Business Without BS

EP 415 with guest co-host Andrew Craig.
Fundraising isn’t a numbers game, it’s a targeting problem.
In this episode, Shipshape VC founder Daniel Sawko explains why startups waste hundreds of hours pitching the wrong investors, how “zombie funds” distort the market, and why blasting your deck to 10,000 VCs destroys focus.
We unpack information asymmetry, interest rate impacts, UK vs US capital markets, and how founders should actually build investor relationships.
If you're raising seed, Series A or beyond, this is your real-world fundraising masterclass.
Key themes:
Startup fundraising strategy
Venture capital
Raising seed funding
How to raise money for startup
VC mistakes
UK startup funding crisis, investor targeting
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EP 414 - Dodge Woodall reveals how he mortgaged his family home during the 2008 financial crisis to launch what became the 30,000-person Bournemouth 7s Festival.
From growing up above a pub to building and scaling multiple businesses, this is a raw masterclass in risk-taking, resilience, and real entrepreneurship.
We cover:
• Why entrepreneurship is an extreme sport
• Risk addiction and betting everything
• Scaling a festival brand without investment
• Why most people shouldn’t start a business
• The power of phone calls over emails
If you’re serious about business, leadership, or starting up - this episode is essential viewing.
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EP 413 - The UK’s new Employment Rights Act is being framed as a major step forward for workers.
But what happens when stronger protections collide with the realities of hiring, risk, and running a business?
In this episode, we sit down with leading employment lawyers to unpack the biggest changes: from the reduction in unfair dismissal thresholds to new restrictions on “fire and rehire,” and longer tribunal timelines.
For large corporations, these shifts may be manageable.
For SMEs - which create the majority of UK jobs - the implications could be far more significant.
We explore the unintended consequences of well-meaning policy:
Will businesses become more cautious about hiring?
Does reducing flexibility increase risk?
And could this ultimately impact job creation?
This is a grounded, practical conversation about how employment law works in the real world and what both employers and employees need to understand as the rules change.
Chapters:
00:00 New Rights - Big Risks
01:51 Meet Oury Clark's Employment Law Experts
02:07 Is It Good or Bad
03:15 Why This Act Exists
04:45 Top Changes Overview
05:03 Unfair Dismissal Cut
06:17 Tribunal Deadlines Extended
07:20 Sexual Harassment Duties
08:40 Fire and Rehire Ban
10:48 Redundancy Rules Tighten
12:21 Fair Work Agency Powers
13:23 April Changes Rundown
14:50 Unfair Dismissal Deep Dive
17:36 Hiring Gets Harder
19:44 Contracting and EOR Rise
28:34 Tribunals Backlog and ACAS
32:03 AI Fuels More Claims
36:59 Compensation Cap Removed
42:09 Any Upsides to Reform
44:25 Fire and Rehire Explained
45:12 Fire and Rehire Basics
46:04 Five Fair Dismissal Reasons
46:57 SOSR and Business Change
50:38 New Rules and Restricted Variations
53:23 Tribunals and Enforcement Delays
54:42 Performance Management Reality
56:47 Protected Conversations Explained
01:01:21 SSP Changes and Sickness Absence
01:05:20 Occupational Health and Return Plans
01:07:57 Sexual Harassment Duties Expand
01:14:51 Practical Steps Before April
01:19:14 Growth Concerns and Global Competition
01:24:29 Myths Rapid Fire
01:25:45 Final Thanks and Sign Off
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EP 412 - How far should UK employers go when it comes to looking after staff?
In this episode we break down the real cost of being a “nice” employer - from UK statutory sick pay (SSP) and full sick pay policies to employee benefits, pensions, flexible working, and permanent health insurance (PHI).
With major UK employment law changes coming, SMEs face difficult trade-offs:
Is full sick pay worth the payroll cost?
Does unlimited holiday actually work?
Can generous benefits create legal risk?
Are employers responsible for employees’ long-term wellbeing?
Featuring insights from Oury Clark's employment lawyer Jessica Bass and financial adviser Freddie Pattenden, this episode is a practical guide for SME founders, directors, and HR leaders navigating sick leave, compliance, retention, and post-COVID workplace expectations.
If you run a UK business and want to balance competitiveness, fairness, and sustainability - this one’s for you.
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
00:00 Caring Without Going Broke
00:57 Meet the Experts
01:27 What Staff Really Want
03:38 Compliance Value Competition
05:28 PHI Income Protection Debate
11:22 Post Covid Flex and Mental Health
15:36 Legal Minimums Sick Pay Changes
21:54 Morality Consistency and Flex
26:15 Being Nice Can Backfire
29:10 Structuring Benefits and Contracts
32:09 Unlimited Holiday Pitfalls
32:51 Unlimited holiday pitfalls
34:50 Perks arms race
37:07 SMEs vs big firms
38:35 Pension basics explained
39:43 Qualifying earnings trap
42:41 Pensions and retention
47:17 Salary sacrifice demystified
54:43 Self employed pension gap
55:06 Death in service cover
57:15 Private healthcare reality
59:19 Tailoring PMI benefits
01:03:00 Managing premium increases
01:04:43 Virtual GP and AI support
01:06:16 Avoiding Benefit Red Herrings
01:08:14 Flexible Benefits Allowance
01:11:20 Renewals and Underwriting Traps
01:13:47 Flexible Working Rights
01:15:33 Office Returns and Discrimination
01:19:49 Mental Health Boundaries
01:21:46 Best Benefits and Compliance
01:27:10 Business or BS Quiz
01:27:55 Maternity and Paternity Debate
01:34:28 Wellbeing Apps and Final Wrap
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EP 411 - Most families don’t just feel grief when someone dies - they feel anger.
Anger about the mess, the debt, the confusion, and the things nobody sorted out.
In this episode of Business Without BS, we have the conversation most people avoid - but absolutely shouldn’t.
We talk about what actually happens if you die without a plan, why love isn’t flowers and chocolates, and how a few uncomfortable decisions can completely change your family’s future.
This isn’t about being wealthy. It’s about being responsible.
We cover:
What happens if you die without a will (and why modern families are hit hardest)
Why unmarried partners are often left with nothing
Life insurance: what it really does, how cheap it can be, and when it matters most
Powers of attorney and the nightmare families face without them
Business owners, shares, and the chaos nobody plans for
Why “I didn’t get round to it” is one of the worst legacies you can leave
This conversation is uncomfortable, but it might be the most loving thing you ever do for the people you care about.
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
00:00 The Importance of Wills and Life Insurance
01:14 The Consequences of Not Planning Ahead
02:05 Meet the Experts: Financial and Legal Advisors
02:37 Understanding Wills and Intestacy Rules
09:49 The Importance of Communication and Regular Updates
12:34 Life Insurance: Protecting Your Loved Ones
22:29 Power of Attorney: Ensuring Your Wishes Are Honored
37:47 Understanding Income Protection
39:16 The Importance of Life Insurance
39:53 Building Financial Security
41:17 Starting the Conversation on Wills
44:21 Choosing the Right Executor
47:01 Navigating Probate and Inheritance Tax
51:47 Managing Digital Assets
01:06:08 Final Thoughts on Financial Planning
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