We had a great chat with Rod Beer, MD of the UK Business Angels Association - the not-for-profit trade association that supports the early-stage investment community. It’s a fascinating and informative discussion that’s indispensable for any business thinking about investment this year. What’s the difference between angel investors and venture capitalists? Should businesses that are seeking investment factor in their exit strategy from the start? How has the pandemic affected the investment community?How should companies approach angel investorsWhat’s more important: people, product, or the idea?Rod answers these questions and more.  Stepping into Dragon’s Den doesn’t have to be scary, especially if you’ve caught this Amaiz podcast.

Amaiz talsk to Troy Norcross of SER TeamThe initials of SER Team stand for strategy, execution, and results. Troy set up the consultancy to empower efficiency and decision making in business. As he tells us, engagement is essential - and that extends from celebrating success to managing failure. Troy gives a fascinating insight into business strategy from a global, but utterly relatable perspective. If you’re starting or growing a new business, don’t miss this chat on the challenges of dynamics and scaling as well as:Mergers and combining company cultures.The ultimate importance of trust.Why companies are never digitally mature.How the best technology is invisibleAs Troy explains, tools are irrelevant, but success is more dependent on learning from the way problems are solved. As for the future, Troy sees opportunities from the world emerging from the pandemic, particularly for companies that seize the critical shift from globalisation to hyper-localisation

Darryl Bannon returns to the Amaiz Podcast to talk about starting a business in the luxury sector. Now? Yes, it’s an ideal time to get an idea off the ground, but it requires a particular mix of psychology, acumen and hard work. Luxury means high margins and high standards to match. It’s crucial to target your customer. Darryl talks to us about the practicalities of setting up a brand, including:How the definition and experience of luxury changes.Why it’s critical you think about what your brand says and how it makes your customer feel special.The impact of speculation and attachment.

“Early-stage investment is often the trickiest to get, but also the most precious”Joe Inglis joins us to talk about fundraising for his new business, VetChef. A fully qualified vet, with successful businesses and media career under his belt, Joe’s new venture disrupts the market from the simple point: We can do better for our best friends than processed food. VetChef has sailed past its initial investment round, generating funds earmarked to ready the product for launch. Joe shares how he used the year of lockdown to create something more tangible than a businesses plan, though as he says, the proof will be in the pet food. With two decades of experience in pet food, Joe saw the future that was better for pets, owners and the environment, and secured support for his vision. Hear key tips, including:Gearing up for investment while keeping a lid on USPs.Leveraging experience to convince investorsThe growing importance of Impact investment and sustainabilityThe benefit of demonstrating your productStaging investment to fund milestonesFind out more about the Amaiz business app and its payments, bookkeeping and accounting features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

Oliver Shaw from Kalibrate talks to us about planning for the unseen. We’ve all experienced the unprecedented, but what does the remainder of 2021 and Covid-recovery hold? It’s still difficult to see what normality might look like, but Oliver singles out some key themes:The way people work will change, and that will knock on to many other parts of the economy.That money switch, particularly in retail, will be the critical focus - is your business hypothesis ready?The government will be looking to recoup funds, so every business needs to prepare for tax and inflation knock-ons.Questions remain over Brexit, which may well provide opportunities to do things differently. Some things won’t return - companies that adjust quickly will have the advantage.The major positive is that the economy will rebound quickly, so any company in the right position could benefit from a significant growth surge.Find out more about the Amaiz business app and its payments, bookkeeping and accounting features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

Darryl Bannon of Darryl Bannon Consulting brings her holistic understanding of how businesses work and grow to the Amaiz Podcast. If you’ve reached the stage where you’re thinking of ways to grow and scale your business, this is an unmissable chat. Daryll takes us through the types of available investment and the crucial things every business owner needs to consider. What is impact investment? What’s more important, your numbers or your idea? Just how important is a business plan? Listen to our latest investment chat.Find out more about Amaiz banking, bookkeeping and accounting features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

“Author of “That sh*t will never sell” and with a book title like that, you know you’re in for punchy insight from David Gluckman. As he says, “Creating brands is not a democracy”What does that mean? Find the answer and far more in this fascinating chat with the product and brand development specialist. David takes us through his incredible experience, working through the heyday of consumer culture. Discover why words are underused and why making a statement is essential. From market analysis to formulating thoughts, David shares examples of what to do and what not to do. Don’t rush to complete market research before you listen to this. Contains straight-talking and mild swearing - just look at the book title!

