Interview round
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Is it possible to be a highly successful entrepreneur without compromising your commitment to customers, staff, and society?
In this episode of All About Business, we’re joined by John Spiers, entrepreneur, philanthropist, veteran of the wealth management industry, and Chairman of EQ Investors, one of the UK’s leading B Corporations. John shares why he returned to the sector to found EQ Investors, how he deliberately built its culture around putting the client first, and why the bottom line will look after itself if you do things correctly.
He reveals the unique structure of EQ Investors, with a foundation owning a quarter of the shares, giving clients and staff confidence in the company’s long-term stability and purpose. This purpose-led structure earned the company the highest B Corp score in the UK. John also shares his critique of shareholder-focused capitalism and the short-term pressures of private equity, arguing why a long-term, stakeholder-first model creates greater business resilience.
John shares his immense knowledge on how to be an effective philanthropist, explains the creation of his platform, Giving Is Great, and offers vital advice on what to look for, and what not to look for, when assessing a charity’s effectiveness.
This episode is packed with valuable insight if you’re an entrepreneur interested in purpose-driven business, investment strategy, and how to build a company that prioritises all its stakeholders for long-term success.
Timecodes:
03:52 The concept of philanthropy companies
05:14 Challenges and benefits of philanthropy companies
12:34 The importance of early years and environmental causes
21:24 The creation and impact of giving is great
33:12 The power of matching donations
39:59 Challenges in charity data and impact reporting
47:58 Evaluating charity leadership
54:17 The rewards of philanthropy
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
What is the secret to building an iconic brand that resonates with millions of customers on a global scale?
In this episode of All About Business, we're joined by Johnnie Boden, founder and creative director of the iconic British clothing brand, Boden. Johnnie shares his unconventional journey from an unfulfilling career in the city, to founding a fashion brand that now generates over £350 million in annual revenue.
He talks about how to discover your true passion, and the importance of self-awareness and being honest about what you are good at. He also explains the three-part "magical Venn diagram" from Jim Collins' book, Good to Great, and the impact it had on him.
Johnnie also shares the story of the difficult but necessary decision to pivot the business from menswear to the more profitable women's wear, and the importance of listening to your customers.
This is a great episode for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to find their true calling, build a brand with clear values, and learn how to make the tough decisions that drive long-term success.
Timecodes:
02:33 Johnny's early career struggles
04:20 The birth of Boden
07:56 The importance of passion and self-awareness
15:17 The evolution of Boden's Brand
25:23 Managing and growing a business
30:34 The tough decisions in business
36:31 The importance of having a coach
41:38 Expanding business in America
57:59 The role of AI in fashion
59:43 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
How do you balance innovation with ethical responsibility?
This week on All About Business, we’re joined by Felix Henderson, Co-founder and COO of Ohchat, a generative AI business that builds "digital twins" of real-world content creators. In this episode, Felix shares his journey of building a business from the ground up, and provides insight into the AI future of adult entertainment and how an early venture in student housing, and a strategic pivot during the pandemic, led to a service-based business which became a launchpad for his current AI-powered tech venture. Is this the new OnlyFans?
Felix explains how they are building a generative AI business in the sensitive "spicy content" industry. He addresses the critical and controversial challenges of building a company in this space, discussing how they approach user safety and ethical considerations, and why transparency and accountability as founders are key to their mission.
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
How do you build a resilient brand and lasting reputation and control chaos when a PR crisis hits?
This week on All About Business, we’re joined by Sarah Woodhouse, co-owner and director at Ambitious PR. With over 25 years of experience in strategic communications, Sarah helps high-growth businesses manage their public image and tell their story with transparency.
In this episode, Sarah offers practical lessons on how to communicate with purpose, prepare for unexpected crises, and tailor your message to connect with the audiences that matter most. She discusses the critical differences between marketing and strategic communications, the importance of a founder's personal brand, and how to avoid the "bear traps" of controversy.
Sarah also provides insight into crisis management, drawing on real-world examples to demonstrate how to take back control of the narrative. She also explores the impact of AI on how businesses are found and evaluated online, and what entrepreneurs can do to adapt.
Links:
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Dame Irene Hays built Hays Travel with her husband John, growing it from a small counter at the back of a babywear shop into the UK’s largest independent travel agency with 512 branches nationwide. Along the way, she navigated major industry shifts, acquired the legendary Thomas Cook brand, founded the Hays Travel Foundation, and built a leading apprenticeship programme that now employs hundreds of apprentices. But this isn't come without massive hurdles, heartbreak and sheer determination to turn crisis into a success.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Irene shares the leadership principles and bold decisions behind her success. She reveals how she scaled without outside investors, why she risked everything to save thousands of jobs at Thomas Cook, and how she rebuilt stronger than ever after COVID-19 brought global travel to a standstill.
