Cumbria Chamber Of Commerce Podcast

This month we are joined by Matt Ryder the Principal Lecturer at the University of Cumbria. The topic of our conversation is the opening of the new university campus in Barrow. We discuss the different courses that the university will be running and how the campus community will affect Barrow's local economy.   Click here to learn more about the Barrow Campus - https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/student-life/locations/barrow-in-furness/.

This month we are joined by the Directors of Thomas Jardine and Co. Keith and Jaqui Jackson, who are here to talk about their new leadership programme LEAD iT. A 10-month leadership programme built specifically for founders and family business leaders of independent UK businesses.   To learn more about the programme click here   

Businesses in Carlisle will have received information in recent weeks about the Great Border City and plans to establish a Carlisle Business Improvement District (BID). We’ve invited Adrian Lochhead and Kevin Beaty, who are part of the team working on the Great Border City, onto the podcast to discuss what prompted the BID proposal; how establishing a BID will impact Carlisle; lessons from other cities and how businesses can get involved and share their views.   For more information and to sign up for email updates from the Great Border City team, visit the website here: https://greatborder.city/

This month on the podcast, we’re joined by Martyn Staveley, Director of Three Peaks Consulting, to discuss all things international trade and to breakdown our new Export Consultancy service. We discuss: Challenges and opportunities for Cumbrian exporters The impact of global events on international trade Businesses Martyn has helped succeed in exporting Our new Export Consultancy Service including the different levels of support given to new and well-established exporters How the service will work How to get involved Whether you're a seasoned exporter or thinking about getting started, we can provide you with a holistic service tailored to help you reach your goals!  Learn here: Export Consultancy service | Cumbria Growth Hub

This month on the Cumbria Business Growth Hub Podcast, we’re joined by leadership coach Alec Pearson to explore our new Leadership Mentoring Programme. We discuss... Current trends within leadership and leadership challenges facing the UK economy The 'accidental manager'  Specific areas leaders are struggling with How the programme will work and expected outcomes for delegates Delivered by Alec Pearson, Cumbria Business Growth Hub's new leadership mentoring programme will provide practical guidance to help leaders make confident decisions, build resilient teams and drive their business forward. Learn more here: Mentoring Programme | Cumbria Growth Hub

This month on the Cumbria Business Growth Hub podcast, we welcome Tracy Eyres, Senior Innovation and Growth Specialist at Innovate UK. In this episode, we explore how Innovate UK helps businesses drive innovation, the financial support available for Cumbrian businesses, real-world case studies of successful innovation projects, and opportunities for local businesses to expand into international markets. Tune in to discover how your business can benefit!   Learn more: https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/

This month on the Cumbria Business Growth Hub podcast we're joined by Gemma Procter Sustainable Tourism Officer at Cumbria Tourism. We discuss food waste, its impact on he environment and steps businesses can take to reduce it. Learn about the national scheme 'Guardians of Grub' and the tools available to help your business reduce its food waste. Go to the Guardians of Grub website by clicking the link below It’s time to rise up and tackle food waste • Guardians of Grub

This month on the Cumbria Business Growth Hub podcast we're joined by Claire Louise Chapman of the Shared Value Business. The topic of our conversation is Social Value. We discuss: definitions and differences between Social Value and Corporate Social Responsibility; the benefits of embedding social value into a business strategy; top tips for small businesses getting started; and how Social Value looks to evolve in the coming years.  Keep an eye on our website for upcoming Social Value training: https://cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk/grow-your-business/train-your-team?st=trainYourTeam Learn more about the Shared Value Business here: https://tsvb.co.uk/  

In this episode, we sit down with Claire Aindow, the Pro Vice Chancellor for Growth and Development at the University of Cumbria. Claire discusses her new role and the university's new campus in Barrow-in-Furness opening in 2025. She also shares how the university is working closely with local businesses to create educational opportunities that meet the needs of the community and economy.   Click here to learn more about the Barrow Campus - https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/student-life/locations/barrow-in-furness/.  

As part of our activity for Global Entrepreneurship Week 2024, we're sharing an interview with Denise Gosney - founder of Razzamataz - which was previously shown at our 'How To Slay the Dragons' event held in partnership with North and West Lancs Chamber of Commerce in November 2024.  Hear Denise's inspiring story all about how she started her Razzamataz and what happened after she appeared on Dragons' Den. For the first time in the Den, a Dragon offered all the money without haggling!

