The Elite Business Podcast

Andrew Stevens - Director of Small and Medium Business at Vodafone outlined his five key lessons and five characteristics of successful SMEs

“It’s a topic which absolutely fascinates us at Vodafone,” he said. “We call them ‘Fit for Future’ businesses. So these are businesses which we believe are ahead of the curve. They’re self-confident, they’re ambitious, they’re driven and they always seem to be prepared for whatever the world throws at them. And let’s face it, over the last couple of years the world has been throwing quite a lot at us. So it’s a really useful skillset to have at the moment.

“We’ve done a lot of research on this as a company over the last couple of years on a pan-European basis and we’ve looked at companies and what we’ve tried to understand is what are the traits and characteristics of these businesses which makes them successful, which make them better prepared and allow them to capture opportunities more than some of their peer groups. And what we’ve found interesting as we went through it, is that it wasn’t scale, or the sector, which made a difference. The same topics kept coming up again and again. They were more linked to mindset and behaviours.”

Lesson number one was all about adopting a positive attitude to change

Commercial Business Growth: How to build customer loyalty in a post-pandemic world?

With; LARA MORGAN Founder, investor & entrepreneur, SOPHIE MILLIKEN CEO, Moja Group, PIERS LINNEY Founder & CEO, Moblox; former investor on BBC Dragons’ Den & ROAN LAVERY Co-founder & CEO, FreeAgent. Commercial Business Growth: How to build customer loyalty in a post-pandemic world? - Customer relationships – How important are they? And how do we build them? Michael Hayman, entrepreneur, author and broadcaster, Lara Morgan, founder, investor and entrepreneur, Sophie Milliken, CEO of Moja Group, Piers Linney, entrepreneur, former investor on BBC Dragons’ Den and Roan Lavery, Co-founder & CEO FreeAgent, cloud-base accountancy software provider joined us for the first day of Elite Business on 10 March in the Commercial Business Growth panel, discussing the importance of a building strong customer relationships in a post-pandemic era and a digital ‘boom’, as well as how to pivot your business during times of uncertainty.

http://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/interviews/item/commercial-business-growth-how-to-build-customer-loyalty-in-a-post-pandemic-world

https://elitebusinessevent.co.uk/

Commercial business growth: How can businesses find their true purpose? Why is it important to have a company ‘mission’?

Michael Hayman MBE, entrepreneur, author and broadcast spoke on the first day of Elite Business on 10 March as the keynote speaker for the Commercial Business Growth talk, speaking about the importance of having a purpose when starting your business – and why a clear mission can propel your company to greater heights.

How do you invest in the EU after Brexit? CEOs and Founders discuss do’s and don’ts when it comes to expanding international territories

Understanding your customers is a fundamental first step before taking your business overseas 

Allyson Stewart, Chief Executive at International Marketing Partners Ltd, Anthony Goodwin, CEO and Founder for Antal, Arne Mielken, Managing Director for Customs Manager Ltd, Chris Forbes, Co-founder of The Cheeky Panda, Nohman Ahmed, Co-founder for Crept Protect joined us for the second day of Elite Business on 12 March in the Overseas Expansion panel, discussing the dos and don’ts when it comes to expanding your business overseas, and how to invest in the EU market as businesses face extra red tape in post-Brexit trade. 

What are the cultural challenges when it comes to expanding in the Asia-Pacific?

What are the cultural challenges when it comes to expanding in the Asia-Pacific? 

Allyson Stewart-Allen, Chief Executive at International Marketing Ltd, joined us on the second day of Elite Business on 12 March as the keynote speaker for the Overseas Expansion talk, speaking about the Asia-Pacific and why businesses should immerse themselves in these lucrative markets. She spoke about the importance of understanding the cultural norms and ways of life in each country, and why building relationships are crucial in making or breaking a business deal.

Finance experts discuss the financial solutions available out there for businesses

 – and the most important investments you can make now.

How do you navigate your financial growth journey for the best results? Is it more important to have a structured plan or take action with a vision in mind? 

With uncertainty still lying ahead, how can businesses find the best financial solution that suits both their short-term and long-term needs? Speaking on the second day Elite Business’ live event on March 12 on the Financial Management panel was Ciaran O’Donnell, founder of The Virtual FD, Deri Llewellyn-Davies, Founder of BGI Group, Phil Hobden, Head of Education at Capitalise, Jenny Knighting, CEO & Founder of Nutcracker Agency and Paul Conway, Director of Growth for New Business and Partnerships at Bottomline spoke about the best investments you can make during this uncertain time – and whether it is more important to make a structured plan or take action when it comes to financial solutions.

Cash flow issues? Ciaran O’Donnell, founder of the Virtual FD, gives simple three-step solution to help businesses understand their finances and plan better

How do you forecast your finances effectively during a time of economic uncertainty? 

Ciaran O’Donnell, founder of the Virtual FD, joined us on the second day of Elite Business on 12 March as the keynote speaker for the Financial Management talk, teaching business leaders how to manage their finances better. He spoke about why it is important to set ‘alarms’ for your cash flow, and why forecasting is the bread and butter of financial management. He also revealed the importance of understanding the factors that lead up to cash flow problems, and how to combat them before it is too late.

Talent and regulations panel: CEOs and Founders discuss pros and cons of hiring remote workers – and why building company culture is crucial in this day and age

Working remotely: Is it a suitable option for all businesses? Or is it better to have in house staff? 

Charlie Mullins, Chairman & Founder of Pimlico Plumbers, Akshay Rupaerelia, Founder & Managing Director of Doorstep.co.uk, Valerie Mann, Director of People at Elder and Kate Cox, Chief Marketing Officer at MoneyPenny, joined us for the second day of Elite Business on 12 March in the talent and regulations panel, discussing how to attract new talent to your business and how to build a thriving and productive team. They talked about the rise of remote working and why some businesses favour in-house staff, and why they think it could be better for building company culture.

Charlie Mullins Keynote: How do you attract the right talent for your business – but also keep them?

How do you build a team of hardworking and dedicated employees who will drive your business to success? 

Charlie Mullins, Chairman & Founder of Pimlico Plumbers, joined us on the second day of Elite Business on 12 March as the keynote speaker for the Talent and Regulation talk, speaking about how to employ talent and also keep them. He spoke about how to be an effective leader, and how to cultivate a positive work culture that will keep your employees happy and at the same time, increase productivity and boost results.

CEOs and Founders discuss strategies for building your digital presence on social media.

TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or Clubhouse? Our panel discuss the various social media apps available out there for businesses – and how to utilise them effectively 

Cheiu Cao, the co-founder of Mintago, Victoria Prew, CEO and co-founder of HURR, Gareth Owen, co-founder of ROAST and MD Tipi Group, Jay Richards, Founder of Imagen and Jenni Young, CMO of Tappit, joined us for the second day of Elite Business on 12 March in the digital transformation panel, discussing the importance of social media and how to build your presence online - as well as tricks and tips to gain a wider audience and keep them engaged.