The Beautiful Business Podcast

In this special wrap-up episode, hosts Chloe Bannister and Paul Bulpitt share six golden rules for building a beautiful business in 2026. Alongside their own reflections, Chloe and Paul revisit standout moments from past guests, including Olympic athletes, agency founders and leadership coaches, bringing each golden rule to life through stories, habits and bold decisions.Whether you’re closing the year full of momentum or just making it to the finish line, these rules offer a framework to reset, refocus, and reimagine the way you work. As Amelia Wrighton put it, “If you can be there in the boring, you can be there in the beautiful.”This Episode Covers✨ Focus on What You Can ControlChloe and Paul revisit Ben Hunt-Davis’s Olympic mindset and the game-changing question: Will it make the boat go faster?🚀 Get Excited About the Year AheadDrawing on advice from Kate Waterfall-Hill, the hosts explore how reflection tools like the “evidence wall” can energise you for the year ahead, even during the in-between days.🤝 Bring Your Team on the JourneyThey reflect on Peter Docker’s story of team alignment in high-stakes environments, and Lord Mark Price’s reminder that happiness drives performance.💥 Make a Bold MoveJo Hunter’s decision to step away from her role as CEO inspires a discussion on creative courage and what it means to make space for what’s next.🔁 Check Your HabitsFrom brain-state management to realistic micro-changes, Chloe and Paul reflect on Dr. Jon Finn’s advice on building the kind of habits that future-proof your leadership.💸 Know Your NumbersA conversation about lighthouses, dashboards and why financial visibility helps your whole team steer in the same direction.Links🌟 WoW's Golden Rules - https://www.thewowcompany.com/the-golden-rules-for-2026🎧 Ben Hunt-Davis - https://youtu.be/fvGiN3RVFAQ 🎧 Kate Waterfall-Hill – https://youtu.be/3N4Y3DUXr7s 🎧 Peter Docker – https://youtu.be/KIqsybSbe4Q 🎧 Jo Hunter – https://youtu.be/kziD5Gi4Cvk 🎧 Dr Jon Finn – https://youtu.be/Kctj3Y-iVQE 🎧 Lord Mark Price – https://youtu.be/QoYLY2el9Xg 💬We’d Love Your FeedbackShare your thoughts and help shape what’s next for the podcast:👉 wowco.uk/beautiful-business-podcast-listener-survey

What if a single question could transform how your team works? Olympic gold medallist Ben Hunt-Davis shares how the philosophy behind “Will it Make the Boat Go Faster?” can help leaders and teams align, focus, and perform at their best, in sport, business, and beyond.About the GuestBen Hunt-Davis MBE is an Olympic gold medal-winning rower from Sydney 2000 and co-author of the bestselling book Will it Make the Boat Go Faster?. Following his sporting career, Ben co-founded a leadership performance consultancy that helps organisations build clarity, alignment, and high-performing cultures. In this conversation, he shares lessons from his rowing turnaround story, how to foster a people-first performance mindset, and why being kind and high-challenge are not mutually exclusive.This Episode CoversThe turning point: how a painful 7th-place finish led to radical change and team transformationPerformance vs. results: why you should focus on what’s within your controlAlignment over assumption: building shared goals and buy-in across teamsCulture that counts: a high-performance environment means high challenge and high supportKindness ≠ softness: how tough conversations and feedback build trust and progressFrom sport to business: translating elite habits into sustainable leadership practicesLessons in accountability: learning to own outcomes and support others in changeThe danger of boiling it down: why “Will it Make the Boat Go Faster?” isn’t about working faster — it’s about working smarterPlanning for the next season: why now is the time to reset goals and rally your teamLinksWebsite: https://willitmaketheboatgofaster.com/ Programmes: https://willitmaketheboatgofaster.com/programmes/Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/will-it-make-the-boat-go-faster-ltd/Ben’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhuntdavis/

