Welcome to The Business Babble, your ultimate resource for navigating the dynamic world of business. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, this podcast is designed to support your journey with expert insights, practical advice, and a thriving community. Featuring interviews with successful entrepreneurs, industry experts, and business strategists who share their knowledge on topics like funding, marketing, leadership, and innovation. We also explore real-life ca ...
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Engage - The Human Resource Podcast Show
Alistair Booth: The HR Booth - for business owners and managers who are passionate about developing people and growing a successful business
Every fortnight, Alistair Booth from The HR Booth hosts Engage, a podcast for business owners and managers who are passionate about developing their people and growing a successful business. Practical advice, that is jargon free and allows you to listen and implement the areas discussed in your business. Alistair helps businesses improve recruitment costs, improve staff retention, hire the right people, and ensure the right people are in the right jobs at the right time - all of which benefi ...
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Navigating Business Challenges: Insights with Alistair Booth from The HR Booth
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50:49
In this episode of The Business Babble, we sit down with Alistair Booth from The HR Booth to dive deep into the complexities of running a business in today's climate. From navigating political shifts and economic pressures to managing employees under new employment laws, we explore the real-world challenges business owners face. Alistair shares his…
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From Milkmen to Millionaires: The Real Talk on Business Growth
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49:35
In this lively episode of The Business Babble, Johnny, Mike, and Wicus dive into the often-unseen reality of entrepreneurship. From the simple joys of early mornings to the challenges of cash flow and finding the right people, the trio share their personal insights on what it takes to build a thriving business. Expect humour, hard truths, and pract…
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Brewing Success: The Beer War, Hospitality Insights, and the Future of Pubs
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44:01
In this lively episode of The Business Babble, Alex Fleming from the Discovery Group shares his journey managing the world-famous Elizabethan. From the humorous "Beer War" with Green King over pint prices to the challenges of running an independent pub in a world of big players like Wetherspoons, Alex dives deep into the evolution of pub culture. W…
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The Price of Success: Balancing Habits, Holidays, and Hard Decisions
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41:00
In this episode of The Business Babble, Johnny, Wicus, and Mike dive into the realities of running a business through the ups and downs of everyday life. From navigating school holidays and the reflective moments of funerals to the essential yet daunting task of financial planning, the hosts explore how habits—both good and bad—can shape the succes…
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Beyond the Buzzwords: Real Talk on Leadership, Values, and Business Culture
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32:05
In this candid episode of The Business Babble, hosts Johnny, Mike, and Wicus cut through the corporate jargon to discuss the raw realities of business leadership, culture, and values. The trio dives into the true purpose of business plans, the pitfalls of promoting the wrong people, and the often overlooked gap between what's written on the wall an…
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Navigating HR: Growing Pains, Generational Shifts, and the Value of People with Ali Booth
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53:42
In this episode of The Business Babble, hosts Mike, Johnny, and Wicus are joined by Ali Booth, founder of The HR Booth. Ali dives into the evolving world of HR, sharing insights from his journey of growing a business from a one-man band to a team of 16+. Together, they discuss the challenges of managing people in family businesses, generational dif…
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Finding Purpose and Authenticity in Business and Life
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1:00:57
In this thought-provoking episode of The Business Babble, Johnny is joined by guests Cammy, Andy, and Kev for a deep dive into the essence of purpose, authenticity, and mindset in both life and business. The discussion starts light-heartedly with the usual banter, but quickly shifts to more profound topics. Kev shares his journey of overcoming expe…
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Sales Strategy Secrets & Scottish Football Fever
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33:50
In this episode of The Business Babble, hosts Mike, Johnny, and Wicus kick off with a lively discussion on Scotland's football fans and their impact on the German economy during the Euros. The conversation then shifts gears to a detailed exploration of sales strategies, focusing on the importance of a well-structured sales plan. They cover key elem…
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Unlocking Business Potential: Insights from Donald Munro
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32:24
In this insightful episode of The Business Babble, hosts Johnny and Mike are joined by Donald Munro, a seasoned business coach from Business Coach Scotland. The discussion covers a wide range of topics essential for both budding entrepreneurs and established business owners looking to take their ventures to the next level. Donald shares his experti…
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Quickfire Insights: Rapid-Fire Business Wisdom and Humour
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10:09
In this lively episode of The Business Babble, hosts Wicus, Johnny, and Mike engage in a fun and insightful quickfire round, where they respond to various business-related keywords with immediate, off-the-cuff answers. This spontaneous format brings out their unfiltered thoughts and expertise, providing listeners with rapid nuggets of wisdom and pl…
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Mastering Marketing: Strategies and Tips for Growing Your Business
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33:10
In this dynamic episode of The Business Babble, hosts Wicus, Johnny, and Mike delve into the essentials of marketing for startups and small businesses. They kick off with a surprising fact about the human attention span, setting the stage for a discussion on how to capture and maintain customer attention in a fast-paced world. Wicus introduces the …
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Crafting Big Dreams: The Power of Vision in Business and Life
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16:45
In this lively episode of The Business Babble, hosts Wicus, Johnny, and Mike dive into the crucial topic of vision in both personal and professional realms. They begin with light-hearted banter about diets and sleep patterns, setting a relaxed tone for a deep discussion on defining and pursuing ambitious goals. Wicus introduces the concept of visio…
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From Adversity to Innovation: Caroline Kennedy Alexander's Journey with Love Rose
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In this inspiring episode of The Business Babble, host Mike interviews Caroline Kennedy Alexander, the founder of Love Rose, a high-end lingerie brand specifically designed for post-surgery women. Caroline shares her personal journey, beginning with her breast cancer diagnosis in 2012, which tragically followed the loss of her sister to the same il…
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Understanding Customers: Identifying, Reaching, and Retaining Your Ideal Clientele
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24:48
In this engaging episode of The Business Babble, hosts Michael, Johnny, and Wicus dive into the lifeblood of any business: customers. They explore the critical aspects of identifying what makes a good client and understanding their needs and behaviours. Learn how to create detailed customer profiles, where to find your clients, and how to effective…
