The Impact Specialist Rachel Dunford is a management consultant turned entrepreneur who specialises in helping businesses and charities to prioritise the impact they create through the work they do. She joins us on the podcast to discuss her vital work and how she got there. While eight months' pregnant, Rachel was made redundant. It led to a decision to work for herself, to care for her baby as much as to control her own destiny.

Turning a challenging situation into an opportunity to redefine her career, she leveraged her consulting background to transition from managing youth programs to establishing her own business. Drawing on her two decades of experience of delivering change programmes and running evaluation projects, Rachel now runs a multi-award winning business, giving her clients the tools they need to capture and measure their impact, empowering them to have the vocabulary they need to talk about it, and equipping them with the confidence to share and showcase it.

Rachel sheds light on a unique approach to aligning business practices with impactful outcomes. Consequently, she offers valuable insights into how businesses can confidently assess and communicate their impact for success and transformation.

We uncover the critical role of evidence-based insights in guiding strategic decisions, improving staff morale, and optimizing resource allocation. Rachel shares how challenging assumptions and aligning team roles with business objectives can drive success and credibility in a crowded marketplace.

Being the Business Awards Show, we have to celebrate Rachel's recent award wins. Having won a Golden Peacock Award followed by two silver awards at the 2024 Best Businesswomen Awards, we discover the transformative power of external recognition. Rachel explains how awards like "Businesswoman of the Decade" can significantly boost credibility and open new opportunities.

Throughout, Rachel emphasizes the importance of seeking help and investing in professional development. She offers advice from her 13-year journey that is sure to resonate with both new and established entrepreneurs. Join us for an episode filled with inspiration, practical advice, and a celebration of impactful business growth.

{2:12} Rachel's path to starting her own business.

{6:41} How impact can be measured.

{10:43} Taking a deep dive into the client's mindset.

{16:06} Entering the Colden Peacock Awards.

{19:51} Winning two Best Businesswomen Awards in 2024.

{23:06} The impact of awards on Rachel's business.

{26:37} Rachel's words of wisdom.

{29:52} Plans for 2025.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Rachel Dunford: https://racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theimpactspecialist/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theimpactspecialist/

Empowering Women, Embracing Diversity with Gillian Jones-Williams is the latest fascinating episode of the Business Awards Show. Gillian was recently acclaimed as the Business Woman of the Decade at the Best Business Women Awards and is the founder of Emerge Development Consultancy.

She created Emerge to facilitate a better future for organisations by enabling them to drive transformation through people. It delivers Leadership, Graduate and Personal effectiveness programmes plus Executive Coaching. Crucially, Emerge specialises in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity and delivers an empowered women's development programme RISE internationally.

Her personal narrative, marked by a unique upbringing with a mother who was chronically bipolar and her own experiences with cyclothymia, fuel her passion for overcoming limiting beliefs and unlocking potential.

Explore how Gillian and her team navigated the maelstrom of Brexit, economic recessions, and lockdown by turning challenges into opportunities. Forced to rethink the traditional business model, Gillian successfully shifted from face-to-face training to virtual platforms, achieving financial stability just six months after the lockdown. The episode shines a light on the importance of embracing new trends like micro-learning and addressing evolving challenges in the DEI space. Furthermore, she has aspirations for future growth and discusses her succession plan now her daughter plays a senior role in the business.

Gillian's nearly 30-year career is further distinguished by her literary contributions and aspirations for a TEDx talk. Her lockdown diary and the forthcoming "Say What You Mean," which equips women with assertive communication scripts, underscore her commitment to empowering others.

The recognition from winning prestigious awards not only enhances her reputation but also opens doors for new opportunities. Join us in celebrating Gillian's achievements and learn how her experiences can inspire personal and professional growth.

{1:30} The work of Emerge Development Consultancy.

{2:24} The difficulties for women in Saudi Arabia.

{3:02} Delivering programmes in Saudi.

{3:43} Coaching teams v indiduals.

{4:19} What gets in the way of success?

{4:54} Doing work that is transformational.

{5:38} Gillian's path to personal development.

{10:45} Where 'Emerge' came from.

{11:22} The challenges Gillian has faced along the way.

{13:39} Why the pandemic proved to be a gift.

{13:59} Businesswoman of the Decade - an award dedicated to Gillian's team.

{16:23} Future plans.

{17:04} Taking an effective approach to diversity and inclusion.

{18:32} Emerge's typical client sectors.

{19:11} When awards first appeared on the radar.

{20:16} The personal accomplishment of winning Businesswoman of the Decade.

{20:56} The PR gained from winning the award.

{22:15} Targeting speaking opportunities and Tedx Talks.

{23:09} Gillian's books.

{25:06} The lockdown diary.

{25:21} The Little Book of Scripts.

{26:47} Gillian's words of wisdom.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Gillian: https://emergeuk.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emergedevelopmentconsultancy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emerge.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerge-development-consultancy-ltd/

X: https://x.com/EmergeUK

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RobJB120

Laura Taylor is The LinkedIn Guru and the founder of Social Flow Collective, working as a marketing consultant specialising in LinkedIn. Her service isn't just LinkedIn training - it's economic empowerment for women.

Laura opens up about leaving a toxic work environment and the uncertainties of the pandemic, only to emerge as an award-winning entrepreneur with a thriving business built solely on LinkedIn. Her story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the power of family support in overcoming adversity and achieving professional success.

Laura generously imparts her wisdom on LinkedIn marketing, offering practical strategies and tips that every entrepreneur can use. She underscores the importance of maintaining a vibrant company page to build your presence online. She explains why newsletters are more effective than articles, and shows how to post effectively without overwhelming your audience. With a focus on building genuine connections, Laura advises against cold messaging and stresses the need for security when sharing content links. Her insights are invaluable for anyone looking to harness the full potential of LinkedIn to expand their business reach.

Reflecting on her experiences with LinkedIn Premium and the strategic use of industry awards, Laura emphasizes the importance of visibility and recognition, especially for women in business leadership roles.

She shares her thoughts on the evolving workplace and the necessity of creating a strong digital presence. Laura’s reflections on personal development, positive influences, and trusting one’s instincts offer a powerful narrative for aspiring entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of modern business environments.

Laura loves working with LinkedIn because, unlike some of the other social media platforms, success comes from connection, collaboration and giving support and value. It’s where reputations are built, credibility established and careers are developed.

Her breadth of experience on LinkedIn over the past 4 years has attracted a global portfolio of clients across different cultures and time zones, giving her an international edge. Laura’s work has been featured in Forbes and she recently won an award for Marketing and PR at the Best Business Women Awards.

This episode is a rich resource for those eager to learn from a trailblazer in the world of LinkedIn marketing.

{2:24} How Laura came to start Social Flow Collective.

{4:35} Relocating from London to Liverpool.

{5:25} Laura's tips for starting out on LinkedIn.

{7:54} Building a company page on LinkedIn.

{9:17} Newsletters v articles.

{10:33} How often should you post?

{11:47} Sending direct messages.

{13:22} Free v Premium LinkedIn.

{15:39} Why Laura started entering awards.

{19:10} Laura's future plans.

{22:25} Lessons from five years in business.

{25:09} Loving the flexibility of self-employment.

{26:26} Awards as part of business strategy.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Laura: https://www.socialflowcollective.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocialFlowCollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.taylor.linkedin/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-taylor-socialflow/

LinkedIn SSI Score: https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/social-selling/the-social-selling-index-ssi

Laura's Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/biancabarratt/2024/01/08/entrepreneurs-this-is-how-to-use-linkedin-to-sell-in-2024/