Welcome to the latest episode of The Business Awards Show, 'Why Numbers Count with the FD Consultant Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam'.

Romesh is a finance expert, podcast host and a long-time judge for the Best Business Women Awards. The conversation blends business wisdom, personal stories, and a good dose of humour about life as an accountant who once turned up to a barefoot office in a suit!

Romesh shares how, after a successful corporate career in FTSE 100 companies, he transitioned to working with start-ups and SMEs. He eventually launched The FD Consultant, which offers part-time "fractional" finance director services. His mission? To make top-level financial expertise accessible and affordable for growing businesses that can't yet justify a full-time FD.

Romesh's passion is helping business owners turn data into clear, simple insights that drive smarter decisions. He explains this is a much better alternative than getting lost in technical accounting jargon. As he puts it, "Numbers don't lie—they tell your story."

Additionally, the discussion dives into common financial pitfalls—like how SMEs can manage cash flow effectively and failing to spot profit opportunities. Throughout, Romesh manages to make numbers sound fun!

He also chats about his experience as a judge for the Best Businesswomen Awards. Initially unsure what to expect, Romesh says he was impressed by the integrity, robust process, and sense of community the awards foster. His insights illuminate the benefits of entering business awards and how to make your entry stand out.

Moving on, the conversation turns to Romesh's own business podcast, "Strive and Thrive," co-hosted with innovation expert Mike Oliver. The show explores all things entrepreneurship—from networking and leadership to time management and innovation—featuring guests who share lessons from their own business journeys.

It's an inspiring, warm, and practical conversation about the realities of running and scaling a business—with plenty of laughs, and some insightful learnings for entrepreneurs looking to scale or enter awards.

About Romesh

Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam brings warmth and clarity to the often intimidating world of business finance. As the founder of The FD Consultant, a collective of part-time finance directors, Romesh has spent over 15 years transforming how growing businesses approach financial leadership. With his engaging personality and deep expertise, Romesh bridges the gap between corporate financial best practices and the practical needs of SMEs, start-ups, and scale-ups. His journey from qualifying at a Top 4 accounting firm and working in senior finance roles at FTSE 100 companies to supporting high-growth ventures gives him a unique perspective that resonates with business owners seeking both financial rigour and practical, commercial guidance.

{1:45} Why Romesh started The FD Consultant five years ago.

{5:30} Essential advice to owners about their numbers.

{7:48} The difference between The FD Consultant and an accountant.

{12:15} The service that Romesh delivers to clients.

{14:42} The point clients need Romesh's help.

{19:45} Being a judge of the Best Businesswomen Awards.

{26:34} The Strive and Thrive podcast.

{30:41} Romesh's one big tip.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

https://bestsmeawards.co.uk/

Connect with Romesh: https://www.thefdconsultant.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rfjconsultingservices/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefdconsultant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefdconsultant/

X: https://x.com/ConsultantFd

Strive and Thrive podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@StriveAndThriveSeries

https://open.spotify.com/show/1aOiYxnQxaLnOWWIc2YAEE

Listen to our latest discussion Why you need a will with Nellie McQuinn.

Nellie addresses the misconception that wills are only for the wealthy. She notes that an estimated 72% of adults in the UK don't have a will. Young people in particular, believe they have no need to have one. Nellie soon explodes that myth!

She talks about the four key reasons why everybody needs a will.

• Guardianship - her number one priority. Any child under the age of 18 will be at the mercy of the courts without a will in place.
• "Common Law Partnerships" - there is no such thing in UK law, so without a will a surviving partner can be left with nothing.
• Blended families - A complex situation that needs the clarity a will offers.
• Avoiding family conflicts - a will ensures every family member knows where they stand whether they like it or not.

Poignantly, Nellie has designed an app to preserve the emotional legacies of loved ones. She explains the importance of passing on the stories of each family member from one generation to another and is currently raising funding to develop the concept.

But Nellie is not just a willwriter. She is an award-winning willwriter! She recently won a Silver Award for Best New Business at the Best Businesswomen Awards. And she was delighted to be a finalist in the British Will and Probate Awards. Discover why she entered at such an early stage of her business, and why she'll continue doing so.

