Business Problems Solved Podcast

To celebrate the extraordinary achievement of reaching the 100 episode milestone, Lee has turned the reins of the show over to you, the listeners, and some very special guests, for a truly interactive episode where Lee answers as many of your questions as possible! Join Lee in the hot-seat then, for this peek behind the curtain of your host and guide. Welcome to the epic, 100th episode of Business Problems Solved! KEY TAKEAWAYS Always do your best for your organisation, but always remember that we need to be happy. We must put ourselves first, and consider what it is that we want. Finding your place in the world isn’t just about achieving the right salary, or being in the right job. It’s about enjoying the work you do. Enjoyment in your career will energise you, and spur you on to do better. Sometimes, leaving a position, or recognising that you are in the wrong place in your career, can be the moment that helps you to define your true place. There are no such things as failure - only lessons. Success is all about starting small, having a clear vision of where you want to end up, and being comfortable with the journey. Our heads decide exactly how our eyes work, how our mouths open and close, what we say, and whether or not our eyebrows raise... BEST MOMENTS ’The world is a massive place, and you can influence it all' ‘You can’t walk through the same stream twice’ ‘It’s about thinking creatively, and overcoming the challenge’ ‘You are where you are because of the steps that you’ve put it' ‘You two have no issues with opening your mouth, do you?’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast  ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

As we approach the special 100th episode, Lee reflects upon the journey so far, and more specifically, tries to figure out which of the 99 that precede it, is his favourite so far. The answer may surprise you... KEY TAKEAWAYS Each episode represents a challenge or question that Lee has asked, or been faced with. And each episode has represented the solution to that problem. Sometimes we only remember the larger outcomes to which we are emotionally attached in some way. We may often miss the incremental steps or learnings that brought us there. Business Problems Solved has acted as a form of recording the building blocks that have formed the structure of Lee’s business journey. Do you have a way of looking back at your learnings? BEST MOMENTS ’They’ve all been a reflection of where I’ve been at that point in time’ ’The 99 podcasts have all been an individual step to where I’ve got to today’ ‘You can only join the dots looking backwards if you can see the bloomin’ dots!' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

We meet people every day, online and in life. But how meaningful are these connections? And how much more powerful could they be if we took the time to get to know people better? In this week’s show, Lee talks to a relatively new connection, but one that has made a marked impact upon his life - Victoria Hamilton, who joins the show to discuss the benefits of spending more time getting to know people. KEY TAKEAWAYS In the new landscape of the business world, it’s the companies who focus on people, and trying to reach their customers in more creative, empowering ways, will be the ones who thrive. Happy people lead to happy customers. We can create happy people by installing a culture of comfort, support and collaboration in our organisations. The art of empathy allows us the insight to recognise when people are coming from a different place. The slightest trip along the way can affect a person’s outlook. We must understand where people are coming from. Having a sensation or feeling removed from our reach, such as the ability to physically connect, makes it all the more desirable. Lockdown has demonstrated that we crave human contact above all things. BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s such a time of unparalleled change’ ’The culture, behaviours and values of an organisation are what will shape and determine the impact and success of your focus on the customer’ ’Try and walk a mile in the other person’s shoes’ ‘We have a chance to relearn, reset and recalibrate!’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    Victoria Hamilton LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/customertransformation/ ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Lee has recently embarked upon a course in stand-up comedy in order to not just hone his sense of humour, but also his skills in communication.  Stand-up comics are masters of delivering messages through an entirely different form of story-telling, and in this week’s show, Lee tells you all about it.  KEY TAKEAWAYS The three most important elements of stand-up comedy are Connection, Performance, and then Material, meaning that jokes are actually the third most important part of being a comic.  In business improvement, we are often trained rigorously in a particular material, meaning that it is the material itself that takes priority. But this is the wrong way to look at it.  In a joke there is always a setup and then a punchline. When you deliver learning, we must seek to differentiate the key learning points from the rest of the information.  BEST MOMENTS ’There are actually transferable lessons between stand-up comedy and business improvement’  ‘Connection is first - second is performance’  ‘Everybody that’s in front of you is different'  VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Opera singer, author, coach, and founder of ’The Voice of Your Mind’, Emma Buratti, joins Lee on this week’s show, to talk about how we can instantly optimise our body language and our voices in order to maximise our communication potential.   KEY TAKEAWAYS We are immediately attracted to those who speak well. The voice is like a diet - it requires work and training in order to optimise it. Often, when trying to improve the voice, the aim is not to minimise the dialects or regional inflections, but to train the voice in how to breathe properly, or soften consonant in order to reduce plosives. A good technique for improving your energy in a video call, is to first dress for the occasion, and secondly to set the area up as though you are staging an important meeting.  To make a larger impact, we must never underestimate the power of silence. A well timed pause can add gravitas and emphasis to a verbal bullet-point. BEST MOMENTS ’The voice has always been important’ ‘Everybody can keep their accents - it’s about softening the consonants’ ‘If your energy goes down, guess where it shows…' ‘If you want to be confident, then you have to learn to stand in your own power’   VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    Emma Buratti LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-buratti-30472a33/?originalSubdomain=uk The Voice Of Your Mind - https://www.thevoiceofyourmind.com/about-me   ABOUT THE HOST For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

