Episode Summary:

In this episode, Sir Tom Hunter and Willie Haughey discuss various business topics, including the meteoric rise of reform, the challenges of change in business, and the influence of Elon Musk.

They also welcome Johnny Manning, the founder of Connekt EV, who shares his entrepreneurial journey and insights into the electric vehicle charging industry.

Episode Highlights

[00:01:15]

Elon Musk's Influence

Discussion on Elon Musk's involvement in various industries and his impact on politics and social media.

[00:03:38]

Business and Politics

Sir Tom and Lord Haughey delve into the intersection of business and politics, including Musk's potential interest in UK politics and football.

[00:07:06]

Government and Business

Analysis of government procurement and the potential for business leaders to drive efficiency and cost savings.

[00:13:25]

Economic Outlook

Discussion on the current economic climate, interest rates, and government borrowing.

[00:20:05]

Scottish National Investment Bank

Announcement of a £20 million investment in a subsea cable manufacturer in Ayrshire.

Special Guest: Johnny Manning, Founder of Connekt

Johnny is a pioneering force in the electric vehicle charging industry. As Founder and Managing Director of Connekt, he's driving the company's mission to become the UK's premier Charge Point Operator and Installer.

With his innovative vision and strategic leadership, Johnny is at the forefront of shaping a sustainable future for transportation.

Board You Can't Afford Guest: Donna Kerr, Founder DMK Finance

Donna is qualified as a Commercial Banker with extensive credit/industry knowledge & experience. DMK Finance are specialist property and business finance experts who have aided clients obtain finance from £100k to £50m loans and to date.

Access to finance is often critical in the growth journey of any business.

Donna's Question:

During both your own entrepreneurial paths, did you find yourselves fully leveraging your businesses or taking bold financial risks to fuel growth?

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Hosts: Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey

Board You Can't Afford Guest: Scott Munn (12th generation funeral director)

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Sir Tom Hunter and Willie Haughey discuss various business topics, including the recent budget, the state of the NHS, and the challenges faced by car manufacturers.

On the Board You Can't Afford, Scott Munn, a 12th generation funeral director, has a question and chats about his experiences in the family business and the funeral industry.

Key Topics Covered:

Budget Discussion:

Analysis of the Scottish budget and its impact on small businesses.

Discussion on business relief and the hospitality sector.

Concerns about the allocation of funds to the NHS and public services.

Critique of the SNP government's handling of economic growth and public services.

NHS and Public Services:

Examination of the NHS budget and the need for systemic changes.

Discussion on the inefficiencies in public services and the need for better management.

Business Growth and Economic Policies:

Importance of growing the economy to fund public services.

Discussion on tax policies and their impact on businesses and individuals.

The need for big ideas and quality leadership in the Scottish government.

Elon Musk's Compensation:

Discussion on Elon Musk's $56 billion pay award and the legal challenges surrounding it.

Debate on the role of shareholders and judges in executive compensation.

Political Donations:

Discussion on the influence of wealthy individuals in politics.

Debate on whether political donations should be allowed.

Car Manufacturing Industry:

Challenges faced by car manufacturers in transitioning to electric vehicles.

Discussion on the impact of government policies on the automotive industry.

Housing Market:

Concerns about the drop in mortgage approvals and the long-term implications for homeowners.

Board You Can't Afford with Scott Munn:

Scott's background and experience in the funeral industry.

The history of his family business, which started in 1811.

Transition from a family-owned business to being part of a larger company.

Scott's role and responsibilities as a funeral director and operations manager.

Insights into the funeral industry and the importance of attention to detail.

Subscribe to the podcast for more insightful discussions on business and economics.

Follow and Connect with the show :

• Subscribe: Don't miss out on future episodes! Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the show on YouTube: Subscribe to the Go Radio Business Show (launching this week).
• Feedback: We value your feedback. Share your thoughts on this episode and what you'd like to hear in the future. Email GoBusiness@thisisgo.co.uk
• Engage: Join the conversation on social media @ThisIsGoRadio or Follow Go Radio on LinkedIn. Follow the @thisisgoradio on social media for updates and additional content.

#BusinessPodcast #ScottishEconomy #NHS #PublicServices #FuneralIndustry #ElonMusk #PoliticalDonations #CarManufacturing #HousingMarket #EconomicGrowth

Episode Summary

Sir Tom and Lord Haughey discuss the relevance of the CBI and government interactions, as well as their wishlist for the upcoming Scottish budget, which includes tax reforms and business rates. They emphasise the importance of investing in apprenticeships and skills, suggesting tax incentives for companies. Additionally, Scottish Water's £9 billion investment in infrastructure is highlighted, presenting opportunities for SMEs.