"If you haven't got a happy and well team, they aren't going to be achieving."Can you think of a topic more important and relevant in today's workplaces? Wizzy Magnussen has created the stigma-free platform mindsanonymous.com where workers can anonymously share their stories and experiences. She talks to us about the importance of a platform that partners with professionals to drive understanding, support and knowledge. The disruptive and damaging events of 2020 have highlighted the importance of mental health but, as Wizzy explains, there's a lot to do, and a significant factor remains a lack of understanding. Wizzy talks through the implications this has on for the productivity of a business and how managers can better recognise the signs and check in on their employees.  Communication is key.

"Right time, right place comes from building connections." A stunning chat with serial entrepreneur and creative thinker Ian Silverstein. Ian has vast experience building businesses from scratch, scaling them and expanding them in other countries. The growth of his design business in the Middle East is a fascinating case study. But the story doesn't end there. From start-ups to collaboration to the happy accidents that come from unlikely places (and even building a house), Ian shares his tips for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.

Introducing the "Queen of Furlough" - Debee runs the progressive training and HR consultancy Debbee Dale Developments, specialising in the breadth of HR resources and talent across travel, tourism and hospitality. How has she earned that nickname? The Covid-era brought an onslaught of new terms and specialisms to HR, and Debbee talks about the changes she's helped businesses navigate during 2020.There's been dramatic change across every industry and a major impact on companies' ability to manage and retain talent. But Debbee's optimistic about the future, and the inevitable creativity that comes from adversity. She's also practical, and very mindful of the significant challenges posed to business. Don't miss her top advice for businesses taking the initiative on human resources during the pandemic. "You have to recognise what people have done and what they haven't done."

"Covid is ten years' worth of change in one year."Tom Ball from desklodge.com joins us for catch up on the extraordinary changes 2020 brought to 'flexible working' - as Tom says, that's when you're free to work anywhere. The past year has posed huge issues for businesses large and small, employees and freelancers. Tom talks through the importance of recognising the different experiences of remote workers, how an appreciation of rhythm and culture is critical, and why we need to develop the conversation around mental health.Right now, we all need to take care of our ergonomics, but what does the future hold?  Achieving balance, Tom says, and expect a role for virtual reality too...

Yani embraced entrepreneurism after drawing together her passions for creativity and urban development. She's always been fascinated by the potential companies have to transform the experience of a city. At NACUE, the UK's leading membership organisation for engaging students in enterprise, she supports the business leaders of the future. Hear about the innovation that's endured through the pandemic and Yani's hopes for the future. In uncertain times, Yani is enthusiastic about the young entrepreneurs she works with, their ability to adapt, and the new opportunities opening up for startups. Find out why in this Amaiz podcast.... And find out more about Amaiz banking, bookkeeping and accounting features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

Professor, author, and greenhouse gas expert, Mike Berners-Lee talks to us about sustainability in this fascinating and important chat. From a practical perspective, Mike’s research work and consultancy help businesses get on top of the climate crisis. Businesses want to be more sustainable for various reasons, and Mike explains how a business response to climate change affects every part of a company.  How much extra time has COVID bought humans in the fight against climate change?  There is good news to go along with stark warnings. Covering product and services, early adoption and specific sectors, this is a chat that will spark questions and hopefully provide a few answers, for every business owner.

