Business Without BS

EP [number] — Expanding to the US without tripping state taxes or visa traps.
US expansion sounds exciting until you realise how easily it can go wrong. Sonia Kanjee breaks down why most founders misjudge when they're actually ready for America and how small missteps around people, sales tax and structure can snowball fast.
She walks through the three tiers of US entry, how state rules really work, when you must form a Delaware Inc, and the hidden compliance triggers founders routinely miss. This is a practical map for approaching the US market without burning money or credibility.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
• Decide when you're genuinely ready to open in the US
• Avoid economic nexus sales‑tax traps state by state
• Understand when one US hire obliges you to set up an entity
• Structure a clean UK–US group without future investor problems
• Track where your US revenue lands so you don't trigger avoidable filings
This episode is for UK founders eyeing the US market who want a grounded, practical view of what expansion actually demands.
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
0:00 Expanding to the US without blowing up your tax position
02:00 Sonia’s route into US tax and cross‑border work
05:10 When you’re genuinely ready to enter the US
08:20 Remote sales vs creating a taxable presence
12:10 Sales tax, economic nexus and SaaS treatment
16:20 Hiring across multiple states and compliance load
19:20 Contractors, dependent agents and testing the market
24:00 Visa realities when travelling repeatedly for business
29:40 The three tiers of US expansion strategy
33:20 Delaware Inc, lawyers and why setup matters
37:50 Trademarks, contracts and insurance for the US
43:10 LLCs vs C Corps and why UK companies should avoid LLCs
49:00 State tax allocation and how to track revenue properly
56:00 Treaty mechanics, withholding and W‑8BEN‑E
1:05:00 Interest on intercompany loans
1:12:00 Dormant entities and cleanup filings
1:17:00 Should founders relocate or hire locally?
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EP - William Humphreys, partner at Oury Clark Chartered Accountants, explores and explains financial reporting, giving a clear picture of what company accounts are, and why understanding them is a foundational skill for entrepreneurs.
Andy and William run through the various components of statutory accounts, including the balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement. Using a cinematic metaphor, they underscore the necessity of not merely viewing accounts as compliance documents but as vital tools for strategic decision-making.
Throughout the conversation, the importance of engaging with these financial documents regularly is underlined, to help cultivate a clearer understanding of a business's financial health and undertake proactive rather than reactive management. Being conversant in company financials is not just a matter of accounting but a fundamental aspect of effective business leadership.
What you'll learn in this episode:
Understanding how accounts inform business decisions
Seeing the balance sheet as a snapshot of a company's assets and liabilities
How continuous insight into a business's financial position beats waiting for year-end
The importance and considerations of cash flow management
How revenue recognition can impact perceived profitability
What the notes to the accounts really provide

This episode is for UK entrepreneurs and business leaders who want a comprehensive overview of financial reports and reporting standards.

*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
00:04 - The Director's Report: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
04:46 - Understanding the Balance Sheet
13:14 - Financial Statements, the Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss
18:47 - Revenue Recognition
23:34 - Cash Flow and Financial Management
32:44 - Financial Statements: Key Insights and Analysis
37:45 - The Key Questions for Founders
41:03 - Bank Covenants and Charges
49:41 - Reporting Standards
53:34 - Understanding UK GAAP and IFRS
59:44 - IFRS 16 and its Implications
01:09:30 - Transitioning to US GAAP: Challenges and Insights
01:14:31 - Key Insights for Business Owners

