Business Futures
Business Futures
A podcast by Datel
Join our host, Emma Pownall, on her mission to discover what it is that makes a business successful in today's ever-changing climate. Does the latest tech really give us all the tools we need to adapt? Or is it people that we should be focusing our attention on developing and managing better? Find out as Emma interviews business and industry experts from across the globe to get the latest insight and practical advice that business leaders like you can implement right away. Subscribe to Business Futures on your favourite podcast player, or listen to the latest episodes below:
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Episode 14:
Quality of Mind
It's safe to say that the past year has been far from easy, and that's particularly true for business leaders who have had to make plenty of tough decisions. As we reflect on the past 12 months, perhaps it's time to adjust our ways of thinking and learn to understand life's ups and downs with a new perspective. In this episode, host Emma Pownall is joined by world-class practitioner of Quality of Mind, Piers Thurston, as he reveals the transformational advice that he gives to business leaders around the globe. Learn more.
Episode 13:
Putting purpose to work
As the pandemic teaches us to work, sell and engage very differently, many companies are discovering the new value in purpose. Host Emma Pownall is joined by Russell Atkinson and Miguel Veiga-Pestana to discuss why purpose matters in the business world, how we sustain purpose in the new remote-working environment, and how purpose is changing with the younger generations that are coming into the workforce. Learn more.
Episode 12:
Cash resilience
As we reflect on the changes that COVID-19 has brought to the table so far, there’s one thing that has transformed businesses of all sizes: Financial resilience. In this episode, Emma caught up with CFO Whisperer David Axson to discuss the environment that CFOs nowadays are finding themselves in, how the pandemic has accelerated the changing function of a CFO, and what those key financial roles within businesses look like going forward. Learn more.
Episode 11:
Digital Transformation Revisited: Tech built around business
As businesses continue to respond to the ongoing changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, being digitally enabled is now more important than ever. With businesses across the globe finding new ways to trade, communicate, and grow, it's suffice to say that Covid has sparked a digital revolution in the business world. As digital transformation is at the heart of what we do here at Datel, we're keeping this podcast episode in house. Join me for a discussion of all things technology with Datel's R&D Director Tim Purcell and X3 Services Director Paolo Arcangelo. Learn more.
Episode 10:
Survival and resilience
What extraordinary times we find ourselves in. Since our last podcast, no business has been left untouched by coronavirus. It’s given business leaders new challenges and huge disruption to deal with. But it’s also offered a pause for thought and new opportunities too. Every business is different, but as we all juggle the present and an unpredictable future, there’s room for optimism. In this show, Emma meet’s some of Datel’s clients to see how they’ve handled the pandemic, including Simon Oliphant, MD of Uform and Brian Cape, MD of SIPS. But to start Emma gets stuck into some data as she chats with Hesham El Komy, Director of Channel Sales at Sage who reveals some key findings from a recent survey Sage carried out with 2000 businesses across the UK. Learn more.
Episode 9:
How to deal with rapid change
In this show Emma is joined by Tom Cheesewright, a futurist and the author of “High Frequency Change”. Tom spends his time helping businesses deal with a globalised and fast-moving world, where decision-making just can’t seem to come fast enough. This show was recorded a couple of months before Coronavirus made its mark on the world, but Tom’s advice is more valid now than ever: businesses need to prioritise agility and flexibility if they are going to succeed. In this jam packed episode, Tom and Emma discuss what ‘High frequency change’ actually is, how businesses are dealing with it and what can be learned from businesses in other parts of the world. Then they delve into what future proofing a business actually looks like. Learn more.
Episode 8:
Vimto - the secret recipe behind the brand's global success
In this show Emma talks to a woman at the top of a FTSE 250 company. If you’ve never heard of Marnie Millard, or Nichols PLC – the company she heads up - you’ll definitely have heard of Vimto. Just one of the world class brand that Nichols produces. Marnie’s worked in the ultra-competitive beverage industry all her life, and has not just become one of the few serving female FTSE 250 CEO’s, she’s also served the CBI, evangelised for women in business, and been awarded an OBE along the way. Learn more.
Episode 7:
The Future of Finance
In this show, we’re looking at the future of finance in modern business. Emma speaks to Mark Lee, the UK’s leading accountancy and finance function futurist. He spends his time helping finance professionals understand what’s around the corner in financial and business management. He’s joined by Datel’s own CFO, Nick Swarbrick. Nick’s an experienced CFO, non-exec, and has served on the board of Accountancy body, the ICAEW’s Management Faculty. Learn more.
Episode 6:
In conversation with The Manufacturer
In this episode Emma chatted with Nick Peters, Editorial Director; and Henry Anson, Managing Director at The Manufacturer. Their industry publication is an essential online and print resource for British Manufacturing. Nick and Henry have just released the 2020 results of their annual survey, the benchmark in taking the temperature of UK manufacturing. So with the sector dealing with skills challenges, technological disruption and more, we get to see what Britain really thinks. Learn more.
Episode 5:
The benefits of coaching for businesses
In this episode, Emma had the pleasure of speaking with Anna Gudmundson, Simon Grayson and Laurence Hollobon. We discuss coaching within the workplace, focusing on the benefits of coaching for individuals and teams, the GROW Model, and top tips to get businesses started. Learn more.
Episode 4:
The 2020 trends shaping technology and business
In this episode, you'll hear from Datel's R&D Director, Tim Purcell, on the trends that are going to shape technology and business in 2020. We explore the benefits and potential challenges of 5G, the notion of agile working in today's workplace, and the impact that Brexit is going to have on business. Learn more.
Episode 3:
Intergenerational management
In this episode - Emma speaks to Henry Rose Lee, author of 'The Code for New Leaders' and expert on managing the different generations that make up today's workforce. They speak about why it's suddenly become important to understand the differences between the generations in a workforce. What each generation wants from their managers and companies they work for. And how businesses can use technology (and a bit of consideration and common sense) to get the most out of their people. Learn more.
Episode 2:
Artificial Intelligence in business and manufacturing
Discover how AI will shape the manufacturing industry in years to come. Emma speaks with futurist Matt O’Neill and Datel’s R&D Director Tim Purcell on the latest in emerging technology and if Artificial Intelligence is going to take over. They discuss how far we’ve progressed in putting Artificial Intelligence into modern business, IoT and AI and the ethics of AI. Learn more.
Episode 1:
International growth - what's the secret?
In this episode, you'll hear from Barry Leahey, MD of Playdale Playgrounds, on how they turned their successful UK business into an international player. Learn more.
About Business Futures
by Emma Pownall, Business Futures host and Datel's Marketing Director
Ambition alone is not enough to make a business successful, and certainly not in the long term. But what is that magic ingredient that makes one business thrive and another business fail?
This is a topic that is debated by boards of directors, written about by best-selling authors and taught by business academics. In my own experience of working with hundreds of successful UK businesses, I find that there doesn’t seem to be one answer. Whether your business has been around for 200 years or 200 days, having the ambition to succeed is one thing but what I am learning from our customers is that there is also something else.
I’m on a journey to find out what that something is and share it with other directors and leaders along the way. Academics, specialists and experienced business leaders all have a view. So, through my podcast - Business Futures - I am asking the challenging questions of the people with the knowledge and experience to unearth what that magic ingredient is. From people management to building strong business relationships to technology and innovation, Business Futures will take a closer look.
Want to get involved?
The Business Futures team are looking for business experts, experienced business leaders and thought leaders to share their views on what they believe are the ingredients for business success.
Email business.futures@datelgroup.com if you’d like to feature in an upcoming show or have a suggestion on a topic you’d like us to explore.