The Business Leader Podcast

As we say farewell to 2022 and welcome in a new year, what is the state of the UK M&A market? To find out, we've spoken to the CEO of specialist M&A advisor BCMS, Jonathan Dunn.With over three decades of industry experience, Jonathan talks all things M&A in 2023, as well as trends to look out for and comparisons to the Great Recession.Here's what we discussed:What were some of the key M&A trends that we saw in 2022? (00:56)How did Trussonomics and the short-lived Liz Truss government impact the M&A market? (03:23)Did the post-pandemic M&A boost continue in 2022? (05:36)What M&A trends might we see continue from 2022 to 2023? (07:56)How would you compare this financial time against other times of turbulence, such as the Great Recession in 2008? (09:48)How important is the role of confidence as opposed to cautiousness in boosting M&A? (12:55)Which industries do you think will experience an M&A boom in 2023? (15:50)Which industries might suffer in 2023? (17:34)Are we likely to see a change in buying and investment in the UK from overseas? (18:39)Is overseas confidence in UK business changing in any way? (20:18)Are there other M&A trends you think we'll see in 2023? (21:31)What advice would you give to a seller going into the new year? (22:48)The Good News Postcard: Would you rather only be able to travel to the past or only be able to travel to the future and why? (25:42)Thanks to Mia from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is a partner at Local Globe and Latitude and a board member at Innovate Finance. Yvonne Bajela is a founding member and VP at Impact X Capital, a venture capital firm investing in companies led by underrepresented founders at the Seed and Series A stages.Previously a Senior Investment Manager at Mitsui & Co, she led over $200m in investments in companies including TransferWise, and has played a pivotal role in leading a wide range of investments in companies including Predina and Marshmallow while at Impact X.Here's what we discussed:How did you get into investment? (01:05)Did you have role models growing up that were in the sector you work in now? (03:06)You were a Senior Investment Manager at Mitsui & Co. and were the youngest investment manager across 90,000 global employees within the group. Have you ever been intimidated being in these positions or have you felt largely comfortable being in the roles you’ve been in? (05:05)What do you look for in a business when deciding to invest in it? (06:34)For companies you look to invest in, would you say the team is more important than the product or service itself? (07:47)What is the difference between a business that makes it and a business that doesn’t? (08:23)Do you see luck as a factor in the success of a business? (09:09)What questions should a business owner ask an investor to make sure that they are the right investor for them? (10:23)How can business owners grab the attention of investors? (11:35)Do you think being an extroverted business leader helps when it comes to gaining investment? (13:06)From your work with businesses, would you say there is a common flaw you might see come up time and again? (13:46)How do you think the investment space will change as a result of the global economic crisis? (14:57)How can businesses continue to achieve funding despite the economic conditions? (17:02)Why did you feel there was a need for a venture capital firm like Impact X Capital? (18:09)What implications does it have to not have more diverse people in investment? What does it mean for the business landscape of the future? (18:51)It's important for there to be investors from more diverse backgrounds. How can entrepreneurs or those from a finance background break into investment? (19:59)How have you dealt with failure? (20:59)Is there any particular factor that comes into play when a business fails? (22:16)From working with various business owners, what would you say is the most effective way to lead? (24:25)What kind of challenges can arise in a relationship between a business owner and an investor? (25:31)What is the benefit of having a company board? (27:39)What is the power of having a NED on your board? (29:27)Answer the Internet: Why do business owners need investors if they have a steady stream of revenue? (30:40)What makes a great business leader? (31:52)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dubbed a child prodigy, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE was the youngest girl to pass A-level computing at 11 years old. She then went on to receive a Master’s in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oxford at the tender age of 20.Having held positions at Goldman Sachs, Hewlett-Packard and Deutsche Bank, Imafidon is no stranger to having a seat at the table. However, she soon realised the table was far from diverse. In between stints on Channel 4’s Countdown and running her own project, Stemettes - a social enterprise that aims to empower and enable young women in the STEM sector.This very special interview is brought to you by Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate.Here's what we discussed:You had quite an unusual school experience. Would you describe what growing up was like for you? (01:09)Did you have any role models growing up? (02:04)What was the driving factor in you applying yourself at school? (05:45)What keeps you motivated now? Especially in your work with Stemettes? (09:23)Why have women and girls traditionally been excluded from STEM subjects and industries? (13:58)What motivated you to start Stemettes and use your experience and knowledge to enable and help other girls and women? Why is this an important issue? (23:34)It’s known that female business owners face more barriers in starting a business and achieving funding. Is there anything specific you did to achieve initial funding? (29:58)How do keep motivated? (32:41)What would you say is the biggest technological threat of the future? (35:36)Do you ever doubt yourself or have negative self-talk? (42:01)How do you view failure and adversity in your professional and personal life? (44:40)Questions from Queen Ethelburga's students (48:47)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is the founder of Enter the Arena, a business coaching company that aims to empower female business owners in investment. She is a serial entrepreneur and