Whether you're selling breakfast cereals, criminal tags or excavator buckets, expanding your business overseas can be a game changer. But when's the right time to export and which countries should you target? Evan Davis and guests discuss the ups and downs of trading internationally. They'll share their stories on why it can be easier to sell abroad than at home, how to adapt products for a new market and why doing your homework can ensure that nothing is lost in translation. Top tips on how to ...
Mar 12, 2015•28 min
Sock Shop, Golden Wonder and Lehman Brothers: big names that once dominated the high street, the supermarket shelves and the financial world. They faded from view, yet still exist today. What prompted their demise? How did they lose market share? Evan Davis and guests discuss the rise and fall of these iconic companies and explore whether they can ever reach the success of their golden years. Guests: Vimal Ruia, Managing Director, Sock Shop Paul Allen, CEO, Tayto Tony Lomas, Chief Administrator,...
Mar 05, 2015•28 min
The science and psychology of the queue. This week Evan and his guests look at how businesses manage queuing. We're often told that queuing is one of those quintessential British habits which embodies our sense of fair play: that we should wait our turn. Despite technological innovation. queuing remains one of those unavoidable things we all have to do: be that on-line, waiting for a bus or to pay for our groceries at the check-out. But what does it mean for businesses? How do they go about mana...
Feb 26, 2015•28 min
Artificial snow, a plastic hairbrush and a non-spill baby beaker: How do you turn an idea into a successful business? Three entrepreneurs discuss with Evan Davis the process of designing a product and getting it onto the market. How do you finance the project and what's the best way to protect your design from copycats? We'll hear how one inventor risked everything in a legal battle against a company that stole her design. And discover how to create more than 200 types of fake snow. Guests: Shau...
Feb 23, 2015•28 min
It's soft, shiny and rare. A symbol of love, of power, of wealth - gold has been prized for thousands of years, its value rises and falls as the economies round it fluctuate. Yet there's only a limited supply of it and demand is high: for jewellery, technology, by central banks and investors. But after more than a decade of rising prices, the value of gold is down. So how to make money from this precious metal? Evan Davis and guests follow its journey from the gold mines of west Africa to the wo...
Feb 12, 2015•28 min
Naked bath bombs, in-store coffee shops and customer satisfaction charts: Evan Davis and guests discuss some of the secrets to retailing success. Each of them runs of a chain of stores but with hundreds, even thousands of outlets both here and abroad, how do they maintain their brand identity? And what persuades customers to buy their products ahead of their rivals'? Guests: Mark Constantine, Founder and Managing Director, Lush cosmetics Debbie Robinson, Managing Director, Spar UK Robert Forrest...
Feb 05, 2015•28 min
How should we price services? By the hour? By results? Or by the difficulty of the task? And what impact does each model have on how businesses are run? In the first of a new series Evan Davis and guests look at the history of how we've priced our time and expertise and why this may be about to change. Guests : Christopher Saul, senior partner, Slaughter & May Debbie Klein, UK CEO, The Engine Group Russell Quirk, Founder, EMoov.
Jan 29, 2015•28 min
What is the role of a business leader? To tell staff what to do or allow them to decide for themselves? One theory about management is that it should turn itself upside-down and permit those closest to the customer to dictate all sorts of business decisions including pricing, marketing and how to deal with complaints. This programme, first broadcast in 2013, won the Wincott Radio Journalism of the Year Award. Guests John Timpson, Chairman Timpson Group Nikki King, Honorary Chair, Isuzu Truck UK ...
Nov 20, 2014•28 min
Taittinger champagne, Clarks shoes, Theakstons beer - three famous and successful family businesses that have passed down through the generations. So what prompted members of those families to leave the original firms and set up rival brands of their own? Producing champagne, making shoes and brewing beer. What's it like to compete with the companies they've known all their lives? And how easy is it to make their mark? Guests: Paul Theakston, Founder and Chairman, Black Sheep Brewery Virginie Ta...
Nov 13, 2014•28 min
Very few companies survive for centuries. Evan Davis hears from a luxury jeweller, a removals firm and a diversified business that makes money from ships, finance and groceries. Between them they have nearly a thousand years of business experience. What strategies have they embarked on to ensure that they live long and prosper? Has their history become a burden or a motivator? And have they sacrificed growth for corporate longevity? Guests: Sir Michael Bibby, MD The Bibby Line Michael Wainwright...
