Navigating SME lending: What’s changed and how to fund growth | Jim Higginbotham

Navigating SME lending: What’s changed and how to fund growth | Jim Higginbotham

Is access to finance really drying up for growing businesses, or has the SME lending market simply become more complex? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how the UK SME lending landscape is evolving and what business owners need to understand before raising finance. From the rise of fintech and alternative lenders to the growing importance of brokers and long-term planning, this conversation cuts through the headlines to reveal what’s really happening on the ground. Joining us is Jim Higginbotham, CEO of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB), the UK’s largest trade body for commercial finance brokers. Jim shares insights from across the broker and lender ecosystem, explaining how funding routes have diversified, why many businesses rule themselves out of finance too early, and how scale-ups can make better funding decisions to support sustainable growth. * Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/] * Follow Jim Higginbotham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-higginbotham-33142523/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-higginbotham-33142523/] Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ [https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/] This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

Are you measuring what truly drives growth? Outcome Engineering explained | Sam Collett

According to Product Talk’s 2026 CDH Benchmark survey, only around 20% of product teams describe themselves as truly outcome-focused, while roughly 30% are still primarily measuring outputs rather than real impact. So, are you measuring what truly drives growth — or just tracking activity? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we’re joined by Sam Collett, Chief Innovation Officer at Eventus.do. Sam introduces the concept of “outcome engineering” — starting with what success looks like and working backwards to identify the actions that truly drive results. He explains why so many organisations fall into the trap of measuring activity instead of impact, why KPIs and dashboards often fail to tell the full story, and how businesses can take a more outcome-led approach to AI and innovation that delivers meaningful value rather than simply adding more activity. Why not keep up to date with Sam via his newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7445799737930170368 [https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7445799737930170368__;!!Lki5x9MUyQ!LfMuiebfgfadJS6jQu-OhpbfhQBePxjAocLJp0XaTOcPkoNXVL9ajiIa0w7jqNMsfT6fl-7sS_ROQiMCPpta_rYx$] ● Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/] ● Follow Sam Collett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collettsam/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/collettsam/] Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ [https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/] This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast, visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

How to build a craft beer brand: Community, growth and standing out | Tom Bott

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore another compelling Scale-Up Story, diving into the realities of building and scaling a business rooted in culture, community and authenticity. Joining us is Tom Bott, Founder and Managing Director of Signature Brew, a brewery built at the intersection of great beer and live music. What started as a creative way to connect with audiences has grown into a brand with a fiercely loyal community and a clearly defined purpose. Tom shares how building a community-led brand shaped Signature Brew’s growth strategy, influenced key commercial decisions and helped the business navigate periods of opportunity alongside real pressure - from the craft beer boom to COVID, rising costs and industry shake-outs. He also reflects on the leadership lessons he’s learned around resilience, focus and knowing when to simplify in order to scale sustainably. ● Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/] ● Follow Tom Bott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-bott/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-bott/] Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ [https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/] This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast, visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

How to choose the right business finance: Funding growth the smart way | Dave Golding

When is the right time to bring finance into your business, and how do you know you’re truly ready for it? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how founders can choose the right type of finance and make sure their business is in the right position to use it effectively. From understanding whether funding is the real solution, to avoiding common scaling traps, this conversation offers practical insight to help you grow with confidence. Joining us is Dave Golding, Managing Director at Cynergy Business Finance. Dave oversees how the business supports companies with funding solutions, bringing a lender's perspective on what it really takes to be “funding-ready” and use finance as a tool for sustainable growth. * Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/] * Follow Dave Golding on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dave-golding-354699a [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dave-golding-354699a] Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ [https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/] This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk

SEO in 2026: Is AI search killing website traffic? | Rick Talbot

Search is changing, and the way customers find your business is evolving fast. So the question is: are you still showing up? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how shifting search behaviour is reshaping visibility for growing businesses, and what scale-ups need to do to stay discoverable in an increasingly fragmented landscape. Joining us is Rick Talbot, Director of Digital at Totally Digital. Rick works across marketing, product and engineering teams to help organisations navigate complex changes in SEO, content and digital discovery, to help B2B and B2C businesses grow through search. We break down how customer expectations have evolved, from AI-generated answers and zero-click searches to people using social channels as search engines. We discuss where businesses are most at risk of quietly losing visibility, why relying too heavily on paid channels can be risky and how scale-ups can rethink their approach to search to support sustainable growth. This conversation is packed with practical advice on building a search strategy that adapts. ● Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkennington/] ● Follow Rick Talbot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-talbot-47525b53/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-talbot-47525b53/] Scale-Up Sessions is brought to you by Cynergy Bank. To learn more about Cynergy Bank, visit https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/ [https://www.cynergybank.co.uk/] This episode was produced by Flamingo Media. If you want to create a chart-topping podcast visit www.flamingo-media.co.uk