James Reed: all about business

Just last week, a Data Analyst was forced to turn to charity to feed his family. Once secure in a stable profession, he is now among the growing number of educated, working professionals whose livelihoods have been eroded by soaring inflation, pushing them into hardship. And the crisis shows no signs of easing. In this week’s episode of All About Business, Mark Game, Co-Founder of The Bread and Butter Thing. They’ve built a business where commercial success and social impact go hand in hand, offering help by rescuing surplus food from major retailers and getting it into the hands of those who need it.  Mark’s model of supermarket surplus into consistent, dignified support for thousands of working families proves that you can build a sustainable, logistics-driven business while maintaining dignity and delivering real impact. And your business can partner with them to drive meaningful change. James and Mark explore how poverty has changed, why stigma keeps people silent, and how The Bread and Butter Thing is using smart logistics and scalable systems to meet real human needs, with empathy, efficiency, and long-term impact that goes beyond just food on the table.02:27 The Bread and Butter Thing: Impact and operations07:28 Challenges and solutions in food redistribution09:06 The role of community and volunteers25:38 Mark Game's personal journey32:03 Building management teams35:16 Opening new hubs42:53 Community and confidence53:08 Sustainability and growth59:28 Future goals and reflectionsCheck out The Bread and Butter Thing’s website: Follow The Bread and Butter Thing on LinkedIn: Follow James Reed on LinkedInStart your free trial at Reed.ai NOW! 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 

AI isn’t the future, it’s already reshaping the way we work, build, and compete. If you’re starting or looking to scale a business right now, understanding how to actually use AI, not just talk about it, could be your biggest edge.In this week’s episode of All About Business, Microsoft UK’s Chief Digital Officer Jed Griffiths shares what he’s seeing at the front lines of AI adoption. From how enterprises are deploying tools like Copilot to what’s coming next in automation and strategy, Jed offers a rare inside look at how the most powerful companies are thinking about the future of work.We break down what AI is really doing under the hood, and why it's more than just a productivity booster. Think smarter decisions, faster execution, new revenue models, and a whole new way to lead teams and run businesses. If you’re building something and want to stay ahead of the curve, or just want to stop feeling behind, this episode gives you a clear, honest view of where AI is going and how to get there first.01:37   Introduction03:20 Developing A Company AI Strategy07:54  What is Microsoft Co-Pilot?09:08 Productivity - Businesses Don't Use The Term Right12:09   2025 The Year of More AI Start Ups14:17    The Valley of Death18:26   Mentoring Startups20:59  Before Microsoft - High Tech Weapons27:37  The Four C's38:24  Will AI Humanize Work?41:07   Will AI Change Recruitment? What Happens to Reed?49:41   Microsoft's Six AI Principles01:03:39 What Gets Jed Up On Monday Mornings?01:04:45 Where Jed Will Be In Five YearsCheck out Microsoft Copilot’s website: Follow Jed Griffiths on LinkedIn: Follow James Reed on LinkedInStart your free trial at Reed.ai NOW! 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 

Most graduates leave university with a degree but little direction, but how do you figure out what to do with your life, and how do you actually get your foot in the door?In this week’s episode of All About Business, the founder of Bright Network James Uffindell shares the full journey. From his first venture helping students access top universities, to scaling Bright Network into one of the UK's leading platforms for connecting talent with opportunity.From a working-class upbringing in Warwickshire to founding Bright Network, a tech-driven platform used by over a million students, James has spent his career solving the problems he once faced himself.James talks about the crisis that led to their biggest innovation, how they scaled an internship program to 150,000 students, AI, data, understanding Gen Z behavior, and what employers really want when they say they’re looking for passion and resilience. If you’re building a startup, thinking about purpose, or wondering how to turn experience into impact, this episode is for you. James’s story is proof that you don’t have to come from the right family or know the right people, but you do need to listen, adapt, and keep showing up. 02:51 James Uffindell's background and inspiration04:10 Building Bright Network08:04 The importance of internships11:52 Personalisation and data utilization24:05 Impact of AI on job market36:55 The importance of office environments for young professionals39:31 The Bright Network platform and its benefits41:23 AI in recruitment and business growth51:03 Diversity and inclusion in the job market59:38 Future plans and expansionCheck out Bright Network’s website: Follow Bright Network on LinkedIn: Follow James Reed on LinkedInAll 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 

