The Absolute Journey: Business Insights with Chris Hodgen

Leadership, Growth, and Law: An Interview with Anita Boardman

Anita’s Journey at AFG Law: From Junior Typist to Joint Managing Director In this Lancashire Business Stories episode, Anita recounts how she entered the legal profession without university, starting via a YTS apprenticeship as a typist, joining a solicitor’s office as a junior, and moving through roles to AFG Law in 1990, where she was encouraged to study and later qualified, became a partner around 2005–2006, and joint managing director in 2016 with Greg. She explains AFG’s evolution from partnership to limited company, shareholding structure, and why strong shareholder agreements matter, including provisions for decision-making and leavers. The conversation covers AFG’s growth from about 30 staff to 90 and back to around 65 after restructuring to focus on private client work, its services (residential conveyancing, commercial, private client, disputes, family), office moves and hot-desking, hybrid working and training, leadership development gaps, hiring for attitude and culture, and lessons on listening, trust, and learning from mistakes. 00:00 Welcome And Agenda 01:07 Early Career Beginnings 02:41 Joining AFG Law 03:16 Qualifying And Partnership Path 05:28 Limited Company Shift 08:08 Leadership As Joint MDs 10:45 Shareholder Agreements Matter 13:23 AFG Growth And Offices 14:54 Open Plan And Hot Desking 17:04 Hybrid Working And Training 21:07 Restructure And Core Services 21:58 Teams And Departments 22:56 Private Client Explained 23:18 Disputes And New Hire 24:41 Family Law Services 25:15 Growth Hiring Strategy 26:17 Acquisitions And Culture Fit 29:03 Planning Sustainable Growth 30:13 Training Soft Skills 32:15 Leadership Gaps And Managers 34:19 Career Drive And Retention 36:47 Recruiting On Attitude 39:33 Culture Values And ESG 41:44 Advice And Learning Mindset 44:03 Books Personality And DISC 46:28 Law Career And Wrap Up PODCAST LINKS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afglaw/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afglaw/ X: https://www.instagram.com/afglaw/ Anita’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-boardman-3ab39535/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afg-law/ Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afg-law/ Review Solicitors Site: https://www.reviewsolicitors.co.uk/lancashire/bolton/afg-law-limited-20-mawdsley-street ActionCOACH Bolton: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton ActionCOACH Bolton Events: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592 Paul’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/ Do you want to increase the value of your business asset? Take the ValueBuilder Assessment now to score the 8 key drivers of value in your business and get your free report: ⁠⁠https://score.valuebuildersystem.com/actioncoach-bolton/paul-limb

Navigating Success: Chris Houghton's Journey with Eventura

Chris Houghton on Building Eventura: A One-Stop Global IT & ERP Partner Chris Houghton discusses Eventura as a one-stop IT and business systems partner supporting warehousing, distribution, and manufacturing firms with infrastructure, hardware, and ERP implementations, including multinational rollouts across nine countries, with most customers UK-based and growth from a Malta office. He recounts being born in Bolton, living 11 years in Malta, joining the military and later IBM, then leaving after a voluntary redundancy to start Eventura from his garage, growing through consultancy, key early work with Umbro, partnerships (Sage, SAP, Oracle), and eventually buying a building. He emphasizes resilience, values-based client selection, delegation, time management, and disciplined processes before automation, including embracing AI while warning of its limits. Succession is underway with his son Lewis as managing director, while Chris expands into other ventures, including AI for crime fighting, a Malta bar/restaurant, and a niche clothing brand, and explores global offices for 24-hour support. 00:00 Welcome and Intro 00:46 What Eventura Does 01:44 Global Reach and Malta Office 02:46 Ideal Clients and Growth Stories 04:05 Early Life and Military Tech 05:15 Leaving Corporate to Start Up 07:10 First Clients and Rapid Expansion 08:54 From IT Services to ERP Partners 09:44 Building a Team and Freedom 12:33 Values Based Clients and COVID Boom 15:27 Agility Mindset and Embracing AI 16:37 Systems First Before Automation 17:37 Automate After Basics 18:09 Letting Go to Scale 19:04 Time Value Delegation 21:07 Succession to Lewis 23:01 New Ventures Portfolio 24:33 Malta Office Family 25:25 Global Expansion Support 26:55 Mentoring Lewis Leadership 28:15 Kindergarten Culture Rules 30:01 Advice Books Wrap PODCAST LINKS Eventura Website: https://Eventura.com/ [https://eventura.com/] Chris ‘s  LinkedInProfile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishoughton/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishoughton/] Eventura LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/Eventura/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/eventura/] ActionCOACH Bolton: ⁠https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton⁠ [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton] ActionCOACH Bolton Events: ⁠https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592⁠ [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592] Paul’s LinkedIn Profile: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/] Do you want to increase the value of your business asset? Take the ValueBuilder Assessment now to score the 8 key drivers of value in your business and get your free report: ⁠https://score.valuebuildersystem.com/actioncoach-bolton/paul-limb [https://score.valuebuildersystem.com/actioncoach-bolton/paul-limb]