What do the great ones in business have in common?  Those who succeed are not always the most talented in the room. But they do have willpower. Perseverance and clarity about people and ourselves are the forces that can take anyone towards their goals. KEY TAKEAWAYS Knowing ourselves is the first step in understanding each other. By tapping into ourselves, we unleash a new level of creativity. The message and the content aren’t always the most important step. We need to create a connection before we can properly deliver the message. Everything must start with people. We must begin with thought, and a better understanding. Everyone is an individual. BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s your thoughts that drive your creativity’ ‘Business improvement is not just about the methodology’ ’A habit is an automatic action' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Lee talks to Tom Lock, the founder of The British Snack Company, one of the most popular snack brands in the country. Tom discusses the importance of brand identification, perseverance, and the lessons he learned while scaling a small business concern to one of national importance. KEY TAKEAWAYS Perseverance is the secret to success. If the idea you have is a viable one, then keep pushing. Eventually, your product will reach the right person. Whether you’re selling to a single pub or a chain of supermarkets, the principle is always the same; you’re knocking on a door and selling yourself and your idea.  We must never be scared to leverage the people around us, or ask for help. We cannot be the best at everything. Focus on the tasks in which you excel and delegate the rest. Creating a brand is about boiling down the essence of your values, and marketing your idea through that filter. Tom is proud to be British, and his products all reflect the tastes of the country.  BEST MOMENTS ’The longer you’re in it, the harder it is to walk away from’ ‘I guess it’s always been in me, to start a business’ ‘You can’t be ashamed of trying to get in front of people, and trying to command their attention’ ‘As any organisation grows, you have to delegate and hire more people' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    Tom Lock LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-lock-ba446740/?originalSubdomain=uk The British Snack Company - https://www.britishsnackco.com ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Lee talks to Oliver Burton of Forbes Solicitors about the importance of people, the true meaning of leadership, and why the wisest and most influential minds in business are the ones who keep the individual front and centre. KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding what makes ourselves tick and what makes others tick, allows us to get the best out of everyone, and subsequently improve the business. Wins should always be celebrated. It is acceptable to look to the future, but we must never sacrifice our time in the present. Being respected is just as important, if not more so, than being liked. Those who lead with compassion and enthusiasm are the ones who find the right balance between both. We do our best when we create an environment so that others can acknowledge and understand where they are, coupled with where we think they are, and the providing of a personal development plan for each individual. BEST MOMENTS ‘When you’re in a big PLC, change passes through you’ ‘I never wanted to look back and think “what if?”' ‘Culture is about finding fun in what you’re doing’ ‘You have to be able to reward and recognise and celebrate along the way' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    Oliver Burton LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oburton/?originalSubdomain=uk Forbes Solicitors - https://www.forbessolicitors.co.uk/news/41780/forbes-appoints-oliver-burton-as-chief-executive-officer ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Lee talks again to Emily Leyland, the Operations Director for Fresh Perspective, an innovative recruitment agency, specialising in helping businesses to find their ideal candidates by offering highly bespoke, internal solutions. In this episode, Emily talks about what makes her tick, the importance of personal branding, and how she’s developed the will and the determination to rise to the crest of business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Self-belief begins with your own authenticity. By determining our own happiness with the way we are, we make it far easier to plot out own course through life. Living in the moment is crucial to find that sense of grounding; of connecting entirely to the present. We can use breathing techniques and mindset to hit the reboot button. The best way to appeal to people is to subvert the accepted thinking and forget “niche”. Go as broad as you can, and then focus upon your respondents. Don’t ever be afraid to pivot. If something isn’t working for you, then take the lesson and change to a strategy that does dynamically improve your reach. BEST MOMENTS ‘It doesn’t matter what other people think. All that matters is what you think’ ‘You’re a LinkedIn legend!’ ‘We warm up the market - we see what’s happening!’ ‘Everyone’s favourite topic is themselves' VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    Emily Leyland LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyleylandfreshperspectiveresourcing/?originalSubdomain=uk Fresh Perspective - https://fp-resourcing.co.uk/who-are-fresh-perspective/emily-leyland/ ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/

Lee talks to Emily Leyland, the Operations Director for Fresh Perspective, an innovative recruitment agency, specialising in helping businesses to find their ideal candidates by offering highly bespoke, internal solutions. Emily talks to Lee about Fresh’s unique outlook on recruitment, and how they are disrupting the industry with empowering alternatives and forward thinking. KEY TAKEAWAYS Typical recruitment agencies will generally accept a job spec from a company and find candidates that fit the requirements. Fresh Perspective offer a far more personalised solution, based upon investigative action. Feedback is essential for candidates, even if they are unsuccessful. People can take the learning and apply solutions in order to make themselves stand out in future. Recruitment can be a huge drain on a business’s resources. With a little forward thinking, companies can save time and money. The great agencies are the ones who do not go for quick wins, but try to add true value to their profession by supplying a quality service. In the long run, quality counts for more than money. BEST MOMENTS ‘We offer a more internal approach to recruitment’ ‘We become your brand ambassador’ ‘We want to disrupt the industry. We want to make the industry better’ ‘If you add value every single day of your life, then you’re definitely doing something right'   VALUABLE RESOURCES Business Problems Solved Podcast    Emily Leyland LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyleylandfreshperspectiveresourcing/?originalSubdomain=uk Fresh Perspective - https://fp-resourcing.co.uk/who-are-fresh-perspective/emily-leyland/ ABOUT THE HOST   For the last 15 years, I have been a multi-sector internal or external business improvement consultant, building the improved capability of individuals, teams and businesses. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two young children Jack & India. I also enjoy listening to and reading business & personal development material. Lee Houghton is “THE Business Problem Solver”, a Management Consultant, CX Specialist and Keynote Speaker.   CONTACT METHOD   You can contact Lee Houghton on 07813342194 Lee@leehoughton.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/lhoughton/