We're joined on the podcast by Martha Wood, founder of Chamber member Martha Wood Marketing. We discuss the role of social media in the marketing industry and how a marketing strategy can help you take advantage of the platforms available.  To learn more about Martha's freelance marketing services visit her website:   https://marthawoodmarketing.com/

We catch up with Head of Debt John Gray and Investment Manager Jonathan Nelson following River Capital's recent expansion into Cumbria after securing the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II Smaller Loans Fund. We discuss investment solutions currently available to Cumbrian businesses; getting investment ready; common challenges and how River Capital can support; sectors in Cumbria with growth potential over the next five years and some of the transformative work businesses have done with funding from River Capital.    Cumbrian businesses looking to learn more should do so via River Capital's website here: https://rivercapitaluk.com/

We're joined on the podcast by Clare Atkinson, Founder and Director of R&D at NuGreen, a sustainability consultancy researching the use of plastic in the health care sector and how resources from medical waste can be recovered and recycled. We discuss NuGreen's work to date, the challenges and opportunities when it comes to using plastic in the health care sector, and a new project funded through the Cumbria Action for Sustainability's W&F Green Enterprise hub looking at reducing plastic waste from medical equipment.  Links: Home - NuGreen (nu-green.co.uk) Westmorland and Furness Green Enterprise Hub (cafs.org.uk)

This month on the podcast we discuss the Brighter Futures programme with Deborah Naylor (Inspira) and Claire Sands (Cumbria Youth alliance). Brighter Futures aims to support young people in Cumbria who are leaving care, through a range of activity inlcluding mentoring, work experience placements and life skills development. Click below to learn more about the different ways employers can get involved... Cumbria Community Foundation - Connecting People Who Care With Causes That Matter (cumbriafoundation.org)

We're joined by Sue Reeve of Chamber member and bookkeeping and training services provider,  Windmill BTS. Our conversation centres around self assessment and expenses with lots of useful tips and advice for sole traders when doing self assessment and other ways to save money! Chamber members can access a 10% discount on Windmill BTS's Business Finance Academy. Learn more here: https://windmillbookkeepingandtrainingservices.com/business-finance-academy/ Click here to download Windmill BTS's free guide on how to retain more of your earnings:  https://my.windmillbts.co.uk/landing/how-to-retain-more-of-your-earnings  

We discuss Cumbria Business Growth Hub’s Mentoring Programme with business mentors, Jacqui Jackson and Keith Jackson. Join us to hear about the mentoring process and the powerful effect it can have, supporting business owners to achieve their goals and deliver the business they want. We also discuss some of the success stories of mentoring clients who took part in the pilot mentoring programme last year, the challenges they faced and the progress they made.   We’re currently recruiting mentees for this year’s programme, starting in September. To find out more and get involved click below… https://cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk/business-support/pilot-mentoring-programme

A conversation with Tim Bloomer, co-founder of Fell Brewery, about the business's project aimed at bringing down carbon emissions at their brewery in Flookburgh. We cover: How the business started from two friends brewing beer into a well-known brand with over 40 employees Tim's thoughts on carbon offsetting  Carbon accounting - identifying which parts of the business produce the most carbon Steps to reduce emissions including solar PV Support from Cumbria Action for Sustainability's Westmorland & Furness Green Enterprise Hub  Electric vans  Donating to South Cumbria Rivers Trust  Tim's advice to other small businesses looking to become more environmentally sustainable Find out more about Fell Brewing here: https://fellbrewery.co.uk/about-2/ 

Our guest on the podcast is Veronica Waller of the Farmer Network, who joins us to discuss financial business support available to farms and other land-based businesses in the form of £500 vouchers to work with a consultant of their choice. We discuss recent changes to agricultural policy and subsidies and how farmers can use the vouchers to pay for consultancy to help them navigate these changes. Click here for more information and to apply for a voucher - https://cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk/repf-advice-vouchers  

We're joined by Mark Bowman, CEO of careers advice and guidance organisation, Inspira, for a conversation on how the organisation supports people into the workforce and key insights on the current Cumbrian labour market in 2024. We cover... Current challenges faced by clients and what this says about the wider labour market Changing application processes Inspira's work supporting young people  Inspira's work supporting older people back into work Inspira's work with employers Designing the ideal work experience placement To find out more and get involved, visit Inspira's website here: https://www.inspira.org.uk/ or follow them on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspira-inspiration-for-life/. 

We're joined by Kate Fraser of Chamber member Hutton John Estate. The family-owned estate is home to a range of luxury holiday lets which are busy throughout the year. The topic of conversation is on the business’s innovative approach to becoming more environmentally friendly. We also discuss the green business support Kate has received from the Westmorland & Furness Green Enterprise Hub. We cover: The estate’s new environmentally friendly holiday cabins Balancing guest experience with conserving energy Using local suppliers Electric Vehicle consultancy support received through the WF Green Enterprise Hub Biomass heating Advice for businesses looking to become more sustainable Find out more about support on offer through the Westmorland & Furness Green Enterprise Hub here: https://cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk/wf-green-enterprise-hub