Leadership and Growth: Insights from Lisa Kennery at Pierce Group

Lisa Kennery on Growing Pierce: People, Acquisitions, Technology and Advisory Lisa Kennery, partner at Pierce with offices in Blackburn, Bolton and Tottington (Bury), discusses her career path from payroll and HR into an operational, people and integration role, joining Pierce 13 years ago as payroll manager and becoming a director/partner nearly seven years ago as the firm grew from about 55 to 160 staff. She explains Pierce’s acquisition approach, emphasizing cultural fit and the challenge of aligning technology, supported by a monthly tech steering group and RPA that cut an admin task from 25 minutes to seven. Kennery outlines flexible working with core hours, benefits standardization, and learning and development initiatives including apprenticeships, ILM training, and a new soft-skills platform distinguishing management from leadership. She describes Pierce as forward-thinking, proactive, advisory-focused, locally community-minded, PE-backed for 18 months, and serving SMEs with services from compliance to corporate finance and forensic work, plus advice to clients on frequent touchpoints, real-time reporting, and not choosing accountants solely on price. 00:00 Welcome and agenda 01:39 Lisa’s career path 02:16 Joining Pierce and growth 04:36 Becoming partner and remit 05:56 Delegation and leadership 09:24 Acquisition integration hurdles 10:39 Tech strategy and AI automation 13:25 Culture and flexible working 15:54 Learning and development journey 21:17 Advisory focus and client education 22:54 Community First Firm 23:26 Who Pierce Helps 23:54 Services and Specialist Teams 24:30 Forensic Accounting Explained 25:36 Choosing the Right Accountant 28:08 From Payroll to Partner 29:21 Private Equity Growth Plans 31:15 What Makes Pierce Different 32:54 Career Advice and Self Awareness 36:07 Support Networks for Owners 37:36 Books and Learning Picks 40:36 How to Contact Pierce 41:48 Closing Thanks and Wrap UpLINKS Website: https://www.pierce.co.uk/ [https://www.pierce.co.uk/] Lisa’s  LinkedInProfile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-kennery-95095450/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-kennery-95095450/] Pierce LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pierce-c.-a.-limited/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pierce-c.-a.-limited/] ActionCOACH Bolton: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton] ActionCOACH Bolton Events: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592 [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592] Paul’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/] Do you want to increase the value of your business asset? Take the ValueBuilder Assessment now to score the 8 key drivers of value inyour business and get a free report: https://score.valuebuildersystem.com/actioncoach-bolton/paul-limb [https://score.valuebuildersystem.com/actioncoach-bolton/paul-limb]

