Good Business Talking

What if the most valuable move a founder can make is admitting they’ve become the weakest person in their own company and then acting on it?David Wise spent three decades building Wise Productions into a live-events company trusted inside Britain’s grade-listed museums, palaces and galleries. In this conversation he tells me about the three quiet epiphanies that reshaped him as a founder: realising in 1999 that he needed people who did not look, sound or think like him; waking up before the 2012 Olympics with the uncomfortable knowledge that he was the weakest person in his own business and walking out of a 2019 acquisition meeting because the deal would have cost his people. The result, in December 2022, was a move to employee ownership. Expect an honest, humbling founder’s account of ego, humility, legacy and what it means to "send the lift back down".

What if the most important runway in your business isn’t financial — but emotional?In this episode of Good Business Talking, I speak with Dr. Michael A. Freeman, psychiatrist, researcher, former CEO, founder and one of the leading voices in entrepreneurial mental health.Dr. Freeman explores the distinctive traits that can make founders exceptional: high drive, optimism, creativity, risk tolerance and persistence. But those same strengths can also become liabilities when they tip into overwork, isolation, overconfidence, burnout or an identity that is inseparable from the business.Drawing on his research with entrepreneurs, Michael shares a compelling reframing: mental health and wellbeing are not peripheral “self-care” concerns. They are part of a company’s essential infrastructure, alongside financial controls, leadership capability and operational discipline.The conversation also covers the Entrepreneur Wellbeing Check, Econa’s emerging safety-net approach for founders, and why building a good business must also mean building a business that is good for the person leading it.

Why product should be king … even for impact led businesses.Most impact-driven businesses struggle to balance profit and purpose - until now. Pranav, founder of Nemi Teas, reveals how a simple idea born from personal pain became a multi-million-pound social enterprise that’s transforming lives and outcompeting global tea giants. Want to learn how to grow a thriving, profitable impact business without sacrificing your mission?  Hit play to discover the strategy that links scaling with real social change.In this episode, you'll uncover the secrets behind Pranav’s incredible 10x growth in four years, and how he manages to keep impact at the core of a highly scalable model. We break down the importance of product excellence, storytelling, and building long-term partnerships with companies like PWC and Goldman Sachs - proving that impact and profit are not mutually exclusive. Pranav shares candid insights on how sourcing directly from farmers and controlling supply chains let him challenge industry giants on price, without compromising his social mission. Discover Pranav’s counterintuitive approach: aggressively competing on price while staying true to impact, and why he sees profits as a vital tool, not a distraction, for growth. His story highlights the crucial role of designed impact models - like cafés that double as community training hubs and dives into future plans for scaling impact through partnerships, new cafes, and innovative impact initiatives.Perfect for social entrepreneurs, B Corp aspirants and business leaders eager to leverage commerce for good - this episode shows that with strategic clarity, impact-driven brands can thrive financially while solving some of the world's biggest challenges. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical tactics, or a fresh perspective on capitalism, Pranav’s journey offers a masterclass in leading with purpose and profit hand-in-hand.

Why is humility and managing the ego so important for entrepreneurial success? Why does one of the best 'brand makers' now believe in purpose-led brands? Join me as I chat with the outspoken Roger Wade, the founder of BoxFresh, BoxPark, BoxFund and Brands Associated. He's on a mission to make the world a little better than how he found it and given his track record, I'm guessing he's going to make more than a little difference.Tune in to episode 36.

Why is it so hard for female and other diverse founders to raise capital? What can they practically do to overcome the conscious and unconscious biases they face at an investment committee? Join me as I speak to the outspoken and incredibly resilient co-founder of Olio - a company addressing the biggest social and environmental issues we face. 10 years on, Tessa Clarke and her co-founder Saasha have build a company with 8.2M Users that have handled 4M pick-up transactions and have also made it to Sifted Top 100 UK fastest tech companies.Tune in to episode 35, available on your preferred podcast platform or at https://www.goodbusinesstalking.com/

Marxist Capitalism. What does that practically mean when running a 30yr old profitable and cash rich mid-sized business?Join me as I chat to Dr Simon Biltcliffe, founder of WebMartUK in how he has translates that oxymoron into operational and strategic business decisions.Tune in to episode 34, available on your preferred podcast platform or at https://www.goodbusinesstalking.com/

How do you stay people centred as your business doubles in size? Join me as I speak to Gavin Matthews, the founder of award the winning company Quiddity Health on how he has grown the company and the role being people centred has played in that success.Tune in to episode 33, available on your preferred podcast platform or at https://www.goodbusinesstalking.com/#GoodBusinessTalking #HealthTech #Culture

How do successful leaders navigate periods of explosive growth while staying true to their mission? In this episode, we're diving deep into this crucial question with Rajiv Tanna, co-founder of Birdie, a B-Corp certified health-tech company revolutionising home care through innovative technology. Rajiv and his team have achieved remarkable success, raising $52 million to date and earning numerous accolades. These include Health Tech Start-up of the Year and Best Homecare Technology Provider. Birdie has also been recognised in Deloitte's top 50 fastest-growing UK tech companies, Tech Nation's Future Fifty, Sifted100 Leaderboard, and the Lazard T100 Venture Growth Index 2024. Join me for episode 32 as we explore how Rajiv and his team navigate rapid growth while maintaining their core values.

How do you get your impact message out to as many people in the world as possible? You embed that message into a product that's accessible to as many people as you can, that's how. In episode 31, I interview the co-founders of Monkey Sox in how they are raising awareness of multiple sclerosis ... through socks! I also speak to the husband and wife team about the challenges of holding down 2 jobs, raising a family of four, dealing with multiple sclerosis (MS) ... and still having the energy to build a business which gives away 50% of profits to MS charities. Tune in to this rather open and vulnerable episode. Available on your preferred podcast platform or at https://www.goodbusinesstalking.com/ #GoodBusinessTalking #CIC #MultipleSclerosis #MS-UK #MSSociety

What does it take to stay focused on your higher purpose once being acquired by a big industry player? In episode 30, I interview Lina Chan, the co-founder of Parla on what she experienced before, during and after being acquired by the high street giant Holland and Barrett. Tune in to get an injection of Lina's energy, focus and commitment to the impact she wants to make on women's health. Available on your preferred podcast platform or at https://www.goodbusinesstalking.com/#womenshealth #hollandandbarrett #femtech