Why Small Business Matters

Northumbria University•podfollow.com

Business

Entrepreneurship

Why Small Business Matters from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University provides a platform for successful small business leaders to tell their stories, offer advice and unravel what it means to be a successful modern SME.

Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management delivery team at Northumbria University, Small Business Matters takes a casual but inciteful look behind the scenes with contributions from rising entrepreneurs and leaders of established small businesses that have been trading for many years.

It will find out what gets them up in the morning, how they've navigated the challenges of the pandemic and their vision for small business in the region, the country and across the globe.

For more info on Help To Grow visit Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow

Last refreshed: July 14th, 2025 at 9:16 AM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Mental Health & Business - Natasha McDonough, CEO of MMC Marketing & Research

Hosted by Dr Matt Sutherland from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University, this episode explores the topic of mental health and business, and in particular of the business owner. Natasha McDonough has an impressive CV, working with top entrepreneurs in the US including Seth Godin of Yahoo and the founders of Office Depot. She's also been a nanny to Hollywood celebrities..! Now though she's swapped Venice Beach for Roker Beach and is based in Sunderland where she is the founder and CE...

Jan 10, 2023•39 min

Research, Test & Validate - Mark Renney of Wubbleyou & Graham Batey Northumbria Uni Incubator champion

Hosted by Sarah Stephenson, this episode looks at the process of starting a small business, and how the Business School at Northumbria University can help students become entrepreneurs, whilst giving them the safe space to research, test and validate their ideas. Mark Renney is the founder of Wubbleyou, a scalable software business whose journey began in 2010 at Newcastle Business School when along the way Mark was introduced to our second guest Graham Baty, Head of Student & Graduate Enterp...

Dec 07, 2022•35 min

KEVRI - Breaking The Traditions of Knowledge Exchange

On this episode of Why Small Business Matters, we are joined by Natalie, Emily & Corin from fast growing Cornish Ed-tech business KEVRI, 3 female founders who have made their mark in what is traditionally a highly male dominant industry. They met at Falmouth University while on a business course which pushed them together, and saw them having to launch a business of their own! Their software allows universities and organisations to capture the social and economic value of Knowledge Exchange....

Nov 07, 2022•40 min

How Can SME's Drive The Economy? | Charlotte Keenan, Goldman Sachs | Michael Hayman, Seven Hills

We welcome two influential business brains active in the business world who will be sharing their experience and advice on the challenges facing SMEs today. Charlotte Keenan Charlotte leads the Office of Corporate Engagement's international responsibilities and serves as global head of 10,000 Women. She is a member of the EMEA Inclusion and Diversity Committee. Charlotte joined Goldman Sachs in 2015 as an executive director in the EMEA Office of Corporate Engagement and was named managing direct...

Oct 20, 2022•49 min

Pivoting After The Pandemic - Mark Philpott, CEO, NPH Ltd

In this episode of Why Small Business Matters, we take a look at how the Covid 19 Pandemic forced one North East business to reevaluate their model, and as a result transform their future! Mark Philpott is our guest, following a 10 year career as a specialist physiotherapist in the British Army he's become a leading figure in the occupational health field and is now CEO at NPH Ltd. NPH Ltd are a Newcastle based healthcare provider who offer home and work place based health assessments and educat...

Sep 13, 2022•48 min

Student to Entrepreneur - Robert Lundgren Jones

Throughout this series we'll be catching up with a number of Northumbria alumni, to discover what life after Northumbria looks like..! Robert Lundgren Jones was a Newcastle Business School student, whose passion for travel and performance led to him setting up his own interactive tour company, Lundgren Tours. Find out how the idea was born, how he overcame the challenges of launching a travel company amidst the pandemic, and how Northumbria University remain on hand to help in his onward journey...

Aug 19, 2022•33 min

Baroness Grey-Thompson & Colin Allen - Duty Of Care in Sport

In this episode Dr Matt Sutherland is joined by 2 very special guests to discuss the topics of "Duty of Care" in sport, and look at the parallels between being a professional athlete & being a small business owner. Baroness Grey-Thompson is an 11 time Paralympic medalist, and has claimed her place among the all time greats in British athletics. She's also the Chancellor of Northumbria University, as well as sitting on the boards of numerous organisations across the North East and the wider U...

Jul 12, 2022•37 min

Help To Grow Management Programme - Live Podcast Special!