Navigating Change: Chris Burn from CSRB on Careers, Comedy, and Compliance

Chris Burn on Building CSRB: From Retail and Sales to GDPR, Privacy, and Comedy Writing Chris Burn discusses his career path from early jobs and retail management at Tesco and WHSmith while studying marketing at UWE Bristol, to a sports marketing research placement, phone sales, and an 18-month market research role for MGM in Las Vegas. He later spent 10–13 years in field sales, worked at Wybone (street and park bins), and then Bristol Storage Equipment, where archiving and retention needs influenced his later work. While caring for his father from 2012, he learned about depression and addiction; his father died by suicide in 2017, prompting Chris to register and later launch CSRB. CSRB began as document shredding/storage reselling before pivoting into GDPR and data privacy consulting, supported by training and certifications. He emphasizes mentoring, outsourcing, and networking, shares involvement in comedy writing/character profiling for shows like “Brassic” and “Derry Girls,” and offers practical GDPR tips on onboarding, privacy notices, ICO registration, contracts, and data mapping. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 01:05 First Jobs in Retail 02:08 WHSmith Management Lessons 04:23 Sports Marketing Sandwich Year 05:40 Call Centre Sales After Uni 06:27 MGM Vegas Market Research 09:09 Back to UK Field Sales 10:54 Storage and Archiving Insights 12:04 Caring for Dad and Turning Point 13:44 Founding CSRB 14:50 Early Struggles and Getting Support 20:10 Pivot to GDPR Expertise 21:22 Building a Support Team 24:32 Time Value and Delegation Mindset 28:42 Comedy Origins and Influences 31:45 Grimy Comedy Clubs 32:36 Variety Show Legends 34:19 First Standup Gig 35:51 Nish Kumar Encounter 36:41 Comedy Fear Factor 38:37 Writing Over Performing 41:53 TV Character Writing 44:37 GDPR Tips For SMEs 54:03 Data Mapping And Rights 57:54 Advice And Resources 01:01:42 Humor In Business 01:04:04 Contact And Wrap Up EPISODE LINKS Website: https://www.csrb.co.uk/ [https://www.csrb.co.uk/] Chris ‘s  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburncsrb [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburncsrb] CSRB LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburncsrb [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburncsrb] ActionCOACH Bolton: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton] ActionCOACH Bolton Events: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592 [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592] Paul’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/]

Discover the Art of Storytelling through Jewellery with Helen Dimmick

Helen Dimmick on Building Ainsworth Jewellers into a Destination Store Through Expertise, Community and Charity Helen Dimmick, a jewellery specialist, gemologist, diamond grader and jewellery historian, shares her career path from volunteering and an office junior role at Phillips Auctioneers (now Bonhams) through Bentley & Skinner and Tiffany & Co. to owning four stores via a management buyout, then consulting and becoming interim CEO at the Company of Master Jewellers. During COVID she and her husband Phil Ainsworth partnered to grow Ainsworth Jewellers in Blackburn, a 156-year-old fifth-generation family business, and have more than quadrupled turnover by rebranding around family values, creating a welcoming in-store experience (museum, De Beers education exhibition, champagne bar), investing in staff qualifications, networking, events and outreach. They launched “Wendy’s Legacy” to repurpose jewellery and donate to hospice, plan a first-floor workshop hub with apprenticeships, and aim to reduce reliance on them by building the brand as a trusted legacy. 00:00 Meet Helen Dimick 00:49 Jewellery Career Origins 01:37 Auction House Apprenticeship 02:37 From Bond Street to Tiffany 03:14 Back North and First Business 03:55 What Gemologists Do 05:14 Trust and Expertise in Retail 05:58 Selling Up and Consulting Years 07:16 Covid Pivot and Charity Values 08:27 Ainsworth Jewelers Legacy 09:07 Taking Over the Family Firm 11:11 Quadrupling Turnover Strategy 11:51 Destination Store Experience 14:13 Networking and Community Support 15:47 Becoming a Destination Brand 16:02 Marketing and Events 16:27 Jewellery Stories and Meaning 17:04 Repurposing Old Gold 17:50 Industry Careers and Apprenticeships 19:28 Ten Lessons for Success 22:42 Advice for New Founders 23:40 Growth Plans and Outreach 24:53 Building a Legacy Workshop 26:42 Owner Wellbeing and Balance 28:44 Working with Phil 31:01 Learning and Recommendations 32:26 Where to Find Ainsworth LINKS Ainsworths Jewellers Website: https://ainsworthjewellers.com/ [https://ainsworthjewellers.com/] Inspired Couture Website: https://inspiredcouture.co.uk/ [https://inspiredcouture.co.uk/] Helen’s website: https://helendimmick.com/ [https://helendimmick.com/] Helen’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dimmick-3429b45/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dimmick-3429b45/] Ainsworths LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ainsworth-jewellers/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ainsworth-jewellers/]   ActionCOACH Bolton: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/bolton] ActionCOACH Bolton Events: https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592 [https://business.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches-events-listing?id=15417591592] Paul’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-limb/]