Irene also explores the “soft infrastructure” behind Hays Travel’s five star customer experience and why apprenticeships and investing in young talent are central to her long term vision.
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This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Reed's Report: Employer Attitudes to Hiring People with Criminal Convictions
Resettling into society after prison is a huge challenge — especially when employers are reluctant to hire people with a criminal record. Too often, talented individuals are overlooked, leaving skills and potential untapped, and making them far more likely to reoffend.
In this episode, we dive into the findings of the latest REED report; "Employer attitudes to employing people with criminal convictions.”, and its findings.The report reveals a concerning trend where one in five employers would not consider a candidate with a conviction at all, and the willingness to hire individuals with criminal records has dropped sharply across various offenses.
We’re joined by Alex Head, the owner and founder of Social Pantry, a leading independent catering company known for its work with prison leavers.
Alex shares her journey from starting a sandwich delivery service as a teenager, to building Social Pantry into a leading employer of prison leavers in the hospitality industry. She provides practical insight into the successes and challenges of this great work, demonstrating how giving people a second chance can lead to a compelling and persuasive workforce.
This is an essential listen for any business leader looking to build a resilient and socially conscious company and challenge the stigma of employing ex-offenders.
Timecodes:
04:18 Social Pantry's business model and success
06:14 Challenges and support for hiring prison leavers
13:09 The role of charities and probation services
23:39 Employment boards and training opportunities
29:58 Empathy and communication in the workplace
34:45 Challenges and benefits of hiring prison leavers
38:31 Addressing employer hesitations
44:06 Success Stories and Future Plans
If you are interested in supporting prison leavers back into employment and joining Social Pantry's working group, please email alex.head@socialpantry.co.uk
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Check out Social Pantry’s website
Check out Key4Life’s website
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Education is changing fast, and the old ways of running learning institutes are no longer working. Philippa De’Ath set out to solve this when she co-founded Arbor Education, a platform designed to shift the focus of teachers away from admin work and back to what matters most: the students.
In this week’s episode of All About Business, Philippa shares how she and her co-founder built a mission-driven company that is both profitable and has a significant social impact. She reveals the secrets to scaling in a complex, highly regulated industry, from automating routine tasks with AI, to empowering educators with real-time data and insights.
Philippa breaks down what it takes to turn a passion for impact into a sustainable enterprise. She unpacks the challenges of scaling, the importance of listening to end users, and how to keep your purpose at the core while building a business that delivers both explosive growth and positive change.
Whether you're starting a company or looking for a mission-driven strategy that actually works, Philippa's journey is packed with practical insights you can borrow and scale.
01:03 The Mission and Impact of Arbor Education
02:14 Understanding Arbor's Management Information System
03:03 The Growth and Success of Arbor Education
06:07 The Role of AI and Cloud in Modern Education
13:23 Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Schools
20:40 Philippa's Journey: From IBM to Founding Schools
25:06 Reflecting on the Journey
25:32 Building a School from Scratch
26:15 Opening the Schools
26:43 Challenges and Growth
27:59 Founding Arbor Education
31:44 Expanding Arbor's Reach
34:38 Improving School Efficiency
39:55 Future Ambitions and Reflections
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at Reed.com
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk
Fresh from the holidays? Here are 5 top summer takeaways to get you inspired and ready for September.
In this special bonus episode of All about Business, we’ve handpicked some of the most valuable insights from our incredible podcast guests. Since launching last October, we’ve had the privilege of hearing the powerful journeys, lessons, and strategies from some of the most successful entrepreneurs out there.
We talk about:
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - Takeaway 6 Alex Partridge
05:23 - Takeaway 7 Byron Dixon
09:16 - Takeaway 8 Todd Unger
12:10 - Takeaway 9 Kiki McDonough
15:37 - Takeaway 10 David Mitchell
Links:
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All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: Reed.com
Start your 28 day free trial at Reed.ai NOW!
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
Fresh from the holidays? Here are 5 top summer takeaways to get you inspired and ready for September.
In this special bonus episode of All about Business, we’ve handpicked some of the most valuable insights from our incredible podcast guests. Since launching last October, we’ve had the privilege of hearing the powerful journeys, lessons, and strategies from some of the most successful entrepreneurs out there.
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - Takeaway 1 Rob Moore
03:20 - Takeaway 2 Neil Clifford
08:05 - Takeaway 3 Michelle Kennedy
11:18 - Takeaway 4 Nicola Reed
14:02 - Takeaway 5 Reggie Heyworth
Links:
Follow James Reed on LinkedIn
All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: Reed.com
Start your 28 day free trial at Reed.ai NOW!
This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo Media
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