Dan Franks—professor, data scientist, and co-founder of Optify—joins Paul Fernandez to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in business right now: AI doesn’t make decisions. Humans do.

In this episode of Mastering Business Growth, Dan explains why over-relying on AI tools like ChatGPT and language models can lead to bad calls in business, especially when context, judgement, and trade-offs are involved.

We dive into pricing optimisation, e-commerce growth, and how to combine AI with real-world insight to scale profitably and stay in control.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

Why AI tools fall short in real business decision-making

The difference between information, context, and action

How Optify is helping brands optimise pricing (without A/B testing)

When AI helps—and when it quietly costs you money

What founders still need to master in an AI-powered world

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Steve Willicot, founder of Uncle Matt’s Hats, joins Paul Fernandez to share the deeply personal story of how he turned heartbreak into a brand with purpose—one that’s starting conversations around mental health and saving lives.

After losing his brother, Matt, to suicide during lockdown, Steve channelled his grief into creating a bold, purpose-driven e-commerce brand. Uncle Matt’s Hats isn’t just about premium headwear—it’s about breaking the silence on mental health, raising awareness, and building a movement through authentic storytelling and unique design.

This powerful episode explores the intersection of entrepreneurship, purpose, and resilience—proving that the strongest brands are often born from the deepest struggles.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

How personal tragedy led to the birth of Uncle Matt’s Hats

Why mental health awareness is woven into the brand’s DNA

Turning e-commerce into a force for good

The power of authentic storytelling in building a movement

How design, packaging, and experience create emotional connection

Why conversations around men’s mental health matter more than ever

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Loren von Sternberg, Head of Support at Pro Recruitment Group, joins Paul Fernandez to reveal why your online reputation matters more than your CV—and how hiring has evolved in 2025.

From the decline of traditional applications to the power of LinkedIn presence, Lauren shares insider tips on what recruiters really look for, how the recruitment landscape has changed post-COVID, and why personal branding is now a critical career tool.

This episode dives deep into how to stand out in a candidate-short market, what makes a recruiter take notice, and why video and online content are game-changers for modern careers.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

Why hiring has shifted from CVs to online reputation

How to make LinkedIn your most powerful career asset

The personality traits and soft skills recruiters can’t ignore

Why video can give you an edge when applying for roles

The dos and don’ts of crafting a standout application

What recruiters really think when they see your profile

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At Innersound, we help businesses grow through strategic podcasting—building trust, generating leads, and creating standout content in our state-of-the-art York studio or on location across the UK.

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Sophie Milliken, award-winning entrepreneur, author, and investor, joins Paul Fernandez to share the surprising strategy that built her brand, filled her pipeline—and led to the successful exit of her first business.

Forget cold outreach and paid ads. Sophie built authority, trust, and demand by showing up online and owning her personal brand. From landing speaking gigs and investor opportunities to building a visibility-focused consultancy from scratch, she proves that when people know you, the right doors open.

This episode explores how visibility scales businesses, the mindset behind personal PR, and why founders can’t afford to hide anymore.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

How Sophie went from side hustle to 7-figure exit

The visibility tactics that brought clients to her

Why most founders still underplay their personal brand

The difference between being known and being remembered

How to build profile without feeling cringe or salesy

Why visibility is the new competitive advantage in business

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At Innersound, we help businesses grow through strategic podcasting—building trust, generating leads, and creating standout content in our state-of-the-art York studio or on location across the UK.

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The Growth Guys help brands scale profitably with data-led, creatively-driven paid media strategies.
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Danielle Blake, robotics recruiter and headhunter at Lawrence Harvey, joins Paul Fernandez to unpack the uncomfortable truth: why the UK is falling behind in the global robotics race.

From humanoid automation and autonomous vehicles to the tiny talent pools building this future, Danielle shares why Britain is lagging—and what it will take to catch up.

