I present a business show on Meridian FM every Sunday at 2pm called "Real Business with Alan Wick". It’s available over the air in Surrey, Sussex and Kent, and on TuneIn internet radio. I interview experienced entrepreneurs who are not only happy to share their success stories, but are also willing to talk about their mistakes, what they’ve learned from them and are still learning as they continue along their journey. Plus there’s a Reflections Section at the end, where I link their experiences with learnings you can apply to your business. If you have a question or a comment, do please call my 24 hour hotline 01342 889488. Or you can email realbusiness@alanwick.com.
If you end up missing part of a show, or you want to listen to one again, check out Meridian FM's Listen Again page. I hope you enjoy the show, and more importantly, that you learn something from it that's useful for your own business.
Here's a selection of some of the fascinating entrepreneurs I've had the pleasure of interviewing:
Real Business
with Alan Wick
Emma Killilea
Founder, Delicious Alchemy
In this show, I interviewed Emma Killilea, founder of Delicious Alchemy. After being diagnosed as a coeliac and realising the limitation of gluten-free products on the market, Emma decided to dedicate her life to making gluten-free options commonplace, so that more and more people can live a happy and healthy life.
During the interview, we explored her extraordinary story and discussed topics such as:
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Why it is so important to understand the needs, wants, and demands of your customers
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The positive and negative effects of the COVID 19 lockdown
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The importance of innovation in business
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Benefits of having the right product at the right time
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How personal ambitions drives business success
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Why you must get your customer value proposition right
In this show, I interviewed Julian Treasure, founder of The Sound Agency. Julian is an author and an international speaker who has been invited to do five TED talks on various aspects of sound and communication.
We discussed his TED talks and the 100 million views they have garnered. In addition, we discussed subjects including:
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What is “the business of sound” & how it can benefit businesses
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The importance of having a very clear purpose
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The challenges of offering a product or service that people don’t know they need
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How to build a successful business with a virtual team
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The difference between having faith in one’s business & knowing it’ll succeed
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Julian’s most important learnings from his long experience as an entrepreneur
In this show, I interviewed David Hieatt, co-founder of Hiut Denim Co and The Do Lectures.
We explored David’s extraordinary story; starting with how he got his town making jeans again, with the launch of his successful business Hiut Denim Co. David and I discussed his extensive experience and delved into his thoughts around:
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How story telling can make such a difference to a business and brand
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The power of purpose driven brands
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How having a clear purpose makes you strong
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What to look out for when you take investors on board
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The most important sales tool
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How to deal with a crisis and avoid defeat
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Understanding the culture of a business and its impact
In this show, I interviewed Juliet Barratt, Co-founder and former Chief Marketing Officer of Grenade.
Juliet is a brilliant and inspiring leader, who through her passionate story, revealed the secret that made Grenade the world's fastest-growing nutrition brand. It was a fascinating interview, where we discussed:
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Juliet’s recipe for success
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The importance of branding
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The key role of distribution channels
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The positive and negative effects of investors on your business
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The key to surrounding yourself with the right people
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Understanding the language of different markets and how to make them work for you
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How to nurture the culture of your business and keeping it the way that you want
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What business mentors could do for you and your business
In this show, I interviewed Peter Backman, the leading expert on the structure and dynamics of the foodservice sector, and its supply chain in the UK and across Europe.
During the interview, Peter talked about his remarkable life, as well as sharing his thoughts on the future of the hospitality industry. Listen to our conversation to hear more about:
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What it means to be an entrepreneur
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The benefits of working in the hospitality industry
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Why it is so important to have clear goals
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What it takes to go from zero to hero in business
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The advantages and disadvantages of a partner in the business
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The future of restaurants and the philosophy behind Peter’s book ‘’Restaurants Also Serve Food’’
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Peter’s advice to young entrepreneurs
In this show, I interviewed Carrie Bedingfield, founder of OneFish TwoFish and 50th Generation. Carrie is also a TEDx speaker and the creator of The Lead Generation Machine and LoMo.
During the interview, we explored her compelling story and as well as discussing:
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Increasing productivity through effective time management
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How to manage multiple businesses
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Childhood traits that lead to entrepreneurship
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When to know when to let your business go
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The importance of business relationships
In this show, I interviewed John Wyer, Co-founder and CEO of Bowles & Wyer. John has more than 35 years’ professional experience and is a widely published and respected designer, lecturing on his work both in the UK and abroad.
We discussed the growth and the success of his company, including topics such as:
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Why trust is important for your business and brand
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The benefits of understanding the difference between B2B and B2C
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The importance of customer satisfaction for business valuation
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The value of having a business partner
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Effects of internal and external factors on business performance
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John’s advice to people who want to start their own business
In this show, I interviewed Alfie Best, the Founder and Chairman of Wyldecrest Parks. The business has 75 residential mobile home parks, seven holiday mobile home parks, and a golf course in Hertfordshire, along with a 50% share in 15 sites in the US. He was recently featured in the Sunday Times UK rich list.
Born in a caravan to a poor Romany Gypsy family; he shared the extraordinary story of how he started, as well as discussing:
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The importance of reinvesting in the business
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Effective leadership as a key to organisational success
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Why organisations should encourage employees to recognise mistakes and learn from them
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His ‘’always say yes’’ policy and why the customer is always king
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Alfie’s secrets of his success
In this show, I interviewed Bob Bannister of iManage Performance, a training company that works with organisations to change people for good, focusing on blended learning where they combine face-to-face & online learning.
We discussed topics such as:
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How to successfully manage remote teams
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The creation of high functioning teams and how to get people working well together
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The importance of trust within remote teams
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How to encourage professional intimacy
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The impact of flexibility at work on lifestyle
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The silver linings that can come out of difficult times