The special guest is Simon Burgess, CEO of BIP Solutions in Glasgow

Episode Highlights

[00:02:00] Scale-Up Conference Recap

Discussion about the recent Scale-Up Conference at Gleneagles.

Highlights of the event and key speakers like Professor Sir Christopher Evans and James Watt.

[00:05:30] CBI and Government Relations

Conversation about the CBI's relevance and government interactions.

Sir Tom and Lord Haughey opinions on political responses and budget implications.

[00:10:00] Scottish Budget Preview

Upcoming Scottish budget discussion.

Lord Haughey and Sir Tom discusses their budget Wishlist, including tax reforms and business rates.

[00:15:00] Apprenticeships and Skills Investment

Importance of investing in apprenticeships and skills.

Suggestions for tax incentives for companies investing in training.

[00:18:00] Scottish Water Investment

Announcement of Scottish Water's £9 billion investment in infrastructure.

Emphasis on opportunities for SMEs.

[00:20:00]

Special Guest: Simon Burgess, CEO of BIP Solutions in Glasgow

BIP Solutions in Glasgow provides procurement services and solutions to the public and private sectors. BIP Solutions offers services like tendering, procurement advice, and digital tools to help organisations manage and streamline their procurement processes.

Board You Can't Afford

Craig Johnstone from Launch Foods has a question for Sir Tom and Lord Haughey..

Launch Foods was established in 2018. Craig identified the contradicting news reports of food waste and food surplus, against child poverty and children going hungry Launch work with local Glasgow primary schools, like Cowcaddens, Govanhill and every day they serve children a hot meal out of their food trucks. They focus on feeding these kids but also helping them build lives for themselves, by thinking sustainably and about their future after school.

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Summary:

In this episode, Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey delve into a range of topics from the challenges faced by the hospitality and retail sectors and the potential impact of redundancies at Edinburgh University. They are joined by Jonathan Burridge Co-founder & CEO and John Trower Co-founder of Utopi and its innovative approach to smart building technology. The discussion also touches on the importance of investment in Scottish scale-ups and the development of green energy technologies.

Additionally, on the Board You Can’t Afford, David Dwyer highlights the transformative potential of AI for businesses and asks for advice on growing in the AI sector.

Key Topics Discussed:

[00:00:38] Children in Need Challenge: Sir Tom Hunter's participation in the Paddy McGuinness challenge, cycling from Wrexham to Glasgow, and the Hunter Foundation's donation.

[00:03:00] Bank of England's Interest Rate Strategy: Analysis of Andrew Bailey's approach to interest rate cuts and the comparison with European rates.

[00:05:00] Consumer Confidence and Budget Impact: The effect of the budget on consumer confidence and spending habits.

[00:07:00] Unemployment Rates and Economic Growth: The rise in unemployment rates and its implications for economic growth.

[00:10:00] Scottish Labour's Stance on Pensions: Analyzing the announcement by Scottish Labour regarding the reversal of the pensioners' ruling.

[00:12:00] Arnold Clark's Financial Performance: Overview of Arnold Clark's turnover and profit, and the impact of a cyberattack on the company's finances.

[00:15:00] Young Entrepreneurs: Highlighting the success of Finlay Gordon and his business 'Restock' in the limited edition sports shoes and clothing market.

[00:17:00] Hospitality and Retail Sectors: The challenges faced by these sectors, particularly with business rates and the NRA.

[00:20:00] Investment in Scottish Scale-Ups: The importance of investment in Scottish scale-up businesses and the role of the Scottish National Investment Bank.

[00:23:00] Green Energy Technologies: The construction of a new facility in Aberdeen for developing green energy technologies.

[00:25:00] Edinburgh University's Redundancies: The potential impact of staff cuts at Edinburgh University on talent and innovation.

Special Guests: Jonathan Burridge Co-founder & CEO and John Trower Co-founder of Utopi

At Utopi, they simplify the complexities of data acquisition and ESG reporting to decarbonise the multi-tenant real estate sector, for the benefit of people, planet, and profit. Whether it be Performance Reporting, Automated Temperature Control or Empowering Residents to change their behaviours.

[00:27:00]

Utopi's Business Model: Jonathan Burridge and John Trower discuss their company Utopi and its focus on smart building technology and IoT.