To mark 1 year of the Help To Grow Management programme, this month we find out more about the course from some of those who have undertaken it. This show was recorded live at the iconic Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, and featured a panel chaired by northeast entrepreneur and connector Caroline Theobald CBE. Learn how business support organisations in the region can help your business and listen to some inspirational business leaders who have turned their businesses. Plus see how support or...

Jun 27, 2022•58 min

Lucy Winskell OBE & Emma Gaudern

In this episode Matt Sutherland is joined by Lucy Winskell OBE and Emma Gaudern. Lucy until recently has been Pro Vice Chancellor of Northumbria University, with a focus on employability and strategic partnerships. Prior to joining Northumbria over a decade ago Lucy was a top litigation lawyer, and has extensive non executive director experience. Her journey is about to continue in a different direction as in the summer she will become Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear, serving her Majesty in t...

May 09, 2022•45 min

Taking Your Business Global - Richard Swart

In this episode hosted by Matt Sutherland, we explore the topic of internationalisation, with a man who has spent over 35 years working in global business. Richard Swart grew up in South Africa, but seeking a life away from the troubles in that country at the time he moved to America, before finding himself in at the deep end of the business world and heading for Peterlee in County Durham to establish Berger UK. He knows first hand what it is like beginning a new life is a strange country, but i...

Apr 04, 2022•47 min

The Millin Charity - Helping Women Achieve Their Business Dreams

To coincide with International Women's Day 2022, this episode of Why Small Business Matters speaks to Kirsty McDine-Daniels and Shelley Haque, 2 of the women behind The Millin Charity based in the North East. They help women set up their own businesses, gain employability skills, access training and be part of a supportive community of women working towards financial independence. Through working with the charity women gain the confidence and skills to not only achieve their goals but also impro...

Mar 08, 2022•34 min

Why a small business needs strong values - With Toby Bridges & Jessica Williams

Family, Ambition Curiosity & Innovation - Those are the values which run though North East tech company NBT , led by Executive Chairman Toby Bridges . NBT is a family business dating back to 1908 and some good old family values run through the company ethos. Toby explains why you should put trust in your team to make some big calls, and why there is no such thing as a stupid question. Also joining us in this episode is Jessica Williams , founder and MD of JustWilliams , a sales and marketing...

Feb 09, 2022•40 min

John McCabe - CEO of North East England Chamber Of Commerce

Brought to you by the Help To Grow Management Programme at Northumbria University, Why Small Business Matters provides SMEs and small business owners and entrepreneurs the chance to share their stories and what it means to be a successful modern SME. In this episode Hannah Hesselgreaves speaks to the new CEO of the North East England Chamber Of Commerce, John McCabe . He started his career in PR with Northumbrian Water, before moving into communications roles with Transco and Newcastle Building ...

Jan 11, 2022•33 min

Craig Skillicorn - Developing your people and your business

Brought to you by the Help To Grow Management Programme at Northumbria University, Why Small Business Matters provides SMEs and small business owners and entrepreneurs the chance to share their stories and what it means to be a successful modern SME. In this episode Matt Sutherland speaks to Craig Skillicorn, a Northumbria University illumni about his journey from the North East, to Managing Director of international electronics business DDC Electronics. Specialising within the aviation and defe...

Dec 07, 2021•28 min

Oli Barrett and Caroline Theobald: Connectivity & The Importance Of Networking

Brought to you by the Help To Grow Management Programme at Northumbria University, Why Small Business Matters provides SMEs and small business owners and entrepreneurs the chance to share their stories and what it means to be a successful modern SME. In this episode Dr Matt Sutherland explores the topic of connectivity and the importance of establishing a wide network. Joining him are to of the most connected people in British business today, Oli Barrett MBE and Caroline Theobald CBE. They expla...

Sep 27, 2021•52 min•Ep. 1

Why Small Business Matters - Trailer

We're excited to bring you an entertaining new podcast for business owners and managers : Why Small Business Matters. This new podcast will provide a platform for successful small business leaders to tell their stories, offer advice and unravel what it means to be a successful SME in 2021. Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management delivery team at Northumbria University, Small Business Matters takes a light-hearted but inciteful look behind the scenes with contributions from rising entrepren...

Jul 21, 2021•1 min

← Prev

Hosted on Omny Studio

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android