NEBiznis

S1E10: A Kind of Magic (with Tom Cocker)

In this episode, we sit down with Tricksy Tom, Tom Cocker, a professional magician and entertainer who turned a childhood love of card tricks into a full-time career performing on stages, holiday parks, and events across the country. We talk about the reality behind the “magic” — from intense rehearsal and dealing with things going wrong on stage, to building confidence, handling pressure, and navigating the entertainment industry. They open up about finding their creative voice, the grind of performing night after night, how social media now shapes the world of magic, and why the most powerful moments happen when tricks don’t go perfectly. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Opening ✦ It's a Kind of Magic 03:42 – Discovering Magic as a Kid 07:18 – Turning a Hobby into a Career 12:05 – Performing on Stage for the First Time 16:33 – Dealing with Nerves and Mistakes 21:47 – The Reality of Life on the Road 26:14 – The Magic Behind “The Trick” 31:39 – Finding a Personal Style 36:52 – Social Media & Modern Magic 42:11 – When Things Go Wrong (and Why It’s Good) 47:03 – Memorable Audience Moments 52:26 – Advice for Aspiring Performers 56:10 – Final Thoughts & Outro

S1E9: From Marriage to Mycelium (with Vincent and Jennifer Smart)

Rob welcomes Vincent and Jennifer Smart, the husband-and-wife team behind Urban Farm Mushrooms [https://www.urbanfarmmushrooms.co.uk/], to talk about their fascinating journey from traditional service businesses to mushroom cultivation. They discuss discovering their love for fungi, learning to grow and market their products, and the challenges of selling mushroom-based food supplements in a world still learning about “food as medicine.” Expect plenty of humour, insight, and inspiration — plus a few “magic mushroom” stories along the way. CHAPTERS 00:00 – All Mushrooms Are Magic 01:12 – Meet Vincent and Jen Smart 03:00 – From Window Cleaning to Entrepreneurship 06:10 – Finding Passion in Fungi 09:30 – The Leap Into Urban Farm Mushrooms 13:00 – Building a Business as a Couple 16:40 – Challenges of Selling Mushrooms 20:15 – Educating the Market 23:00 – Mushroom Magic vs. Misconceptions 26:30 – Favourite Mushrooms and Why 30:10 – Growing and Training Mushrooms 33:00 – Cordyceps: The Zombie Fungus 36:15 – Life Beyond the Lab 39:00 – The Joy of Helping Others 41:10 – Advice, Kryptonite, and Superpowers 44:00 – Where to Find Urban Farm Mushrooms 45:50 – Closing Pun & Future Plans

S1E8: Getting HR Involved (with Alice Potter)

This week, Rob Baines sits down with Alice Potter, founder of Eighth House HR [https://8thhousehr.co.uk/], to talk about her journey from teaching primary school children to guiding adults through the challenges of the workplace. Alice shares how her time in the classroom prepared her for HR, the importance of clear communication, and why getting HR involved early can save businesses time, stress, and money. From funny classroom stories to jaw-dropping HR horror tales, this episode dives into what really happens behind the scenes when people, policies, and personalities collide. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome 01:10 – Meet Alice Potter from Eighth House HR 03:00 – From Classroom to Career Change 06:45 – Lessons from Teaching That Shape HR 10:20 – The Realities of Primary School Life 13:40 – How Teaching Prepared Her for HR Challenges 17:00 – The Turning Point: Entering the HR World 19:15 – “Getting HR Involved” – What It Really Means 22:00 – Why Small Businesses Need HR Early 25:10 – Communication: The Secret to a Healthy Workplace 28:00 – HR Horror Stories and Workplace Confessions 31:20 – Handling the Awkward Stuff Professionally 34:00 – Life Outside HR: Dogs, Kids, and Dough Kneading 36:15 – Comparing Teaching and HR 38:10 – Final Five: Superpowers, Films, and Advice 40:30 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Alice

S1E7: Farming and Finance (with Dom Middlemiss)

Watch on ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://youtu.be/GDWXTrfVPQw?si=cusKz6OX5hLvnAKx]. Rob sits down with Dom Middlemiss, founder of ⁠DJM Financial Planning⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/djmfinancialplanning/] and fourth-generation farmer. Dom shares his unique journey from life on the family farm to building a financial planning business, blending traditional farming values with modern financial strategies. They discuss the challenges of running a farm, the parallels between farming cycles and financial planning, the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship, and the importance of finding balance between passion, practicality, and long-term planning. If you’ve ever wondered how farming and finance intersect—or how to turn life lessons from the field into strategies for business success—this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 02:10 – Farming Roots 05:25 – From Farm to Finance 08:40 – Starting a Business 12:15 – Life on the Farm Today 15:20 – Lessons in Risk and Reward 18:45 – Splurges and Impulses 22:10 – The Joy of Financial Planning 25:00 – Retirement Dreams 27:15 – Farming and Finance Parallels 29:21 – Closing

S1E6: Washi Tape Wife (with Charlotte Baines)

Watch this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxirKTfEgYA] In this episode of NeBiznis, Rob welcomes his wife, Charlotte, a nurse with a passion for journaling and stationery. Charlotte shares her journey from nursing to launching her creative business ArtiiSmartii [https://www.artiismartii.co.uk/], where she designs stickers, bookmarks, and notepads. They discuss the therapeutic value of journaling, balancing creativity with work and the challenges of starting a small business. From washi tape obsessions to collaborating with local shops, Charlotte’s story highlights how following your passion can grow into something more. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook and more!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://custqrd.web.app/r/nebiznis] Chapters * 00:00 – Introduction & Washi Tape Obsession * 04:15 – Charlotte’s Origin Story * 09:32 – Nursing Career & Challenges * 14:47 – Finding Balance Through Journaling * 20:10 – The Birth of Artie Smartie * 25:26 – First Products & Collaborations * 30:38 – Growing a Creative Business * 35:12 – Fun Characters & Favourite Creations * 38:20 – Quick-Fire Questions * 40:30 – Closing & Where to Find Charlotte