When leadership feels hard, it’s often because we’ve inherited broken models. In this episode, coach and author Kate Waterfall Hill shares how we can lead with more clarity, courage and joy, and how to build feedback and reflection habits that truly help people grow. From calling out “Linda the Bad Manager” to helping real-life leaders step up with empathy, this conversation is a toolkit for anyone managing humans.About the GuestKate Waterfall Hill is a leadership coach, consultant and creator of How to Lead – a practical book and podcast that helps people become the leader their team deserves. With a background as an agency MD and, now, as a leadership coach, Kate brings sharp commercial insight and deep human understanding to her work. She’s known by many for her viral TikTok alter ego Linda the Bad Manager, a satirical take on toxic leadership that’s earned her a global following. In this episode, she shares why feedback fails, how to have better conversations, and why brave, compassionate leadership is more urgent than ever.This Episode CoversAccidental managers: why most people aren’t trained to lead, and what they really needMaking feedback normal: why the annual appraisal is broken and what to do insteadThe SOEROC model: a simple framework for clear, kind conversationsHow to “take a beat”: the power of pause in emotionally charged momentsTrust, consistency, safety: building cultures that don’t rely on hero leadersFrom satire to systems: how Linda the Bad Manager sparked deeper coaching workScaling a business with values at the core, and why alignment beats strategyThe rituals and questions that help leaders reflect, recalibrate and rechargeLinksKate’s Website: https://www.waterfallhill.co.uk/Kate’s Feedback Masterclass: https://www.waterfallhill.co.uk/masterclassReflect & Plan 2026 Workbook: https://www.waterfallhill.co.uk/2026-planKate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-waterfall-hill/

Small shifts. Big wins. This week we pull five practical, no-fluff tips from standout guests across the season - the habits that stick, the models that scale, the posture that sells, and the creative courage that sets brands apart.About the EpisodeA highlights reel of our most actionable moments featuring perspectives from:Dr Jon Finn - habits, brain-state management, AI readiness.John Readman - SaaS mindset and recurring value.Sabrina Chevannes - agency leadership and sustainable growth.Blair Enns - expert-led selling.Nils Leonard - creativity, culture, and brand bravery.This Episode CoversStart smaller than you think - Micro habits beat grand plans. Build simple, daily behaviours that create focus, recharge, and long-term momentum. (Clip: Dr Jon Finn)Think like SaaS, not just services - Solve real problems, validate the value, and productise what works - unlocking recurring revenue and predictable growth. (Clip: John Readman)Slow down to scale well - Growth without process creates chaos. Rebuild the basics: roles, workflow, communication, and the pace of your scaling. (Clip: Sabrina Chevannes)Sell like an expert, not a salesperson - Lead with diagnosis and clarity. Drop the pitch persona and show up as the trusted advisor you already are. (Clip: Blair Enns)Stand for something real - Tools are abundant, originality is scarce. Root your brand in cultural truth and choose courage over convention. (Clip: Nils Leonard)YouTube LinksDr Jon Finn - https://youtu.be/Kctj3Y-iVQE?si=RTEUTAIF9KmYGV0TJohn Readman - https://youtu.be/5Yh7Zmv_EE4?si=1pf50UnkR7U-LdpkSabrina Chevannes - https://youtu.be/nnaLBIOh8-0?si=R_jgBBzRu_sD02NcBlair Enns - https://youtu.be/KXLOJmmUvdo?si=QIY5rnlAl7KtCNWnNils Leonard - https://youtu.be/3vLFLcx9Now?si=C_wQdwIBEID715iuIf you've enjoyed Season 3 so far, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share your favourite moments with us - we’d love to hear from you.

When creativity becomes a daily practice, teams get braver, kinder, and more effective. In this episode, Jo Hunter shares how 64 Million Artists grew from a simple set of prompts into a national movement and why she’s now stepping aside to keep her own creative fire alive.About the GuestJo Hunter founded 64 Million Artists in 2014 with the ambition to unlock everyone’s creativity across the UK. The organisation runs large-scale participation campaigns (including the January Challenge, which reached around 360,000 people last year) and works with clients to use creativity for leadership, co-creation, and building inclusive, people-centred cultures. Jo discusses announcing her decision to step down as CEO, the team’s choice to close the public programme while leaving a rich resource bank, and her next chapter focused on facilitation and a book on creative courage.This Episode CoversLosing and finding creativity: how daily creative prompts helped Jo reconnect with herself during a tough periodFrom project to practice: the origin and growth of the January Challenge and what happens nextCreativity for wellbeing: why small, low-stakes acts build confidence, connection, and resilienceCulture by design: highlights from the Manifesto for Transformative Workplace Culture — everyday creativity, rest as a strategic lever (four-day week, August off), idea-sharing, and fun that includes everyoneRemote & hybrid reality: short prompts to warm up meetings and build connection onlineTrust → creativity (and back again): creating safe, people-centred environments that invite risk-taking and better ideasLeadership transition: stepping away with courage, closing with integrity, and making space for what’s nextAI & nuance: why creative, curious teams are essential for complex conversations (not polarised hot takes)A tiny challenge you can try: set a timer today; when it goes off, stop and look at the sky — notice what shiftsLinks64 Million Artists — https://64millionartists.com/The January Challenge — https://64millionartists.com/thejanuarychallenge/Manifesto for Transformative Workplace Culture — https://64millionartists.com/manifesto-transformative-workplace-culture/