The Britsh Airways vs Virgin Atlantic showdown in the 90s wasn’t just business, it was pure soap opera in the skies. Forget friendly competition, British Airways went full villain mode with a plot straight out of a corporate spy thriller.

We’re talking BA staff pretending to be Virgin employees, digging through Virgin’s systems, planting fake news stories, and handing out cheeky upgrades. It was all part of a full-on campaign to crush Virgin Atlantic before it really took off. But Richard Branson wasn’t about to sit quietly in economy... he sued for libel, and BA hit back with a counter-suit. The drama finally landed in 1993 with a $945,000 payout and a public apology from Lord King that probably tasted like lemon in a paper cut.

Thing is, the whole plan backfired. Virgin Atlantic kept climbing, and while BA still brings in more money overall, VA’s $3.1 billion turnover shows they’ve held their own with a little flair and a lot of grit.

It’s got it all, petty moves, sky-high egos, and corporate chaos at cruising altitude. Tray tables up, brews in hand, we’re cleared for takeoff.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder used to be a household staple, white, fluffy, and trusted since 1894. But behind the sweet-smelling clouds was a problem that definitely didn’t belong near babies (or anyone, really): asbestos.

Despite evidence dating back to the 1950s showing traces of asbestos in their talc products, the brand kept things squeaky clean on the outside and carried on marketing it as totally safe. Fast forward to thousands of lawsuits, billions in payouts, and a full-blown PR disaster.

The big moment came in 2018, when Reuters dropped the bombshell... internal documents proving they knew. Cue a $4.7 billion payout, another $100 million in 2020, and a 2024 plan to settle nearly all ovarian cancer-related claims. Oh, and in 2023, they finally pulled talc-based baby powder from shelves worldwide.

It’s a story of trust lost, dusty secrets, and one of the biggest corporate controversies in recent memory.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

The Ford Pinto was meant to be the Beetle’s cooler, cheaper cousin, quick to market, easy on the wallet, and built in just two years. What could possibly go wrong? Well… quite a bit, actually.

This little car had one big problem. If you got rear-ended, the fuel tank could turn your commute into a bonfire. Between 1970 and 1976, it was linked to dozens of deaths and injuries, with some estimates suggesting up to 900 fatalities. And Ford? They did the maths and figured paying off lawsuits was cheaper than fixing the design. Nice.

It caused a massive stir, helped change safety laws forever, and became a case study in how not to handle a crisis. Ford’s brought back plenty of retro models over the years, but the Pinto? Yeah, that one’s been left in the history books with a quiet “let’s never talk about this again.”

Buckle up for a ride through dodgy decisions, fiery crashes, and the car that gave the phrase “explosive performance” a whole new meaning.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Toys R Us went from every kid’s dream destination to a cautionary tale of how not to run a retail empire. Founded in 1948 by Charles Lazarus, it started as a baby store before becoming the go-to big box toy retailer. For decades, it dominated the US toy market and felt completely untouchable.

Then the internet showed up. By 2000, instead of building their own e-commerce game, they struck a deal with Amazon to be the exclusive toy supplier. Sounds clever, but Amazon let in other sellers anyway, undercutting Toys R Us and slowly eating their market share.

In 2005, they were sold for $6.6 billion, loading the company with $5 billion in debt. Add in declining sales, clunky store formats, poor management, and an over-reliance on holiday shopping, and it was a recipe for disaster. By 2016, they’d racked up a $673 million loss. In 2017, it was game over... bankruptcy.

Despite a few attempts to bring the brand back, their failure to keep up with changing shopping habits sealed their fate. It’s a story of nostalgia, missteps, and the brutal reality of retail.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Organic labels might look all wholesome and earthy on the shelf, but behind the scenes, it’s a chaotic cocktail of red tape, sky-high fees, and some seriously eyebrow-raising rules.

This one’s about two friends running a cracking little tea and coffee business. They’re sourcing responsibly, passing independent tests, and doing everything by the book... except getting that fancy Soil Association stamp. Despite ticking all the organic boxes, they faced a £20,000 fine simply for using the word organic without the official seal of approval.

Yep, turns out being organic isn’t enough. You’ve got to pay to say it. And when you’re a small business trying to keep things honest and ethical, forking out thousands for paperwork isn’t always on the cards. So, they ditched the certification and chose to maintain transparency and ethical practices instead.

Cue a much bigger conversation about food labelling, supply chain secrets, and whether the whole system actually helps the good guys or just makes it harder for them.

Grab your ethically sourced brew and settle in for a chat that’s part uplifting, part infuriating, and very, very caffeinated.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Stella Liebeck’s coffee burn case has been the butt of jokes for decades, but the real story? It’s anything but a punchline.

Back in 1992, 79-year-old Stella spilled a cup of McDonald’s coffee in her lap. Sounds minor, right? Except the coffee was served at a ridiculous 180 to 190°F and caused third-degree burns that left her needing skin grafts and two years of treatment. She asked McDonald’s for $20,000 to cover her medical bills. They said no.

Turns out, they knew their coffee was dangerously hot but kept it that way so it wouldn’t go cold on commuters. The jury wasn’t having it and handed over $2.7 million in punitive damages, plus $160,000 for her medical costs.

The case ended up changing the way the whole industry handles hot drinks, from temperature controls to those dramatic “CAUTION: HOT” warnings on every takeaway cup. Not so funny now, is it?

Stick the kettle on, just not that hot, and get ready for a fiery conversation that still burns today.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Clarence Birdseye wasn’t just a guy with a name that sounds made-up; he was the biologist who turned frozen food from a sad soggy mess into a global game-changer. After dropping out of college and spending time ice fishing in Labrador (because of course he did), he clocked that fish frozen quickly in extreme cold stayed fresh and tasty. And just like that, flash-freezing was born.

There were a few hiccups, obviously. Most households didn’t even have freezers, and shipping frozen food was a logistical nightmare. But Clarence was all in. He invented wild bits of kit like the double belt freezer and multi-plate freezer, making sure your peas stayed perfectly green.

His first business flopped in 1924, but just five years later he sold it for a very casual $22 million. Fast forward to 1956, and Birds Eye had become a household name, launching fish fingers that convinced kids everywhere to eat fish without the drama.

It’s a cracking tale of frozen dreams, clever inventions, and one very persistent bloke. Pop the kettle on and join us for a story that’s cooler than you’d expect.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.