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Strategic Planning: Building Supplier Relationships and Understanding Competitors
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In this episode of The Business Babble, Michael, Johnny, and Wicus dive into the crucial aspects of planning your route to market. They discuss the importance of selecting strategic suppliers and building strong relationships with them, emphasising that price isn't everything—quality, efficiency, and support are equally vital. The hosts share pract…
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Building a Sustainable Competitive Advantage: Reflecting on Your Business Strengths
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17:23
In this insightful episode of The Business Babble, hosts Michael, Johnny, and Wicus delve into the concept of sustainable competitive advantage and the importance of self-assessment for businesses. They discuss the critical practice of holding a mirror up to your business to identify strengths, areas for improvement, opportunities, and threats. Lea…
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Navigating External Risks: A PESTLE Analysis for Business Resilience
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18:24
In this episode of The Business Babble, hosts Michael, Johnny, and Wicus explore the importance of understanding and preparing for external risks that can impact your business. They delve into the PESTLE analysis framework, which examines Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors. Using real-world examples, includ…
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Defining Your Business Direction: Goals, Attitudes, and Motivation
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25:36
In this episode of The Business Babble, hosts Johnny, Mike, and Wicus delve into the crucial topic of defining the direction of your business. They explore the importance of understanding why you started your business and what you want it to deliver, emphasising the need to align personal goals with business goals for sustainable success. The conve…
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Defining Core Values and Work Ethic in Your Business
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11:47
In this episode of The Business Babble, hosts Johnny, Mike, and Wicus explore the essential topic of core values and work ethic in business. They discuss how these elements define a business's identity, influence its culture, and impact client relationships. The conversation kicks off with Mike asking about the criteria for taking on new clients, l…
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Crafting Your Business's Value Proposition: Articulating Purpose and Impact
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25:56
In this episode of The Business Babble, hosts Wicus, Johnny, and Mike delve into the critical concept of defining your business's value proposition. This strategic discussion, following the "Direction of Travel" theme, focuses on establishing a clear purpose and mission for your business that resonates with clients and sets you apart from the compe…
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Starting Strong: Essentials for Launching Your Business
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12:38
Join Michael, Johnny, and Wicus on The Business Babble as they delve into the fundamentals of starting a business. In this episode, they share personal insights and practical advice on how to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey. Learn about the importance of networking, meticulous planning, and market research through the example of a dog-walkin…
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014 - What Is The New National Living Wage
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16:50
In episode 14 of Engage, Alistair shares the details of the new national living wage that was announced by George Osborne at last week’s budget, which comes into effect in April 2016.The new wage will be paid to workers aged 25 and above. Initially, it will be set at £7.20 an hour, with a target of it reaching more than £9 an hour by 2020. Part-tim…
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013 - How to Link HR Management with Driving Customer Service in your Business
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22:44
In episode 13 of Engage, Alistair discusses the importance of linking HR management with customer service in your business.Businesses invest in developing their employees, either via internal or external courses, but often don’t measure the effectiveness, or check this training is embedded.Via HR management, you can ensure customer service training…
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012 - The Benefits of Defining Roles & Responsibilities in your Organisation.
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In episode 12 of Engage Alistair discusses the benefits of defining roles and responsibilities in your organisation and the use of job descriptions.Over the past few weeks Alistair has been delivering a range of workshops , and common themes through the managing difficult conversations subject has been the roles and responsibilities piece. Alistair…
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011 - Benefits of Building Relationships with Trade Union or Employee Representatives.
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16:41
In episode 11 of Engage, Alistair discusses the benefits of building relationships with Trade Union or Employee Representatives in the workplace.Alistair recently attended the annual HR Network Conference in Edinburgh, with the focus very much on workplace culture. Alistair believes the relationships you adopt with your representative groups and em…
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010 - The benefits of developing your people
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19:02
In episode 10 of Engage, Alistair Booth discusses the benefits of developing your people, specifically your management team, and how you think about HR in your business.Quite often we focus on the task, and don’t think about how we engage with our people. Alistair talks about workshops he has been running with clients, offsite and onsite, and enabl…
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009 - Shared parental leave April 2015
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16:41
In episode 9 of Engage, Alistair Booth discusses the Shared Parental Leave regulations that came into effect on 5 April 2015.This is a new system of shared parental leave which replaces additional paternity leave, for parents of babies due from 5th April.Shared parental leave overlaps with a mother’s right to take maternity leave and exists alongsi…
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008 - How to conduct a disciplinary hearing and best practices for employers
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25:11
In episode 8 of Engage Alistair Booth discusses the steps employers should take in the event they need to take disciplinary action with an employee.Alistair believes having detailed procedures can avoid such issues but more importantly managers need to be consistent when applying the rules to ensure employees fully understand what is expected of th…
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007 - The benefits of hiring a Modern Apprentice
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14:39
In episode 7 of Engage Alistair Booth discusses the benefits a Modern Apprentice could bring to your business.Modern Apprentices could work in a range of jobs and not just trades. As part of the arrangement the apprentice would complete a Scottish Vocational Qualification in an appropriate subject, relevant to the job.Alistair has engaged with his …
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006 – Enhancing performance through meaningful conversations
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In episode 6 of Engage Alistair Booth shares insight with you into the process of performance management and appraisals using two organisational case study examples. Firstly an organisation who is rolling out an appraisal process for the first time, and secondly a more mature organisation who is developing their performance management process that …
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