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EP [number] — Grimsey argues that corporate strategy starts with fixing leadership, not spreadsheets.
Bill Grimsey unpacks why UK high streets keep failing and why most boardrooms still dodge the real work: leadership, confidence and clarity. Starting with Hong Kong turnarounds and ending with British town centres, he explains why strategy dies when leaders avoid the truth.
The conversation covers motivating broken teams, mapping strengths instead of obsessing over threats, dealing with suppliers transparently, and why councils need 20‑year commercial plans to revive towns. It also dives into AI, customer experience, and the future of retail.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
• Rebuild confidence inside a failing organisation
• Map strategic strengths without wasting energy on distractions
• Use transparency to improve supplier relationships
• Assess whether your town’s leadership structure is fit for purpose
• Apply AI to improve customer experience rather than cut corners
This episode is for UK operators who want a practical view of strategy from someone who has actually rebuilt failing businesses.
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
0:00 Why the UK high street keeps failing
1:29 Fixing leadership before strategy
4:39 Park’n’Shop Hong Kong turnaround
11:04 Customer experience vs efficiency
17:25 AI’s real value in business
23:10 Supplier relationships and transparency
27:58 Turnaround at Wickes
33:50 Trust, confidence and respect
40:48 Business rates and tax structures
52:17 The Grimsey Reviews and town strategy
1:02:20 Independent retail: what works now
1:12:09 Tech, delivery and the future of retail
1:18:55 Pedestrianisation and town experience
1:20:41 Closing thoughts
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EP — Adam Pope on why Manchester outperforms cities twice its size.
Manchester’s business culture is built on graft, confidence and doing things without waiting for permission. Adam Pope explains why the city’s attitude consistently turns small firms into serious operators and why founders underestimate the Northern Powerhouse region at their cost.
The conversation covers how Greater Manchester’s geography, talent pool, transport links and industrial heritage shape commercial behaviour, plus the practical realities of scaling outside London. We also look at hiring, governance, legal blind spots and how AI is already changing professional services.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
• Spot the cultural traits that drive Manchester’s commercial confidence
• Judge when to base operations inside or outside the city centre
• Avoid common legal and governance gaps that derail SMEs
• Use AI without weakening decision‑making or risk controls
• Build trust in a region where people value straight dealing
This episode is for UK founders deciding where to build, scale or expand — especially if you’re considering life outside the M25.
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
0:00 Manchester isn’t trying to be London
01:34 Industrial heritage and tech investment
04:02 Greater Manchester’s expansion
06:23 Culture, friendliness and swagger
10:11 Wealth, influence and the city’s vibe
15:21 Starting and hiring in Manchester
18:10 Northern Powerhouse and regional funding
22:47 HS2, infrastructure and wasted budgets
24:58 What high‑speed rail would really change
32:18 Scaling across the North
33:24 Trust, class and regional attitudes
39:04 Legal sector differences
48:35 AI, law and Adam’s Clause platform
57:13 Automation, headcount and future roles
1:03:43 Where SMEs go wrong legally
1:13:33 Business or Bullshit
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EP — Lucy Parker explains why sustainability only works when leaders stop hiding in the castle and start engaging with the real world.
Lucy Parker argues that the real challenge in sustainability is leadership behaviour: large companies still operate as if they can stay behind the walls, even though stakeholders now expect open engagement and socially relevant decisions.
The conversation covers ESG’s collapse, system‑level change, supply‑chain realities, political headwinds, and how SMEs can act when resources are tight. The focus is practical: decision points leaders face, how to prioritise material issues, and why recalibration is normal rather than failure.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
• Decide which sustainability issues actually fall within your remit
• Shift from corporate‑centric thinking to socially relevant leadership
• Work with competitors without breaching competition rules
• Recalibrate sustainability targets without losing direction
• Spot where system‑level change is possible in your sector
This episode is for UK business owners who want clarity on sustainability without noise or posturing.
*For Apple Podcast chapters, access them from the menu in the bottom right corner of your player*
Spotify Video Chapters:
0:00 Sustainability without BS begins
01:00 Tom’s intro and why leadership matters
02:20 Lucy’s role and the social value of business
04:40 What leaders still haven’t caught up with
07:00 Corporate‑centric vs socially relevant
09:40 Who owns responsibility for global problems?
12:20 Is ESG dead?
16:00 Data, measurement and unbundling ESG
20:20 The ESG backlash and political noise
25:40 Net zero, realism and recalibration
32:10 Supply chains, plastic and system constraints
38:40 Consumers, behaviour and plastic reality
44:00 Regulation, CSRD and where responsibility sits
50:40 System change and pre‑competitive collaboration
57:00 Leadership, conviction and next‑gen expectations
1:10:00 What SMEs can actually do this week
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If you'd like to be on the show, get in contact - [email protected]