Business Networking as a Beginner.

From Hull to the Premier League: with Oxen Sports CEO, Lee Jenkinson.

Oxen Sports was born in a Hull meeting room out of adversity, and seven years on, you'll find the brand in kit bags, dressing rooms and locker rooms across the country and around the world. In this episode of North of Ordinary, host Tina Swann sits down with Lee Jenkinson, CEO of Oxen Sports and Elite Pro Sports, to unpack how a brand created beneath C4DI's feet became Hull City's Premier League kit partner. Lee talks openly about the pivot that started it all, why the kit that divides opinion always sells best, and the storytelling behind the Tigers' new 26/27 home shirt. He also reveals the thinking behind the newly launched Oxen running brand with rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield, the long road to building genuine club relationships, and why "sometimes a no is as powerful as a yes." This is a conversation about Hull pride, the long game, and what it really takes to build a sports brand on your own terms. North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries to: hello@c4di.net The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/ Produced by Audite Podcast Production. https://www.audite.uk/ Chapter Markers. 00:00 Born out of adversity: where Oxen began 03:40 Athlete-led product and the new boot for 2028 06:00 Launching Oxen running with Kevin Sinfield 09:00 What Hull means to the brand 11:30 Becoming Hull City's first Premier League kit partner 16:30 The kit that divided opinion 19:30 Why "a no is as powerful as a yes" 25:00 Listening to fans and the women's range 26:00 What's next: Australia, the NRL and the long game 30:00 Quickfire round #NorthOfOrdinary #OxenSports #HullCity #HullBusiness #EastYorkshire #KevinSinfield #KitDesign #BusinessPodcast #Hull #TheTigers North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/ This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Life After the Final Whistle | A Conversation with Former Hull City Captain, Ian Ashbee.

Ian Ashbee captained Hull City through one of the most remarkable journeys in English football: three consecutive promotions from the third tier to the Premier League. It's a feat that may never be matched. But in this episode of North of Ordinary, we're less interested in the trophies and more interested in what came after. Ian opens up about the reality of retiring from professional football; the loss of routine, identity, structure and purpose that almost nobody prepares you for. He talks honestly about the years it took to find his feet, the businesses he's built since, and why giving back to Hull and its young people has become the driving force of his second chapter. From the pressures of captaincy to the challenge of learning spreadsheets, from life on the estate in Birmingham to becoming an honorary Yorkshireman, this is a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and what success actually looks like when the roar of the crowd has faded. Hull and East Yorkshire are anything but ordinary. Neither is Ian Ashbee. North of Ordinary is a podcast celebrating the lives and work of the people and businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire. It's produced by Audite Podcast Production and powered by C4DI, Hull's Centre for Digital Innovation. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. #NorthOfOrdinary #BusinessPodcast #FootballToBusinessLife #HullCity #LifeAfterFootball North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/ This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

What It Really Takes to Run a Hospitality Business

What is it really like to run a hospitality business in the UK today? In this episode of North of Ordinary, Anna Lamb, founder of Nibble, Next Door, and The Makery, shares an honest, unfiltered look at the realities of operating in the hospitality industry. From launching a café with limited resources to building a recognised food brand, this conversation explores the true highs and lows of owning a hospitality business. Anna breaks down the real challenges facing the UK hospitality sector, including rising food costs, energy bills, staffing pressures and the long-term impact of COVID on customer behaviour. She explains why being busy doesn’t always mean being profitable, and why many hospitality businesses are under more pressure than ever before. This episode goes beyond the surface to explore leadership in hospitality, team culture, customer experience and what it takes to build loyalty in a competitive food and drink market. It also highlights the resilience required to survive in an industry where margins are tight and expectations are constantly evolving. Whether you run a restaurant, café or food business, or you are thinking about entering the hospitality industry, this episode offers real insight into what it takes to succeed and sustain a business in today’s climate. #HospitalityBusiness #UKHospitality #RestaurantIndustry #CafeOwner #FoodBusinessUK North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/ This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Behind Humber Business Week

What really goes into Humber Business Week? In this episode of North of Ordinary, we sit down with Pat Coyle, Chair of Humber Business Week, to explore how one of the region’s biggest business events is brought to life. From its early beginnings with just a handful of events to a now packed calendar of nearly 50, this is a story of collaboration, community and momentum. We go behind the scenes of the planning, the people and the purpose. This isn’t just a week of events. It’s a platform for businesses across Hull and the Humber to connect, showcase what they do and put the region on the map. Pat shares how the week is built by the business community itself, why it continues to grow each year and what makes it so valuable whether you’re attending, hosting or getting involved for the first time. If you’re a business owner, leader or professional in the Humber region, this episode gives you a clear insight into why Humber Business Week matters and how you can be part of it. Find out more and explore events: https://humberbusinessweek.co.uk/ [https://humberbusinessweek.co.uk/] Subscribe for more conversations with people shaping business, innovation and communities across Hull and the Humber. #HumberBusinessWeek #HullBusiness #HumberRegion #BusinessEventsUK #NetworkingUK #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurshipUK #NorthOfOrdinary #Collaboration #Innovation North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/ This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Making of a Paramedic with Ray Chapman

He left school with almost no qualifications and no clear idea what his future would look like. Today, Ray Chapman is a specialist paramedic with more than 25 years of experience on the frontline of emergency medicine. In this episode of North of Ordinary, Ray shares the remarkable journey that took him from a working-class upbringing in Hull to a career saving lives across the region. His path was anything but straightforward. Ray talks openly about leaving school without direction, joining the Army at just 17, serving during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, struggling to find his place after leaving the military and hitting rock bottom after being failed at university on the final hurdle. What followed was years of rebuilding. Working multiple jobs, returning to education later in life and slowly finding his way into the ambulance service, first through patient transport and eventually qualifying as a paramedic. More than two decades later, he is still working on the frontline and mentoring the next generation of emergency responders. Ray has also written a book called “Becoming a Specialist Paramedic”, an honest reflection on his life, his journey into the ambulance service and the realities of working on the frontline of emergency care. The book shares the experiences, challenges and lessons that shaped him both as a paramedic and as a person. You can find the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/03mowxfG [https://amzn.eu/d/03mowxfG] This conversation is a powerful reminder that your starting point does not define your future. Ray’s story shows that success rarely follows a straight line and that sometimes the moments that feel like failure are the very things that push you towards the right path. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to retrain, change direction or start again, this episode is proof that it isn’t. Subscribe to North of Ordinary for more stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things across Hull and the Humber region. #paramedic #ambulanceservice #emergencyservices #hull #lifelessons #careerchange #resilience #podcast #northofordinary North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/ This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.