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Business Leader

Business Leader
Entrepreneurship
Leadership
Covid-19
Artificial Intelligence
UK Economy
Venture Capital
London
Marks & Spencer
Exeter Chiefs
IKEA
Fintech
Greggs
Film Industry
Business Growth
Business Culture
Retail
The AA
Linkedin
Productivity
Customer Experience

Richard Harpin grew his business HomeServe from a single idea to a £4.1bn sale. On the Business Leader Podcast, he speaks to entrepreneurs and business leaders about the moments that shaped their success and failure, unlocking original advice and practical insights for anyone building or leading a business.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes226Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusinessManagement

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Latest Episodes

Sharmadean Reid MBE started working as a hotel chambermaid in Wolverhampton when she was 14 years old, before learning the lingo of business while waiting tables at the business Rotary Club of the hotel. Her career has been driven by the 'two wolves'... more

YouTube

When Paula MacKenzie took over as CEO in 2022, PizzaExpress had been through seven CEOs in eleven years, a billion-pound debt restructuring, 73 restaurant closures, and a pandemic that decimated the casual dining sector. Four years on, she has refurb... more

Sir Richard Harpin talks to Stephen Johnson, Managing Director of Quooker UK & Ireland, about how to scale a business to a £100m turnover without sacrificing culture. Stephen Johnson spent 26 years in his father's fitted furniture and kitchen busines... more

Emmie Faust founded 11 businesses - some of them failed and some of them succeeded - one sold for £7 million. She now runs Female Founders Rise, a 12,000-strong community helping women build, grow and scale their businesses. Faust talks to Sir Richar... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Paula MacKenzie
CEO of PizzaExpress (appointed 2022)
PizzaExpress
Episode: PizzaExpress CEO: "You Need To Obsess About Your Product"
Stephen Johnson
Founder of Quooker UK, led UK expansion of the Dutch brand
Quooker UK
Episode: How Quooker UK Built a £100m business out of hot water taps
Emmie Faust
Founder of Female Founders Rise, former Dragons' Den investor
Female Founders Rise
Episode: Emmie Faust secured a Dragons' Den deal - now she's helping Female Founders Rise
Mehma Bridgen
Co-founder of Fuel Store, fuel card and fleet solutions provider
Fuel Store
Episode: How a Police Officer built a £100m business: Mehma Bridgen's Fuel Store
Nick Jenkins
Moonpig founder and former CEO, later investor
Moonpig, Photo Box (historical)
Episode: Moonpig Founder Nick Jenkins: "We Came Close To Failing Several Times"
Dame Irene Hays
Chief executive of Hays Travel, UK's largest independent travel agency
Hays Travel
Episode: Dame Irene Hays: “Never one penny of debt” | How Hays Travel reached £3 Billion
Mia Drennan
Founder of GLAS, a global platform servicing institutional debt
GLAS
Episode: She turned £6k into a £1bn business
Donat Rétif
CEO, Loveholidays
Loveholidays
Episode: Loveholidays CEO: From Covid to £350m revenue and the road to IPO
Nadine Merabi
Founder and designer of Merabi fashion brand
Merabi
Episode: Seams Impossible: How Nadine Merabi built a £40m fashion brand

Host

Richard Harpin
Host of Business Leader Podcast; leads discussions with entrepreneurs and business leaders about scaling, leadership, and practical growth strategies

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 64 ratings
  • A must-listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship!

    The diversity of businesses covered in this podcast from Business Leader is a breath of fresh air in its genre. So many practical lessons and insights for any CEO/founder of a UK business.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    belle1russ
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • World class

    A really good podcast with amazing, world class guests. Very detailed business discussions. No fluff. Just pure business strategy all the way.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NeekyUK
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Great podcast - business studies an apt name!

    This is a terrific podcast. It’s a great historical look at some of the biggest stories from enterprise and commerce over the years.

    Anyone who is studying for an MBA or business studies will benefit from listening as real life case studies are unpacked with all the benefit of hindsight!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jimmys Jobs
    United Kingdom4 years ago
  • Fascinating debut

    A great debut podcast. Looking forward to the next episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    richardhfletcher
    United Kingdom4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Highlighting practical lessons from leaders across industries.
Depth of conversations—no fluff, heavy on strategy.
Strong debut and consistently valuable guest lineup.
Great for MBA-like case studies and real-world scaling insights.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Quooker UK Built a £100m business out of hot water taps
Q: What are the key factors in scaling a hardware business in the UK?
A combination of direct-to-consumer and dealer channels, a robust service/install model, investment in staff wellbeing and culture, and a relentless focus on staying cash-positive and customer-centric while expanding through retail partnerships and office markets.
How Quooker UK Built a £100m business out of hot water taps
Q: How did the transition from family business to independent leadership shape Quooker UK?
The move pushed him to prove his own skill sets, hire and empower a team, and focus on culture and service. He also adopted professional coaching and psychology to scale without losing the core ethos that defined the business.
How Quooker UK Built a £100m business out of hot water taps
Q: What did it feel like growing up with a family business?
Johnson explains it felt like a university education, exposing him to every department and giving him delayed but practical preparation for leading a company, while also highlighting the tension of being the boss's son and needing to prove himself.
Emmie Faust secured a Dragons' Den deal - now she's helping Female Founders Rise
Q: Did you always know that you were going to be an entrepreneur?
No, not originally; she describes herself as an accidental entrepreneur who pursued opportunities and built a portfolio of ventures, driven by a desire for financial independence and freedom rather than a single planned path.
Loveholidays CEO: From Covid to £350m revenue and the road to IPO
Q: What lessons would you share about crisis management for other CEOs?
Define a North Star, manage all three stakeholder groups (shareholders, customers, employees) with composure, and double down on capabilities like technology to emerge stronger after the crisis.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Business Leader

What is Business Leader about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A business-focused show featuring interviews with founders, CEOs, and senior executives who lead growth-driven, mission-oriented companies across tech, retail, and consumer sectors. Episodes commonly explore scaling strategies, leadership lessons, product-market fit, and resilient pivots that sustain rapid expansion while maintaining core purpose. Noteworthy threads include pragmatic governance, international expansion, and culture-led transformation, with a bias toward actionable insights for founders and mid-market leaders seeking practical guidance and evidence-based approaches.

Overall, listeners are likely drawn to evidence-based leadership strategies, case-study style storytelling, and real-world reminders that sustainable growth ble... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Business Leader?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Business Leader:

1. The High Performance Podcast
2. James Sinclair's Business Broadcast
3. Dodge Woodall Network
4. The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
5. The Property Podcast

How many episodes of Business Leader are there?

Business Leader launched 4 years ago and published 226 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Business Leader?

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What guests have appeared on Business Leader?

Recent guests on Business Leader include:

1. Paula MacKenzie
2. Stephen Johnson
3. Emmie Faust
4. Mehma Bridgen
5. Nick Jenkins
6. Dame Irene Hays
7. Mia Drennan
8. Donat Rétif

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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