Most people don’t start businesses because they’re ready.

They start because something inside them says, “There’s more than this.”

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, Simon sits down with Michelle Reade, founder of a wellness coaching practice, to unpack what it really takes to move from employed, to franchise success, to building a business of your own.

Michelle spent 17 years helping others grow their businesses through franchising, scaling teams, and developing people — before finally taking the leap herself. What followed wasn’t just a new business, but a complete shift in identity, confidence, and direction.

This is a conversation about more than business strategy.

It’s about fear, confidence, and backing yourself.

Inside this episode:

• Why franchising can be a powerful way to start a business — and where it goes wrong

• The biggest mistake service-based business owners make when they go out on their own

• Why “borrowed advice” and copying others is holding people back

• The truth about networking, confidence, and finding your tribe

• How loneliness is quietly affecting business owners and their performance

• What it really takes to move from practitioner to business owner

Michelle also shares her longer-term vision of building accessible business support for people who wouldn’t normally get it — creating community, not just clients.

If you’re starting out, feeling stuck, or trying to figure out your next move, this episode will give you a clearer direction — and probably a bit of a push.

In the latest episode of Dorset Business Matters, I sat down with Rupert Holloway, founder of Conker Distillery — now 12+ years into the journey.

This isn’t a “look how successful it’s been” story.

It’s a real look at what it takes to build, survive, and evolve a business through:

• A booming start with zero real strategy

• Hitting a plateau when the market catches up

• Navigating COVID, cost of living, Brexit and supply chain chaos

• Competing in an industry dominated by billion-pound brands

• Learning (the hard way) that cashflow and numbers matter more than hype

There’s also a brilliant thread running through this episode around brand.

Not logos. Not colours.

But what your business actually stands for.

Rupert puts it simply:

If people forget what your product tastes like, you’re fine.

If they forget your brand… you’re gone.

We also get into:

• Why he wouldn’t start a gin business today

• How Conker Coffee Liqueur became a real scale opportunity

• The danger of chasing “what’s next” instead of doubling down on what works

• Why staying in your lane might be the smartest move you make

• And the one thing every business owner must understand from day one…

👉 Know your numbers.

Not your turnover.

Not your ego.

Your real numbers.

If you’re building a business, growing one, or thinking about stepping out on your own, this episode is worth your time.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:

[Insert Podcast Link]

From Car Dealer to Independent Finance Broker: Courage, Cashflow and Building a Business the Hard Way

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, I sit down with Chris, who made the leap from the motor trade into building his own business as an independent finance broker.

Chris shares the real story behind that move. Not the polished version. The honest one. Leaving a secure role, stepping away from the comfort of a salary, and backing himself to build something of his own in a world where trust, relationships and timing matter more than ever.

We talk about:

• Chris’s background in the motor trade and what selling finance inside dealerships taught him

• Why moving to the “other side of the desk” gave him a stronger understanding of how finance really works

• The decision to go independent, and why it felt both terrifying and necessary

• What the first three months of self-employment were really like

• Building a client base through networking, referrals and consistency

• Why trust matters more than noise in financial services

• Cashflow pressure, invoice finance and the difference between factoring and invoice discounting

• How business owners can use funding properly to support growth instead of panic-filling gaps

• The importance of niching down instead of trying to be everything to everyone

• Why courage, conviction and proper support matter when you’re starting a business

Chris also talks openly about the emotional side of business ownership. The pressure, the responsibility, the family balance, and the reality that when it’s your business, the buck stops with you.

There’s also a brilliant thread running through this episode around research, AI and modern business building. Chris makes the point that there has never been more information, support and technology available to help someone start well, think clearly and move faster. But you still need to be bold enough to act.

This is a grounded, practical conversation for anyone thinking about starting a business, growing one, or trying to get smarter about finance, cashflow and decision-making.

If you want a business episode with real-world lessons, not fluff, this one delivers.