Process has its place but what adds real value is setting creativity free
Process has invaded all aspects of life, including decision-making, but it needs to be only one aspect of problem solving to be effective
Author: <span>Josh Dornbrack</span>
Backing women-led businesses is the best idea you can have
In the five years I spent raising money for my tech start-up Gapsquare, I pitched to investors roughly 100 times. Venture capitalists, institutional investors, angels — you name it, I tried it. Despite this, I raised zero capital. Not a penny. Yet, we succeeded in commercialising our product and were ultimately acquired by a FTSE...
To be or not to B Corp
We are among the believers at Future Leap, a networking space and café on Gloucester Road, Bristol’s indie-shopping mecca. Forty or so people have gathered in the name of sustainability to learn about a better way of doing business. Paradoxically, the building was once home to that palace of consumer consumption Maplin Electronics. Signs of...
Getting ahead in the battle to attract and retain top talent
As a firm believer in the power of putting people first, I’m excited to write this monthly column for Business Leader, offering you a candid peek into the challenges and opportunities of recruitment strategies and robust talent planning. I didn’t grow up dreaming of workforce solutions, or of being a chief executive. It was one...
How political parties can win over business and triumph in the general election
As we embark on a general election year, I shall, as will many other entrepreneurs, be looking for the political party that has the most enterprise-friendly strategy. For the past 20 years, I have run Enterprise Nation as a growing business support resource for thousands of start-ups and early-stage businesses. It has given me a...
Welcome to the new Business Leader
Welcome to the new Business Leader. We’re excited to reintroduce ourselves to the dynamic business community in the UK, starting with our relaunched website and invigorated mission. At Business Leader we’ve identified a glaring need to support the trailblazers – the founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs propelling mid-sized companies forward. Our commitment is clear: to inspire...
Welcome to the brave new world of bio-preneurs
It’s 5 AM and I’m aimlessly scrolling through Instagram as I battle my two-hour jet lag for the sixth night in a row since a trip to South Africa. My circadian rhythm is pathetic, and I don’t have enough self-control to charge my phone in another room. I’ve also broken my New Year’s resolution which...
Five laws that spell success and can put you on top in a crowded marketplace
There are hundreds of thousands of podcasts around the world. Many of them focus on the areas that we talk about – mindset, business, high achievement and finding your sense of purpose. A question I get asked all the time is, why has my High Performance podcast been so successful? I think the answer to...
The art of business wargaming
Welcome to the world of business wargaming — a powerful tool used by companies to test strategies, foster innovative thinking, and reveal hidden threats
Inside the rise of Larry Ellison’s tech empire
Sukhendu Pal spent a decade at the heart of the database giant in its early days. Here he looks back at how a brilliant leader made Oracle an unstoppable force.
Understudy wisdom: Leadership lessons from renowned business duos
For every big name in business, there are understudies that act as sounding boards, confidants, and trusted ears. The world was reminded of the influence that a number two can have in life and business when Charlie Munger passed away just shy of his 100th birthday. We break down a few notable number twos and...
Advertising avenues to consider for business growth in 2024
Brand visibility is critical and in a digital age, there are hundreds of ways to choose from to get your message in front of a potential consumer. As we welcome a brand-spanking new year, we highlight some advertising avenues to think about in 2024. Podcast advertising With over 4 million podcast shows available and 53,000...
What does politics have in store for business in 2024?
Simon Danczuk, businessman, author, and former MP, looks ahead at the 2024 international chessboard, covering global events and their impact on UK business. November saw the Conservative government deliver their King’s Speech and Autumn Statement for the year ahead. The former is where King Charles is tasked with reading to Parliament a list of what...
How the history of ice cream highlights the importance of IP protection
The year is 1920, in a small sweetshop in Iowa, a young boy stares at a shelf with a frustrated look. He asks the store’s owner for an ice cream, then changes his mind and asks for a chocolate bar instead. The owner asked the boy why he didn’t buy both. The boy exclaims, “I...
Disrupting the disruptors: Lessons from 5 businesses that failed to adapt to change
“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” – William Pollard It’s not easy being a business leader. No matter the size of your business, disruption is the goal but it’s around every corner. What separates Blockbuster from Netflix,...
Meet Ovuvu: The latest e-commerce store tackling high prices
In the minefield of being bombarded with ads and things to buy on Instagram and TikTok, one start-up has set out to change the perception of e-commerce and transparency in online shopping. Ovuvu, a start-up that launched last year and runs out of its warehouse in North London, offers a range of exciting products for...
Redefining high performance in life and business
High performance. The buzz term du jour on LinkedIn and in the business community. The man who literally has a podcast on the topic has his doubts about whether people actually know its true meaning. Jake Humphrey is a former BBC and BT Sport presenter and the Founder of the Whisper Group, a multi-award-winning company...
Concerns grow about apprenticeship levy
The number of apprentices starting in small businesses has plummeted 49% since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017. That stark figure from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development was included in a new report that also revealed a fall in employer investment in training and apprenticeships, despite labour shortages in many UK...
What leaders can learn from the 2023 Rugby World Cup champions
South Africa was crowned Rugby World Cup champions for the fourth time in October 2023. The Springboks followed up their World Cup triumph in 2019 with a narrow 12-11 win over New Zealand, making them only the second team to win back-to-back titles. Full disclosure – as someone who grew up in Southern Africa and...
Unlocking the power of DE&I: A guide for SMEs
In this guest article, Amanda Cusdin, chief people officer at Sage, provides actionable steps on how SMEs can drive DE&I initiatives. The past three years have been a whirlwind for DE&I work: we’ve seen lots of big businesses sharing their DE&I plans in response to everything from George Floyd’s murder and the Covid-19 pandemic to...
Creating a buzz: Leading the push for diversity in financial services
In this guest article, Romi Savova, CEO at PensionBee, discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It’s no secret that the financial services industry has a history of inadequate diversity. To this day, it remains dominated by men, with minority groups only in a small fraction of top positions. While the setting...
Navigating corporate transformation in a rapidly changing world
In this guest article, Jean-Philippe Grosmaitre, partner at L.E.K. Consulting, discusses how businesses can implement better digital innovation strategies. There is no escaping the fact that we have entered a new, more volatile, business environment in recent years. In times of uncertainty, businesses want to be as adaptable as they can be, and so conversations...
Social and Sustainable Capital invests £3.5m in Caring for Communities and People
Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC) is pleased to announce an investment of £3.5m from its Social and Sustainable Housing Fund II (SASH II) into Caring for Communities and People (CCP), a leading South West-based charity, to facilitate the expansion of their Independent Living Services for vulnerable young adults leaving the care system. This investment is...
Who are the top sports stars turned entrepreneurs?
From David Lloyd and Danica Patrick to Shaquille O’Neal and Serena Williams, we profile 32 of the top sports stars turned entrepreneurs