Dorset Business Matters

Ep0018 - Lorraine Barber - Wincombe Payrolls

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, Simon sits down with Lorraine Barber, founder of Wincombe Payrolls in Poole. Lorraine shares her journey from a controlled upbringing and failed RAF ambitions, through corporate finance roles, redundancy, motherhood and burnout, to eventually building her own successful payroll business from scratch. This is a conversation about resilience, taking back control, and why it’s never too late to start again. We discuss: • Why payroll became her passion• The reality of rebuilding a career after having children• Corporate burnout and lack of support• The mindset shift from employee to business owner• Freedom, flexibility and family priorities• Why saying “yes” to opportunities matters• The future of work, apprenticeships and AI• Building a business as an exit strategy and pension plan Honest, practical and refreshingly real, Lorraine’s story will resonate with anyone who has ever questioned whether they’re capable of more. A brilliant episode for business owners, parents, career changers and anyone thinking about taking the leap into self-employment.

Ep0017 - Ian Girling - Chief Exec - Dorset Chamber

What does a modern Chamber of Commerce really look like? In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, Simon Ellson sits down with Ian Girling, CEO of Dorset Chamber, for a candid conversation about business, leadership, resilience and why community matters more than ever. Ian shares his journey from delivering coal up Gold Hill in Shaftesbury to leading one of Dorset’s most influential business organisations. Along the way, they explore how Dorset Chamber has evolved from a traditional networking body into a modern, commercially driven organisation supporting business growth, international trade, skills development, wellbeing and lobbying government on behalf of Dorset businesses. The conversation covers: • Why business networking still matters in a digital world• The realities of running a membership organisation without government funding• Mental health, burnout and leadership during COVID• The changing role of women in business leadership• Why chambers must stay modern, engaging and commercially relevant• Supporting startups, scale-ups and established businesses alike• The importance of education, skills and future workforce planning• Ian’s terrifying parachute jump story for charity• What business owners can learn about resilience, instinct and leadership This is an honest, insightful and surprisingly personal conversation about business with purpose, leadership under pressure and creating meaningful impact in your community. If you run a business in Dorset, or anywhere for that matter, there’s plenty in here worth listening to.

Ep0016 - Sam Stone - From Powerless to Powerful

What if the advice you keep giving people is the reason nothing is changing? In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, I sit down with Sam Stone, founder of Life Coaching with Sam, for her very first podcast appearance. Sam spent 11 years in the NHS, children's social care, pupil referral units and schools — giving advice for a living. Then she discovered coaching, handed in her notice, and within a week was running her own business. It's a brilliantly honest conversation about what it actually takes to back yourself when the salary stops. What you'll take away: * Why counselling looks backwards and coaching looks forwards — and why that distinction matters for anyone who feels stuck * The difference between giving advice and asking the right question (and why the "advice monster" is sabotaging your team and your kids) * How reflection and awareness are the two most under-used skills in business and in life * Why confidence doesn't arrive first — opportunities do, and confidence follows * How Sam built her entire client base through Instagram from her kitchen table, with nothing more than a laptop and Zoom * The "what if it does work?" reframe that gets new business owners off the fence * Why group coaching, school-age coaching and coaching in job centres could change the country * And the line every business owner needs on a Post-it: your business should fund your life, not consume it Whether you're running a £10m business or thinking about leaving a salary to start your own, Sam's story is a reminder that the person most likely to hold you back is the one in the mirror — and that a good coach, in sport or in life, is the fastest way to get out of your own way. Listen, share it with someone who's stuck, and let me know what lands. Follow Dorset Business Matters for weekly conversations with the people shaping business in the South West. Find Sam: lifecoachingwithsam.co.uk | Instagram @lifecoachingwithsamFind me: simonellson.com | westdorset.actioncoach.co.uk

Ep0015 - Simon Kinsey - Why "Coasting" is Now a Death Sentence

If you've been telling yourself AI is "a bit like Y2K" and will quietly blow over, this episode is the wake-up call. I sit down with Simon Kinsey, founder of Sparkstone Technology and Agent Factory, for a properly unflinching conversation about what AI actually means for SMEs right now. Simon spent 10 years as a chartered accountant before backing himself into business, has run Sparkstone for 28 years, and has kept the same senior team around him for 20 of those. He knows what resilience looks like — and he's just rebuilt a piece of software in six months that would previously have taken eight man-years. This is not hype. This is someone who builds the stuff, selling it to people who use it every day. What you'll take away: * Why curiosity is the single most underrated trait in any business owner — and why it's non-negotiable now * The honest truth about SMEs and AI: the biggest blocker isn't the tech, it's the lack of intent at the top * What an AI "agent" actually is, broken down in plain English — a prompt, a tool, a container, and a way to repeat the job * The real-world example of a hairdressing wholesaler pulling an extra £250k a year from WhatsApp photos of handwritten orders * The chartered accountants saving a full person a month on VAT returns — with a build that pays for itself in 90 days * Why "there are no easy jobs left" — and what that means for how you hire, train and promote * The billion-dollar one-person business that Sam Altman predicted — and the founder who's already done it * Why Claude and desktop AI tools are only "the tiniest scratch on a massive surface" * And the line every business owner needs tattooed somewhere visible: if you're coasting, you're dying We also get into the uncomfortable stuff — the minister for AI who doesn't use AI, 73% of employers reporting AI projects sabotaged by their own teams, and why the education system is still training people for 1952. Simon's closing line on entrepreneurship is one of the best I've had on the podcast: "The minute you go into business, you're inherently unemployable." Whether you're running a £10m business wondering where to start, or a one-person operation asking whether AI is worth bothering with (spoiler: day one, always), this one's for you. Follow Dorset Business Matters for weekly conversations with the people shaping business in the South West. Find Simon Kinsey: sparkstone.co.uk | agentfactory.co.ukFind me: simonellson.com | westdorset.actioncoach.co.uk

Ep0014 - MIchelle Reade

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.