[00:35:00] Net Zero Carbon Challenge: The role of data and IoT in helping real estate investors meet their net zero carbon targets.

[00:40:00] Commercialising Smart Building Technology: Utopi's approach to selling their technology and the benefits it provides to clients.

Board You Can’t Afford

[00:45:00] AI in Business: David Dwyer from Inspire Digital Agency talks about the opportunities and challenges of AI for Scottish businesses. He also has a question for Sir Tom and Lord Haughey.

Follow the show :

• Subscribe: Don't miss out on future episodes! Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
• Feedback: We value your feedback. Share your thoughts on this episode and what you'd like to hear in the future. Email GoBusiness@thisisgo.co.uk
• Engage: Join the conversation on social media @ThisIsGoRadio or Follow Go Radio on LinkedIn.

Episode Summary and Highlights:

Financial Troubles in Football Clubs

Discussion on the financial struggles of Inverness Caley Thistle and football clubs aiming for the Premier League in general. Mention of the sacking of Duncan Ferguson.

Highlighting the unrealistic financial expectations and the need for clubs to manage their budgets better.

Emphasis on the importance of financial prudence for clubs.

Noting the failure to raise sufficient funds and the challenges faced by provincial clubs.

[00:02:46]

Positive Economic Indicators

Mention of positive news about economic growth predictions by the IMF.

Discussion on the potential impact on the UK economy and small businesses.

Talk about inflation rates and interest rate predictions by Goldman Sachs.

[00:04:46]

BRICS Nations and Global Economics

Discussion on BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China) forming their own payment clearing service to counter the dollar.Emphasis on the growing influence of BRICS nations in geopolitics.Debate on the likelihood of moving away from the dollar.

[00:09:27]

Budget Speculations and Economic Policies

Speculation on upcoming budget announcements and their impact on businesses.

Mention of the Green Party’s proposal for a mansion tax in Scotland. Discussion about the anti-growth policies and their potential consequences on economic opportunities.

[00:13:33]

Young Enterprise Scotland Funding Issues

Highlighting the risk of Young Enterprise Scotland losing government grants. Emphasis on the importance of enterprise education and the potential negative impact of funding cuts.

[00:15:59]

Elon Musk’s Recent Activities

Discussion on Elon Musk’s positive Tesla financial results and stock performance. Mention of Musk’s political involvement, including his support for Trump and a unique voter incentive scheme

Discussion on Elon Musk’s strategy to influence swing state voters by offering $1 million a day to registered voters.

[00:18:22]

McDonald’s Sales Drop Incident

Anecdote about Donald Trump’s team targeting Kamala Harris over her McDonald’s work claim. Mention of McDonald’s sales dropping by £21 billion due to an E. coli outbreak.

[00:18:43]

Housing Development in Aberdeenshire

Announcement of a significant investment in building up to 1,000 houses in Aberdeenshire for workforce support. Plan to transfer houses to local authorities once no longer needed for the workforce.

[00:19:38]

Appointment of Trade Envoy to Japan

Appointment of Stephen Baxter as an unpaid trade envoy to Japan. Discussion on the importance of this role and Baxter’s experience in the Asia Pacific region.

Special Guest: Billy Lyle, co-founder of Illuminate AI

If you’re passionate about AI, you won’t want to miss this episode featuring Billy Lyle, co-founder of Illuminate AI. Billy’s journey from entrepreneur to a leader in AI-driven solutions is nothing short of inspiring. He shares his unique insights on the evolution of technology, the challenges of scaling a business, and the future of AI.

Billy Lyle, a visionary entrepreneur and the driving force behind Illuminate AI and GHFway. He is pioneering the integration of Generative AI into executive leadership, aiming to make AI an essential part of all business strategies.

Billy’s passion for technological innovation and sustainable investments is evident in his latest ventures. At Illuminate AI, he equips CEOs with the tools to navigate and lead in the AI era.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a tech enthusiast, Billy’s story offers valuable lessons and a glimpse into the future of AI and sustainable investments. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s most innovative minds!

Board You Can’t Afford

Caitriona Davis addresses the growing importance of employee wellbeing, especially in the wake of Covid-19. She acknowledges that while larger companies might have comprehensive support systems, smaller businesses often struggle to provide the same level of care due to limited resources.

Caitriona highlights how the National Support Network can be particularly beneficial for these smaller businesses, offering an accessible and scalable solution to support their employees’ wellbeing. This service is designed to help companies of all sizes ensure their employees have access to the necessary support, even if they don’t have a full-time HR department.