With deep experience placing top talent across Europe and the US, she reveals why education isn’t keeping pace, which industries are booming, and how curiosity is still the most underrated career advantage.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

The real reason the UK can’t compete with the US and Asia

Why only 15 people in the world can fill some critical robotics roles

How robots will (and won’t) replace human jobs

What’s broken in education—and why innovators struggle to emerge

Where the biggest opportunities in robotics are right now

How to build a career in automation without being an engineer

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At Innersound, we help businesses grow through strategic podcasting—building trust, generating leads, and creating standout content in our state-of-the-art York studio or on location across the UK.

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The Growth Guys help brands scale profitably with data-led, creatively-driven paid media strategies.
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Will Anderson, founder of Growth Society and serial e-commerce entrepreneur, joins Paul Fernandez to share the raw, unfiltered story behind building multiple brands, and the painful lessons no one tells you.

From growing a premium shaving business into a £60k debt hole to leading agency teams and finally launching a consultancy designed to fix what’s broken in ecom growth, Will has seen every side of the industry.

In this candid conversation, he reveals why great ROAS doesn’t mean you’re profitable, how to avoid the “shiny object syndrome,” and why most brands still don’t understand their numbers.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

Why his first ecom business racked up £60,000 in debt—and what he did next

The real reason most agencies fail e-commerce brands

How AI is reshaping (and often ruining) marketing decisions

The danger of chasing revenue vs. building margins

When to start planning for Q4—and why most brands leave it too late

How to build a business that actually aligns with your purpose

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At Innersound, we help businesses grow through strategic podcasting—building trust, generating leads, and creating standout content in our state-of-the-art York studio or on location across the UK.

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The Growth Guys help e-commerce brands scale profitably with data-led, creatively-driven paid media strategies.
👉 www.thegrowthguys.co.uk

Kate Chandan, founder of Ethica Recruit and FMCG industry expert, joins Paul Fernandez to challenge everything you think you know about hiring in 2025.

In a world where CVs are on life support, job boards are ineffective, and AI is reshaping recruitment, Kate offers a radically human approach to building high-performing teams. With a background at Heineken, Seabrook Crisps, and Fox’s Biscuits—and now three years running her own agency—Kate reveals why empathy, intuition, and business alignment still beat algorithms.

This episode dives into the future of hiring, the culture myths holding companies back, and why the cost of a bad hire is bigger than ever.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

The myth of the CV—and what actually gets candidates hired in 2025

Why most job ads are still repelling the best talent

How AI is transforming recruitment (and where it still falls short)

What companies get wrong about culture, loyalty, and pay rises

How to attract top talent before they even start looking

The hidden value of recruiters—and why they’re more than “CV matchers”

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At Innersound, we help businesses grow through strategic podcasting—building trust, generating leads, and creating standout content in our state-of-the-art York studio or on location across the UK.

🎧 Book your FREE podcast pilot episode today:
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The Growth Guys help e-commerce brands scale profitably with data-led, creatively-driven paid media strategies.
👉 www.thegrowthguys.co.uk

Tracey Field, author, education consultant, and estates strategy expert, joins Paul Fernandez to reveal what’s really going wrong behind the scenes in the UK’s school system—and how she’s helping fix it. With decades of experience across major government, charity, and royal projects, Tracey shares her unique journey from high-level leadership to launching her own consultancy at 55, rewriting the rulebook for how education estates are managed.

From surviving remote posts in the Falklands to challenging multi-million-pound inefficiencies in UK schools, this episode explores visibility, impact, and the power of backing yourself later in life.

🎙️ Key Highlights:

The broken budgeting system behind school estates—and why no one’s fixing it

Why Tracey walked away from a secure job in her 50s to start from scratch

How personal loss shaped her boldest professional moves

Building a business around a book—and why it was the one she wished existed

Balancing family, leadership, and reinvention in a second act career

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At Innersound, we specialise in business development through strategic podcasting. We help you build trusted relationships, generate sales and referrals, and scale your marketing with high-quality branded podcasts—recorded in our state-of-the-art York studio or on location anywhere in the UK.

🎧 Book your FREE podcast pilot episode today to discover how we can help you build relationships, generate leads, and create high-quality branded content for your business.
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The Growth Guys are a growth marketing outfit helping brands scale profitably with creative, data-driven growth marketing strategies.
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