This is a brilliant episode for anyone thinking of starting a business, wondering whether entering awards is a good idea at an early stage, or wants more information about wills and what they mean to you and your family.

About Nellie McQuinn

Nellie McQuinn is the Founder and CEO of AWAY Wills, a new kind of Will-writing company built for modern families. After a decade in children's television, most recently as Vice President, Head of Production at Moonbug Entertainment where she helped bring CoComelon and Blippi to global audiences, she had a major career pivot and retrained as a Will-writer whilst 6 weeks postpartum.

Becoming a mum of two shifted her focus from children's stories to family legacies. She saw that while media had embraced innovation and inclusivity, the world of Wills was still weighed down by tradition. AWAY Wills was born to change that, offering plain-English guidance for real, modern lives, from blended families to digital legacies.

{1:22} Why Nellie became a willwriter.

{3:45} Where the name "Away Wills" came from.

{4:35} Why everybody needs a will.

{8:01} The fallacy of "common law" partners.

{8:56} Why blended families must have a will.

{14:05} When not having a will can be disastrous.

{15:16} Nellie's app for preserving emotional legacies.

{18:25} Nellie's trip to Ireland to trace her Grandfather's journey.

{21:25} Why Nellie entered awards at such an early stage of her business.

{24:53} The challenges of starting a business and Nellie's tips for budding entrepreneurs.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

https://bestsmeawards.co.uk/

Connect with Nellie: https://www.awaywills.com/

https://www.nelliemcquinn.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/away-wills/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570424698308

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awaywills

X: https://x.com/AWAYWills

Our latest episode features an interview with Kayleigh Lloyd, the founder of brand studio Lloyd Creative. She helps ambitious female founders build personality-packed brands that are unapologetically true to who they are. With over 15 years of industry experience and a passion for bringing bold ideas to life, she helps women show up with confidence, clarity and personality.

Kayleigh discusses how she grew her confidence and business acumen by surrounding herself with successful businesswomen. She found early support in female-focused networking communities like Found & Flourish and Six Degrees in Exeter. This focus on supporting and celebrating others inspired her to create the "Outrageously You" awards, which started as a party for her own clients. The awards are unique because they celebrate personality, passion, and community, with categories like "Brave," "Vibrant," "Confident," and "Magnetic".

Kayleigh tells us about next year's awards and how she is planning an expansion to include workshops, brand photoshoots, and is looking for collaborators.

Kayleigh, emphasizes that branding is about much more than a logo—it's a "cocktail of elements" including color, font, and consistency that reflects a brand's personality, instills confidence in the founder, and acts as a magnet for ideal clients. She explains her brand discovery process allowing business owners to get the result that truly reflects their owner's personality.

We also get some valuable business tips from Kayleigh, including the need to surround yourself with people you aspire to emulate.

Kayleigh proves to be a ball of positivity and energy, and her branding business and awards are a beacon of creativity and support for ambitious businesswomen. Anyone interested in understanding how to create impact with their brand, or looking for a different kind of awards, must listen to this discussion.

{1:30} What led Kayleigh to set up her own business five years ago.

{3:45} Having the flexibility to work around children.

{4:53} How Kayleigh grew her business.

{6:21} How Kayleigh learned to run a business.

{7:55} Being part of various communities.

{9:30} Tips for shy networkers.

{10:46} Setting up her own awards in 2024.

{13:48} Where the "Outrageously You" name came from for her awards.

{14:55} How to get involved in the awards in 2026.

{17:04} Where and when is the final.

{18:04} Why branding is so important to any business.

{20:15} How Kayleigh works with client to create their brands.

{21:34} Kayleigh's tips for entrepreneurs.

{25:53} Ensuring personal branding is looked after.

{26:21} Designing the OY Award branding.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

Connect with Kayleigh: https://www.outrageously-you.com/

https://www.lloyd-creative.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lloyd-creative/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KLloydCreative

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klloydcreative/

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/lloydcreative/