Nov 06, 2014•28 min
From smartglasses to smartwatches, tech companies like Apple, Google and Samsung are investing big money in technology that you can wear. They're designed to keep us eternally connected, fully fit and super smart. But will they go mainstream or are they still the preserve of the gadget geeks? Evan Davis and guests discuss how fitness bands that measure how far you walk and how deeply you sleep could transform our healthcare. And hear about the intelligent fabric that's set to revolutionise the w...
Oct 30, 2014•28 min
Flash sale companies are growing fast. Evan Davis and guests discuss how this new retail sector is changing the way we shop. How does the business model work? Just how low can the prices go? And are these internet discounters a help or a hindrance for luxury brands? Guests : Victoria Walton, co-founder Sportpursuit Jamie Jackson, executive vice-chairman MySale Group Ilan Benhaim, co-founder Vente-Privee Producer : Rosamund Jones.
Oct 23, 2014•28 min
Online postings about hotels, restaurants, hairdressers, electricians: How much can you trust the views of a total stranger when it comes to deciding what to buy, where to go and whose skills and services to employ? How do review sites monitor their online ratings and ensure they're genuine? Evan Davis and guests discuss the power of user-generated reviews that can make or break a business. What can firms do to limit the damage of a bad review and how can they maximise a positive review? Guests:...
Oct 16, 2014•28 min
Social advertising: Evan Davis and guests discuss the growing power of celebrities, the rise of the money-making super-fans who "like" their products and the vloggers with consumer clout. How effective are these new social campaigns and how will they change the advertising industry? Guests: Edwina Dunn, CEO Starcount; Dominic Burch, senior director marketing innovation and new revenue Asda; Robin Grant, co-founder We Are Social. Producer: Rosamund Jones.
Oct 09, 2014•28 min
The best person for the job? Evan Davis hears from four bosses who took back control of the companies they had once founded. Why did they leave and what events made them return? From boardroom coups to corporate collapses, entrepreneurs explain how they took the helm - for the second time - of the businesses they knew so well. What had changed while they were away? And what were the very first decisions they made when they walked back through the doors? Guests: Steve Morgan, founder, Redrow; Lou...
Oct 02, 2014•28 min
Faulty children's beds, mislabelled horsemeat burgers and exploding dishwashers are among the products recalled by companies in the UK to protect the health and safety of consumers. Evan Davis and guests discuss the process for recalling defective items and find out how quickly manufacturers and distributors must act. What are the logistics of getting back hundreds of thousands of products from consumers? And what impact does a recall have on a company's reputation? Does it reassure or unnerve c...
Jul 24, 2014•28 min
Civil war in Sierra Leone, political unrest in Ukraine, the Japanese tsunami and Hurricane Sandy on the east coast of the US - three guests tell Evan Davis how they led businesses through periods of unexpected and extended turmoil. Guests : Peter Kaye, Director of Business Development, Pilgrims Group Bryan Disher, Ukraine Country Manager, PWC Mary Bahsoon, Co-owner Bennimix Producer : Rosamund Jones.
Jul 17, 2014•28 min
Making money from old phones, engines and plastic bottles is the topic for Evan Davis and guests. How do you ensure that you collect what others throw away? How much profit is there really to be had from creating new from old? And why aren't milk bottle tops quite the colour they once were? Guests Charlo Carabott, co-founder & CEO Mazuma Mobile Matt Bulley, managing director Caterpillar Reman Europe Chris Dow, Founder & CEO Closed Loop Recycling Producer : Rosamund Jones....
Jul 10, 2014•28 min
Would you tell your boss you had depression? In The Bottom Line this week, Evan Davis hears from three successful business people who talk openly about what it's like to experience severe mental illness whilst running their companies. They'll explain the risks and rewards of going public about mental ill health problems: the reaction from investors and the impact on staff. And we'll hear why being open about mental illness can lead to a happier, healthier workplace. Guests: Lord Stevenson of Cod...
Jul 03, 2014•28 min
Can you conquer the world by selling only one product? Many companies start small, focusing their energies on a single item, with plans to expand into other areas once the business takes off. But not everyone wants to diversify. Some prefer to do one thing and do it well, rather than risk diluting the brand and perhaps also the quality of the goods. In this edition of The Bottom Line, Evan Davis talks to three companies that have stuck with the core product that made them a success in the first ...