Is it vital for every business to have a bookkeeper? In this episode, we're joined by Andrew Tapson of Pearl.biz. Bringing vast experience of supporting companies with strategic management services, Andrew discusses the specific potential of bookkeepers. As he explains, they can bring great value to any business at the coalface. Ideal finance support is adding expertise where it's needed - an extra skillset can make all the difference; it comes down to adding value.  No business is too small or too young to pick up great pointers from this conversation - it all starts on day one.  Find out more about Amaiz banking, bookkeeping and accounting features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

Sally Graham joins us to talk about sustainability and investment.  Fern Equity pairs companies with investors in the impact space - as Sally explains, 'impact' means anything that advances the Sustainable Development Goals. From companies with products that are positive for the environment to those with large-scale climate-change initiatives, it's a wide range. And as Sally explains, while money creation is important to investment, value creation is too. It's important for the future business growth of startups and established businesses. Sally provides excellent insight into investment structure and looks forward to what may be in store in 2021. Alongside large shifts to our working life and wealth responsibility, Sally sees investment changes; after all, the VC movement came from a recession and is all about opportunity. Find out more about the Amaiz app and it supports business at https://amaiz.com/features/

"Welcome to your remote meeting zone."Innovation is a widely used term, but its meaning is even broader than most people think. Remote-working expert Zoltan Vass joins us to discuss the essential benefits innovation bring to business. He explains how remote working will play a large part in the next industrial revolution, something that has only been accelerated by the past year's events. Zoltan expects that acceleration to continue. But innovation only reaches its potential if a business provides the optimum safe environment, and that means a collaborative culture. Find out why innovation is even more important to your business than you think and even when it... Isn't innovation? Find out more about Amaiz Business and the app that provides an account, bookkeeping and accounting features to support business at https://amaiz.com/features/

John Attridge of BBX joins us for this fascinating chat about procurement and supply chain. John's vast experience includes setting up BBX. So far, the network that helps companies trade their excess capacity has reached 32 countries and nearly half a million businesses. In this fascinating conversation, he shares his views on the challenges facing effective procurement and supply chains - delegation and proposition. He also shares his unmissable, no-nonsense tips for businesses that want to maximise their procurement process. A key takeaway is doing your research - and there's no better start than this podcast! Find out more about Amaiz business and the app that provide account, bookkeeping and accounting features to support business at https://amaiz.com/features/

Amaiz talks to Clara Lee of Claraty Consulting, a business that's all about helping other businesses concentrate on what they do well. Unfortunately, as vital as it is, that's rarely bookkeeping. You may recognise the horror stories mentioned here: Unruly accounts, spikes of receipts and boxes of invoices. Clara explains how getting on top of a business' bookkeeping soon helps day-to-day admin to drop, and why the chaos of not having a separate business account isn't worth it. No business owner needs to miss a deadline or provide the wrong information when there are solutions. Communication is critical. During Lockdown, Amaiz introduced Additional Access so that no business owner risks being left isolated from partners or accountants as important deadlines loom. Find out about that and our time-saving bookkeeping and banking features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

In this episode we catch-up with Kate Tompsett from Series 2 earlier podcast to see how her small shop fared after the first lockdown eased.  The spring restrictions gave Kate the chance to develop the digital side of her business and as she puts it, "take control destiny her destiny a little bit more". While a significant loss was face-to-face contact with her customers, her shop Happy & Glorious benefitted from great local support, and she's found new routes to feedback that's proved invaluable.  Every sale makes a difference! Catch Kate's view on the support offered to small businesses during the pandemic and what she's learned from this year of lockdowns so far.Find out more about Amaiz banking, bookkeeping and accounting features and how they support small business at https://amaiz.com/features/

Here's a relaxed and upbeat podcast from lockdown. After helping top executives at some of the biggest companies in London discover yoga and pilates, Amanda transferred her business to Hampshire three years ago. After expanding from village hall to a residency in a health club, her audience was growing organically... Then COVID hit. When the shutters fell on 16 March 2020, it was a real shock, but Amanda turned her business around in hours. By talking to colleagues, looking after clients and researching her options, technology provided the answer...A great discussion on small business growth and thinking. From analogue to digital... From Hampshire to the world? "What have you got to lose?"