An Unorthodox CEO

On this weeks episode Steve chats with Andy Clarke one of our agents! Listen as they talk through his journey to becoming an agent, what life working in beds is like & how Andy has been on both the retail and agent side! Andy mentions the difficulties of being on the retail side but the enjoyment he got from it! Plus how his resilience led him to his first agent job!

00:00 Intro
01:08 There is always room to learn
07:50 Changing depending on the client
10:00 Job titles & peoples perspectives
12:50 How Andy got his first Job & some big learnings
20:00 Working at Army Navy
21:50 His Apprenticeship in the print world
24:05 How resilience got Andy a Job he wanted
30:00 What being an Agent used to be like & how the industry has changed
37:27 The shift from searching from beds to sleep
40:00 Why Sussex Beds dont service all price ranges
42:00 Long term advice is important
43:05 Why Andy opened his own shop
48:20 Biggest learning from being in retail
51:20 Innovation in the bed industry
57:42 The Green Era & working for a flooring company
58:50 Recycling in the bed industry
1:00:40 What does Andy think retailers need to do to stay relevant & how its changing
1:07:05 Most challenging part of Andys job
1:12:15 How Andy distresses
1:15:05 Quickfire Questions
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Listen as Steve chats with Dr Nick about the focus on prevention in the healthcare industry, what is driving unhealthy lifestyles & the innovations happening within the industry! Plus, we chat about the importance of sleep and get some tips on ways to help you fall asleep quicker!

00:00 Intro
01:40 The links between exercise & health
05:00 Did Nick always want to be a doctor & his journey
08:04 Differences between UK Health Service & New Zealand
09:35 The changes in the NHS over the last 20 years
12:15 The rise of Health Anxiety & the work on prevention
14:45 What is driving unhealthy lifestyles
17:30 South Downs Health Care & where the idea came from
24:12 How SDHC has filled a gap in the Sussex Area
26:30 What changes Nick would like to see
30:00 How AI is being used
33:22 The Sussex PCPC Board
35:30 Nick's role as chair in Sussex Integrated Health
36:13 What Nick hopes healthcare will look like in 10 years & what we can do
42:13 The importance of sleep for our health
50:20 Quickfire Questions
01:02:33 Outro
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This week, Steve chats with Richard Cripps about life as a solicitor, the challenges of being a Managing Partner, and what it was like navigating the acquisition of Rix & Kay. Discover the differences between a Managing Partner and a Managing Director, hear how Richard balances pressure with leadership, and why some of the hardest decisions were also the right ones for the business.

00:00 Intro
02:28 Why Richard became a solicitor & growing up
07:10 Where he trained & his first job
08:48 What partnership was and is now
10:56 Taking partnership for the first time & joining Rix & Kay
12:28 Differences between Managing Partner (MP) & Managing Director
15:04 The challenges of being a MP - wearing lots of hats
20:10 Why mid size solicitors are having to adapt
23:20 What a Solicitors fall back position of comfort is
24:12 How the market has changed for Soliciting businesses
27:40 Richards thoughts on AI in Law
31:40 The process of Rix & Kay being acquired
37:00 Toughest challenge faced as MP
39:11 Why Richard joined Vistage & the benefits
43:57 Life as a Partner at Knights - how Richard managed the change
45:54 How Richard switches off
50:00 Advice for anyone striving for senior roles in Law
53:05 Quickfire Questions
1:00:05 Outro
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This week's episode, Steve chats with Oliver Towner all about what it's been like taking on a 150-year-old family-run business, the ins and outs of the funeral industry & its biggest misconceptions. Plus, Oliver shares what it was really like working his first funeral, navigating Covid & why sustainability is a growing factor in all funerals.

00:00 Intro
01:58 Growing up in a family business
03:12 What Oliver did before joining the business
05:30 First day working on a funeral & the day to day jobs
08:38 Biggest misconceptions about funerals & funeral directors
10:30 Furniture side of funerals
13:00 Oliver taking on the role as Managing Director & the transition from taking over from his dad
19:50 What covid was like in the funeral industry
23:35 Hardest point of Olivers time so far
25:31 Olivers release from the pressures
28:50 Olivers ‘Baptism of fire’
30:27 Olivers plans for the business
34:10 Biggest changes Oliver has made
35:20 Sustainability in the industry
38:52 Why Towners dont do any specific marketing
42:30 How data works in the funeral industry
44:54 Biggest risks going forward in the industry
47:00 Grief & Death - why dont we talk about it
53:00 Quickfire Questions
59:40 Outro
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This week on An Unorthodox CEO we are joined by Sarah Southerden Lee's wife and friend of Steve & Paula! Listen as Steve & Sarah chat all about how she found her way into finance & how she worked her way up. Plus, find out how Sarah met Lee & how many pairs of shoes she owns...

00:00 Intro
01:40 Sarahs life growing up
03:15 How she found her way into finance
08:15 Best part of Sarahs job
10:40 Working from home & productivity
13:40 Becoming a Team Leader
17:20 Anxiety & overcoming it
20:21 How Sarah met Lee
22:54 Sarah, Lee, Steve, Paula & their friendship
23:51 Sarahs thoughts on Lee joining the business
26:00 Looking in on the challenges of Sussex Beds
28:20 Quickfire Questions
34:30 Outro
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