Jun 26, 2014•28 min
How big is the market for halal - not just food, but holidays, fashion and music too? Muslim consumers - and how best to serve them - are the topics this week. Evan Davis talks to entrepreneurs who think they know the answer and asks how much can established companies learn from them. Guests : Shelina Janmohamed, Ogilvy Noor Elnur Seyidli, HalalBooking.com Shazia Saleem, ieat foods Producer : Rosamund Jones.
Jun 19, 2014•28 min
Making money from products with a controversial image is the topic for Evan Davis and his guests who represent companies selling drugs and sex toys. These companies are testing our morals and the regulations set up to protect them. So how do you market products that many people disapprove of? And how do you manage the social and business opprobrium you encounter? Guests : Jean Rasbridge, founder ECigaretteDirect.co.uk Andy Williams, co-founder Medicine Man Denver Neal Slateford, co-founder LoveH...
Jun 12, 2014•28 min
The new economy based on bitcoins, the computer-generated crypto-currency, is the subject for discussion. What can you buy with them and as the market fluctuates wildly, can investors hold their nerve? The programme will look at how the bitcoin craze began and whether the world really does need another currency. Evan Davis's guests are from new companies hoping to cash in - one trades bitcoins, another stores them and the third enables you to spend them online. Contributors : Marc Warne, Bittyli...
Jun 05, 2014•28 min
Can you keep business safe from hackers? Many companies now feel besieged by constant attacks and few can claim not to have been targeted. In the first of a new series of the award-winning The Bottom Line Evan Davis and guests discuss the anatomy of a cyber attack - where the threats are coming from and how best to respond. And they'll ask - should businesses be more honest about the security breaches they've faced? Guests Richard Knowlton, Group Corporate Security Director, Vodafone Rashmi Know...
May 31, 2014•28 min
Serving the super-rich: what do the seriously wealthy do with their money? How do they preserve or spend their multi-million or even billion pound fortunes? And who is helping them manage those assets? With more billionaires in the world than ever before, working for the very rich is a growth industry. Whether finding staff for their superyacht or helping them give away the money, there's a raft of businesses ready to serve the ultra high net worth individual. Evan Davis talks to three firms who...
Mar 27, 2014•28 min
Turning up the heat: the new energy companies breaking into a market dominated by big established firms. Evan Davis meets two small entrants to the sector to find out how they're gaining market share. Is the strategy to compete on price, customer service or green credentials? He'll discuss the role of the price comparison websites in encouraging customers to switch providers and hear how some smaller companies are cutting gas and electricity bills when their bigger rivals aren't. Guests: Dale Vi...
Mar 20, 2014•28 min
Corporate turnaround and transformational tales. Evan Davis and guests discuss how companies fail, struggle and find their way again. Guests: Bruno Cercley, CEO of Rossignol Group Harriet Green OBE, CEO of Thomas Cook Group Martyn Gibbs, CEO of Game Retail Ltd Producer: Kent DePinto.
Mar 13, 2014•28 min
Chocolate is a big business as well as a delicious indulgence. Evan Davis and guests discuss how this global industry is tackling the pressures of rising food prices, speculation and climate change. Guests: Jonathan Horrell, Director of Global Sustainability of Mondelez International Sophi Tranchell, Managing Director of Divine Chocolate Kojo Amoo-Gottfried, Country Director of Cargill Ghana Producer: Kent DePinto.
Mar 06, 2014•28 min
Self-improvement: If you want to look better, feel better, perform better, there's no shortage of help available. Whether it's cosmetic surgery for the perfect body, fitness programmes to boost self-esteem, or self-help books to improve the mind, there's plenty of choice. But do they promise the world and fail to deliver - or give you the strength to achieve the personal growth you desire? Evan Davis and guests discuss the industry of making your life better. Guests: Jon Congdon, President and C...
Feb 27, 2014•28 min
Business leaders spend their lives climbing the corporate ladder, so what happens when it is time to step off? Evan Davis and guests discuss life after CEO. Guests: Lord Browne of Madingley, former Chief Executive of BP Kate Wilson, former MD of Scholastic UK, Managing Director of Nosy Crow Robert Polet, former CEO of Gucci Group Producer: Kent DePinto.
Feb 20, 2014•28 min