an expert in raising investment and scaling businesses, she is also the recent author of the book RAISE: The Female Founder’s Guide To Securing Investment. Here's what we discussed:Can you tell us a bit about your journey up until this point? (00:56)Did you have any role models in your early business life? (03:30)Was there anything in particular that drew you into helping other businesses grow? (05:11)Why do you feel investment into female funded businesses in an area that needs particular attention? (07:00)Only 15% of venture funding goes to female founders and only 6% of scale-up companies are led by women. Why are there so few female business owners? What are the barriers women face in getting into business? (09:40)Because the business world is male-dominated, the space may understandably seem intimidating for women, how can women who are at the start of their journey or thinking about going into business approach going into business if they do feel intimidated? (13:31)Which sectors do female business owners receive the most amount of funding? (17:04)Can there be opportunities during this period of time? And what can a business owner do to scale their business even in a global recession? (19:22)Is there a common doubt or issue that you see across all of the female founders you work with? (22:22)Businesses are part of the fabric of society, so when there aren’t many female business owners what implications does this have on society? (27:23)How can our listeners tackle raising investment in the wake of a global economic crisis when investors are likely holding onto cash during this period? (30:56)Answer the Internet: What are investors in a start-up allowed to do? (33:42)What makes a great business leader? (35:32)If a female founder reads your book and realises that they don't want to raise funding, what would be your advice to them? (37:23)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is the co-founder and CEO of Daaci, an AI music composition platform. Rachel Lyske is a vocal coach at the BRIT School of Performing Arts, having worked with artists signed to record labels including Dirty Hit, Atlantic, Infectious and Square Leg Records and is a music consultant for the music exam body ABRSM.Here's what we discussed:Can you tell us a bit about your journey and how you went into the music industry? (00:58)Did you always know you wanted to be a CEO and founder? (08:05)Are there any characteristics that you've taken from your time as a composer in the tech world? (11:22)Does this type of technology get its information and data from popular music that already exists? Are you having to be aware of the potential ethical consequences of a technology like this – for example, copyright? (14:17)Have you had much backlash about the Daaci offering (from the music industry for example)? (18:33)Do you see AI becoming an integral part of other creative industries outside of music? For example, in film? (22:15)There are fears about the likelihood of AI taking jobs once performed by humans. Where does this kind of technology leave the job of composition done by humans? (25:20)In 2022, you secured £4m in seed funding. What was your process in achieving this funding and do you have any advice for our listeners on how they can achieve funding? (28:54)Reports say that only 3% of VC funding goes to female-founded businesses – have you experienced any challenges as a female founder? (32:09)Answer the Internet: How do people get AI to do what they want? (34:49)What makes a great business leader? (36:09)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is the CEO of Babbel, a language learning platform and ecosystem that has sold more than 10 million subscriptions and over 60,000 courses for 14 different languages.Arne Schepker joined the company as CMO in 2015 before taking the role of CEO in 2019 and scaling the business from a start-up to a household brand, increasing its headcount from 250 to over 750.Here's what we discussed:Can you tell me a bit about what your life was like growing up and how this has led you to the point you’re at now? (0:57)You helped scale Zalando before you joined Babbel. What is the secret to effectively scaling a business? (05:14)Did you always want to be a CEO? (08:05)What can leaders do to make their team work to the best of their ability? (12:39)How do you as a CEO cultivate healthy conflict in your organisation? (14:55)How did you utilise the pandemic to your benefit? (17:22)What has been your biggest challenge either as a company or you as a CEO personally? (22:01)Has learning changed due to shorter attention spans/social media/convenience culture? (27:25)You've experimented with holocracy and self-management at Babbel – can you explain what this is and why you find this interesting? (31:56)Answer the Internet: How do people become CEOs? (37:25)What makes a great business leader? (38:15)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest on this episode is a former UK Special Forces operative, best known for appearing on the hit Channel 4 TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins. He is also the Founder and Managing Director at BreakPoint, a training company that utilises special forces techniques to deliver courses and workshops for corporate teams and leaders.This is our conversation with Ollie Ollerton.Here's what we discussed:You definitely need to have a particular personality type to join the special forces – so what was your life like growing up and what motivated you to join the special forces? (0:55)Do you believe that people who have experienced a great deal of adversity, pain and trauma are the ones who are more likely to have better discipline, willpower, resilience and motivation? (14:01)When going through those points of discomfort, how can you motivate yourself to continue striving for that end goal? (18:57)How do you deal with self-doubt? (24:34)With the work that you do with managers and leaders, what would you say is the most common limiting belief these people have? (28:09)As a business leader, how can you cultivate camaraderie and cohesiveness? (31:57)How do you think business owners can deal with adversity involved with navigating uncertainty? (37:22)What did being faced with the possibility of death so frequently teach you about life? (41:05)Answer the Internet: How am I supposed to find motivation in life? (46:29)What