Five years. Zero sales. No paycheck. Most people would’ve given up. Byron Dixon didn’t. Instead, he turned his chemistry knowledge and desire for change into Micro-Fresh. A breakthrough technology now used globally to fight mold, bacteria, and bad smells in everything from school shoes to hospital bedding.In this episode of All About Business, we meet Byron Dixon, scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Micro-Fresh. He shares how he went from a council estate in Leicester to living in Denmark and learning from the Scandinavian way of life, to building a global brand that’s protecting lives, championing sustainability, and changing how retailers think about product longevity.Byron reveals the untold truth about bootstrapping a science business, the resilience it takes to go years without revenue, and how one unexpected call changed everything. He also shares how Micro-Fresh is tackling mold in homes, and why “Home-Fresh” might be his most important innovation yet. If you’ve ever doubted yourself, struggled to stay motivated, or wondered if your idea could really make a difference, this episode is for you.03:16   Why Did Byron Start MicroFresh?07:27  MicroFresh's Sustainability, Waste Reduction10:40  Designing A Non-Hazardous Environmentally Friendly Product18:46   Starting Without Advantages20:09 Open University25:18   Determination & No Fear of Failure26:25  The First Breakthrough28:40 Domino Effect - Competition Doesn't Want To Be Left Out31:00  Big Growth & Market Validation36:51   How Does A CEO Prioritize and Achieve Goals?39:59  Moving to the USA?47:03 Why Young People Feel They Can't Do This49:24 Switching Off The Phone51:00  Boredom as a source of creativity52:42  Putting the Phone and Social Media Away54:54  Top 3 Things We Should Import From Scandinavia59:41   Interview RoundCheck out Microfresh’s websiteFollow Microfresh on LinkedInFollow James Reed on LinkedInAll 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 

He pushed himself to the limit and lost everything. But that didn’t stop him from coming back stronger than ever and building a global brand from scratch. On this episode of All About Business we meet Matthew Jones, founder of Bread Ahead, who teaches us why the road to success isn’t always smooth. For him it was full of late nights, hard lessons, and a brutal turning point that forced him to rebuild his business and his life from the ground up.When Matthew started making doughnuts at Borough Market, he never expected they’d become a worldwide sensation. The founder of Bread Ahead gives us valuable business insight and shares how he uses Instagram and raw storytelling to grow a devoted following.Bread Ahead is more than a bakery, it's a brand built on resilience, realness, and obsessive attention to flavour.If you’ve ever felt like giving up, or dreamed of starting over. This episode is proof that rock bottom can be the start of something extraordinary.01:59 The rise of Bread Ahead04:21 Innovative flavours and business strategy08:28 Matthew's Culinary Journey19:34 Challenges and recovery25:44 Rebuilding and expanding35:44 The power of social media39:19 Global expansion and future plans43:00 Resilience and learning from failure51:47 The Bread Ahead Academy55:57 The impact of weight loss trends on business57:41 Daily routine and work-life balanceLinksCheck out Bread Ahead’s website:  Follow Bread Ahead on LinkedIn: Follow James Reed on LinkedInAll 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 

Nearly 10,000 apps are uploaded to the app store every week, and most of them are ignored. So how do you launch one that becomes a movement?In this episode of All About Business, we’re joined by Michelle Kennedy, founder and CEO of Peanut; the social networking app that has transformed how women connect and help each other through every stage of motherhood.What does it take to walk away from a top executive role and start from scratch? From pitching with nothing but a deck, to raising over $23 million, to building one of the most trusted platforms for women online, listen to Michelle's story and find out.We dive into her strategy for building a matchmaking app that attracts millions of users, how to validate your idea before you build it, and the biggest lessons she’s learned as a female founder.Michelle also opens up about the hardest parts of fundraising, how she built traction without a product, and why not every business should take venture capital. 01:42 Introduction - Michelle Kennedy01:54 Peanut - Social Media App09:09 Raising Money11:34 Advice on Deck, Pitch, Value Proposition15:56 Not Every Business Needs the Venture Capital Path20:04 I Wouldn't Have Done It If I Knew ...24:25 Achieving Critical Mass - The Network Effect27:40 Start Without Building The App33:34 Peanut Start Her Fund for Women36:48 Advice to Family Women on Starting a Business46:59 Curiosity Spawns New Ideas50:10 Why A Book In The Digital Age?54:57 Reed Interview Round - What Gets You Up Monday Morning?56:39 Where Michelle Sees Herself in Five YearsLinksCheck out Peanuts’s website:  Follow Peanut on LinkedIn: Download Peanut app from Google Play: Follow James Reed on LinkedInAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: www.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 

