Founders Anonymous

In this special Christmas episode: It's the second part of our look at selling and buying - what does your sales pitch feel like to your prospects? What is bundling, and how can it ramp up your profits? 

Plus: The wait is over - we finally open our Secret Santa gifts; David uses the word 'reductivist'; and Chris does a song.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk, or via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

"Why doesn't your pitch cut through? Why don't they buy?"

In this episode: We dive into the murky waters of sales pitches, and how you package up your services. What makes you different? And how do you actually get your prospects excited about what you do?

Plus: David finds a tweet he likes; Chris gets excited about TikTok; and we get presents. Lots of presents.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk, or via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

"There's a reason salesmen don't start by telling you your clothes are shit."

"How do we...

In this episode: Chris speaks to recruitment superstar Sasha Jaypalan of Grace May People about what the recruitment sector looks like in a post-pandemic world - and how businesses can define their values, find the right people, and get the most out of their recruitment agency.

We'll be back with our usual discussion format next week - don't forget to send us your Secret Santa suggestions directly to David or Chris via Twitter. Find out more about Grace May People via their website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get...

In this episode: it's the fourth and final look at productivity, tasks, and motivation in our mini-series - and this week, we're tackling the thorny issue of motivation and mindset. How do you get stuff done when your brain is telling you to do something - anything - else instead? How do you get yourself fired up and productive?

Plus: can TikTok make you a millionaire? Why doesn't David trust horses? And we share our favourite coffee shop in all of London.

Secret Santa Suggestions: contact David and Chris directly on Twitter with your ideas...<...

In this episode: part three in our mini-series on everything to do with time, tasks, and productivity, with a deep-dive into that big question - how do you know if you're wasting your time? What does it mean to fritter your energy and resources away? And how can you make the most of the time you have?

Plus: Chris calls David a dick; David buys a picture of a cucumber; and we say something lovely about you. That's right, you - you lovely listener, you.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch...

In this episode: we continue our theme on time, tasks, and productivity, with a deep-dive into personal productivity. How do you keep on top of all your tasks? Is there really a shiny-new-tool that can help you manage your time? And how do you actually get stuff done?

Plus: Chris goes to a musical; and David starts a fight.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"I've never even heard of Squid Game"

"I'm pretty much a recovering stress-head"

<...

In this episode: we're BACK! Season 2 kicks off with a productivity extravaganza - a series of episodes looking at the most valuable thing in your business: time. This week: Chris refuses to watch paint dry; David talks about Monkey Island; and everyone gets angry about an emoji.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"During lockdown, I started napping for 15 minutes each day"

"I'm STRAIGHT down a rabbit hole, talking about Monkey Island"

"My first impression is that this sounds like...

In this episode: it's part two of our hiring bonanza - we dive into job descriptions, person specs, and creating a solid interview plan; plus, David calls out interview bullies; Chris is bad at maths; and someone stretches chicken skin over a pencil.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"Job descriptions and person specs aren't inflexible - they're a wishlist"

"There's nothing worse than putting a candidate through a punishing process"

"Remember, the candidates...

In this episode: we tackle one of the biggest challenges for founders - growing your team. How do you know when it's the right time to hire? And how do you figure out what you need help with? Plus: Chris watches some pasta; and David browses the Filofax section in WHSmith.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"Don't hire when you can afford to, hire when you can't afford not to"

"You realise that your growth is being blown by the absence of something"

In this episode: we break down how to make your business stand out, and make your competition irrelevant with the brilliant Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne; Chris reinvents theme parks and fish & chip shops; and David shouts about a butcher in Fife.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"My ideal theme park is one where there's nobody else around, and all the rides are replaced with sofas."

"It's not about a tweak around the edge."

In this episode: What happens when your new business idea hits a brick wall? We find out the lessons from when David's new venture was soundly dismissed by the people he thought would buy it - and, more importantly, what you SHOULD do to validate your new business idea.

Plus: David appears on TV; and Chris slaps on the neon body paint and glow sticks.

Learn from our mistakes - in this show, find out exactly how to validate a new business idea, without wasting your time and money. We break down the questions you...

In this episode: Chris helps us spot a zombie business, and decide whether to save it or shoot it in the face; David tries (and fails) to be a better person; and Chris's mum scares a pharmacist.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"Once you get past the all-consuming terror of climate change, the weather's quite nice."

"If I was doing this as a job, how much would I be getting paid?"

"What does...

In this episode: Chris tries to cure David of his deep dislike of Simon Sinek’s ‘Start With Why’; we figure out what ‘hidden products’ are, why you definitely sell them, and how they can completely transform your business; and David refuses to go to the gym.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"Every business has a visible product and a hidden product - what you’re really selling."

"It feels like I do a lot of deprogramming small business own...

In this episode: special guest and hospitality expert Emma Rostaing-Lowe from Riddles Bar in Altrincham shares the brutal impact of Covid on bars and pubs, and four major lessons from the past sixteen months; David adds someone to his support bubble without their consent; and we rage about the concept of aging.

After Covid wreaked havoc on the hospitality industry, we ask: what can we learn about dealing with the unexpected, and how can the sector embrace change in the future? Learn the four most important lessons we can all take away from the past sixteen months.<...

In this episode: David takes social media marketing back to basics with his three key questions every business owner should ask themselves; we put celebrity outrage-factories under the microscope; and Chris confesses to stalking someone from the gym.

Improve your social media content, and make it easier to plan, with the only three questions you need to know.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"It all comes down to this: what's in it for me?"

In this episode: special guest Rob Crabtree from Minno outlines the big mistakes founders make when they build out their websites; Chris says something nice about David; and David risks offending his clients over their taste in comedy.

Find out why most business owners have the wrong focus when it comes to planning their website, and what you should concentrate on instead.

Got a story? Question for the show? Get in touch: podcast@impactbiz.co.uk

"To create something different, you've really got to ignore what people are saying."

In this episode: David tears apart the content machine, figures out why most people's content sucks - and what you can do to avoid making the same mistakes; and Chris winks at girls in a nightclub.

Find out why most content marketing sucks, and who you should ignore - but more importantly, who you should listen to - if you want to make your content work for your business.

"The more opaque an industry is, the more plentiful the bullshit."

"The more content that you need to put out, the...

In this episode: Chris talks about his 'stuck in first gear' theory - and how businesses can escape, and David whinges about a successful YouTuber.

"It was hot and steamy and I feel like there was a Shaman in there."

"If you're in first gear, it doesn't matter how much more effort you put in - there's a limit to the speed you can go."

"There was definitely this moment of 'shit, right, OK - I guess we're not playing anymore'."

"It's...

In this episode: Chris learns the power of listening before speaking, and David complains about stuff.

"I just think the flavour of burnout I have at the moment is quite specific, and there's quite an easy fix for it."

"Any significant problem in your business is normally caused by an asset deficiency - and an asset deficiency is normally a lack of process."

"Is that more important than figuring out whether anyone actually wants to buy your shit or not? Because if you don't have that, it doesn't matter how many shots you...