makes a great business leader? (49:00)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When some people talk in the business world, you can't help but sit up and listen. Whether he's tackling tough subjects or helping leaders through his speaking and facilitating skills, our guest on this episode is a self-proclaimed compassionate provocateur that you need to take note of.David McQueen is the co-founder of the professional coaching company Q Squared and Black Founders Hub, a network for black-owned high-growth businesses. He is a Non-Exec Director for Forbes Family Group and Our Game Football, a public speaker and coach to executive-level leaders and the host of The Brave Leader Podcast.Here's what we discussed:You have an interesting story because you were an accountant and then you went into IT and now you are a business founder and a speaker and coach. Can you tell us a bit about your journey to where you are now? (01:01)You being a charismatic and funny person lends itself to your own public speaking style, and people really relate to your authenticity. Do you think being authentic is important in being a good leader and speaker? (04:40)On your LinkedIn, you post a lot about being your authentic self and being - do you think people should be the same version of themselves at work and out of work? (06:45)What role does self-esteem have in an executive’s ability to lead well? (09:46)How can business leaders recognise their strengths and weaknesses? (12:34)When it comes to resilience, how important is it to have a team that is honest and will give honest feedback? (14:33)How can business leaders navigate the personalities of their team members and manage conflict? (17:10)How important is having the personality type where you don’t take things personally in being a great leader? (20:52)What is the importance of defining a company narrative and values? How can business leaders do this? (25:11)How can business founders ensure they are considering diversity in every business decision and not just paying lip service/tick-box exercise? (28:34)Do we need to speak about race more in a professional setting and how can we speak about these topics? (36:50)Answer the Internet: How is company culture formed? (47:17)What makes a great business leader? (48:45)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Confused by AI? The metaverse? AR? How will it affect your business? Do you even need to take any of this seriously? This episode's guest is Bernard Marr, a best-selling author, influencer, futurist and strategic business and technology advisor to governments and businesses. His books, which explore data, performance indicators, business management and business trends have been translated into over 20 languages and won multiple awards. One of his most recent books Business Trends In Practice focuses on the future events and circumstances shaping the way businesses operate.Here's what we discussed:Can you tell us a little bit about your experience growing up, your journey and what lead you into business? (01:04)A lot of your work focuses on the intersection of business and technology. What made you interested in this merger? (03:43)Do all businesses from any sector need to keep up with developments in AI and the utilisation of data? (06:01)How will AI impact jobs that are currently done by humans? (15:15)One thing you pick up on is the pace at which technology is advancing – you say it’s advancing exponentially at a rate never seen before in history – what are the benefits of this but what are the potential risks? (21:23)You talk in your book about the shifts in global power trend very interesting – that countries like China and India will become more powerful than the US. You also speak about the rise in political and cultural polarisation and use things like Brexit and the Trump presidency as examples of this increasing polarisation. How do these factors impact businesses? (25:01)Is the metaverse a threat to business or a positive development? (30:52)Answer the Internet: Why is Blockchain Technology (and cryptocurrencies) promoted as something "big", "revolutionary", and "never seen before", if it's just a technique to account for transactions? What is so revolutionary about using blockchain to make transactions? (43:13)What makes a great business leader? (47:18)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can business leaders learn from comedians? Dealing with failure? Speaking to crowds? Relating to an audience? What about using the lessons learnt from a breakup to make yourself a better leader? Our guest on this episode is an award-winning stand-up comedian, best-selling author and host of ‘The Breakup Monologues’ podcast, Rosie Wilby.Rosie's latest book, The Breakup Monologues: The Unexpected Joy of Heartbreak, explores what skills someone can learn from breakups and why they can actually be beneficial. She's also the founder of a boutique music PR agency and a patron of the LGBTQ charity Switchboard. We talk to Rosie about building resilience, failure and much more.Here's what we discussed:Could you tell us about what growing up was like for you and how you got into comedy? (00:59)What role has your sexuality had in either excelling your career or holding you back? (07:58)There's a belief that many comedians have faced adversity or had some problems that made them turn to comedy. Do you think this is true? (13:23)A big part of stand-up is failure. How have you learnt from those negative experiences? (16:34)Confidence in yourself and being able to speak in front of lots of people is an essential part of their job. Do you have any advice for our listeners on how to develop this skill and ultimately not care so much about what others think of them? (18:42)Resilience is a big part of being a comedian because you persistently face rejection. How do you build resilience? (21:44)What challenges have you seen people have with professional relationships in the workplace? (25:23)Why are breakups so important in teaching us life lessons? (28:37)Answer the Internet: How do you get over a fear of public speaking? (34:07)What makes a great business leader? (36:51)Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and the Business Leader YouTube channel for more interviews with some of the world’s leading business figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.