Did you know that nearly half the planet still isn’t connected? In many places, getting essential supplies like medicine and food is not only costly, it’s nearly impossible. But what if we were standing on the edge of a breakthrough that could change all of that?On this episode of All About Business, we're joined by Mark Dorey, co-founder and CEO of Straightline Aviation. A pioneering company building hybrid airships designed to deliver cargo to the most remote corners of the world.No roads, no airports - no problems. It’s a bold mission with the power to reshape global logistics and unlock new possibilities for connection, commerce, and care.Mark shares how he turned an ambitious idea into a real business, what to look for in the right business partner, and some of the great lessons he learned when working alongside Richard Branson.01:42   Introduction04:04 How Does an Airship Work?06:55 Why the Early Popularity of Airships?12:04   The Customer Benefits of Airships19:06  Mark's Early Career24:15   Changing Business Models29:51   Future Scale32:07  Learning from Richard Branson34:35  Delegation and Accountability44:49 Pros and Cons of Business Partners47:17   Negotiating and Establishing Business Relationships51:10    Business Opportunity Check List52:43  Establishing Shared Vision and TrustLinks Check out Straightline Aviation’s website:Follow StraightlineAviation on LinkedIn:  Follow James Reed on LinkedInAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at www.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 

We've long been taught that hard work is beneficial for both body and mind, but is that truly the case? Could there be inherent value in slowing down, embracing rest, and allowing ourselves the space to simply be idle?Today on 'All About Business', we meet Tom Hodgkinson, founder and editor-in-chief of The Idler Magazine, a publication that teaches its readers the value of slowing down.In this episode, we learn about the philosophy of idling, challenge traditional beliefs that hard work is inherently good, and explore the idea that true fulfilment, in both life and business, can be found in activities that restore the soul, body, and mind.Tom Hodgkinson founded The Idler Magazine in 1993 together with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. Tom has worked over 20 years in editing and advertising, while also writing several books on the philosophy of idling and its benefits. 00:35 The Puritan work ethic08:03 Tom Hodgkinson's journey12:03 Starting the Idler magazine14:41 The Idler Academy 25:10 Modern work ethic and AI predictions33:30 The bookshop dilemma38:26 Challenges of running a business47:20 The digital pivot50:43 Idler Retreats and experiences52:47 The philosophy of idlingLinks Check out The Idler’s websiteFollow The Idler on LinkedInBuy Business for Bohemians, by Tom HodgkinsonFollow James Reed on LinkedInAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotesThis 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

The UK is ranked last in Europe for bathing water quality. With a small team and limited resources, how have a ‘bunch of surfers from Cornwall’ got parliament to listen and launch a commission on England’s chemical cocktail of stinking sewage?Today’s guest on All About Business is Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, a water reform charity that’s been around for over three decades.In this episode, we discuss the dangers of not taking sustainability seriously, how to get the government to sit up and listen, and why community lies at the heart of every charitable brand.Giles Bristow is the CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, a marine conservation charity. Founded in 1990 by a group of surfers in Cornwall, SAS is a powerful environmental movement that addresses a range of ocean-related issues. Giles joined SAS in 2023 and has over 20 years of experience in environmental advocacy. 01:31 Introduction02:22 What are the problems with the UK's oceans?08:32 Recent environmental changes10:41 Why can't water companies solve this?13:38 Time for systemic change16:45 Voters Against Floaters31:31 Giles' advice for effective campaigning36:42 Circular economies38:53 Plastic - it's everywhere40:40 How to lobby - transparency and connections45:52 Just Stop Oil – Are they effective?50:22 Helping businesses become more sustainable53:55 Community and brand59:19 Interview roundLinksCheck out SAS’s websiteFollow Giles on LinkedInFollow James Reed on LinkedInAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes. 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 should you do if you have a brilliant business idea but don’t have the funds to bring it to life? In today’s episode of All About Business, I'm joined by venture capitalist Sasha Kaletsky. Sasha is the co-founder of investment firm Creator Ventures which he started with his cousin Caspar Lee. They have injected millions of dollars into digital tech companies in six short years.  In this episode, we explore how to craft the perfect pitch, how social media is shaping our economy, and how you can use simple AI tools to scale your business quickly.Sasha Kaletsky is the co-founder and Managing Partner at Creator Ventures, a firm that invests in technologies shaping the digital landscape. Before founding Creator Ventures, Sasha gained extensive experience in private equity, technology, and consulting. He started at Bridgepoint in private equity, contributed to the launch and expansion of Uber, and worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.Timestamps01:58 Introduction02:31 Creator Ventures17:37 Setting up in the United States18:48 CEOs becoming creators20:35 Building companies with AI25:51 The future social landscape29:28 Uber31:12 The network effect34:04 The secret behind a 5-Star passenger rating35:09 What makes a good pitch39:18 How Sasha determines future markets41:12 Presenting to VCs42:39 Due diligence43:20 How to pitch to Sasha43:53 Working with family47:06 When due diligence fails49:15 How companies can make better use of AI54:53 Interview roundLinksSend Sasha your pitch Check out Creator VenturesFollow James Reed on LinkedInAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotesThis 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.