Our last guest of the year on The Merri-Cast Podcast is the fantastic Liz Barclay – Small Business Commissioner and entrepreneur.

Liz’s entrepreneurial spark has always been a part of her DNA. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, her work has always been centred around helping others and making a difference.

After spells in the voluntary sector and becoming an entrepreneur herself, Liz became the Small Business Commissioner in 2021, maintaining her commitment to putting others first and advocating for small businesses.

Key highlights from the episode include:

• Why she’s so passionate about helping others.
• Finding a mentor to you to fill your gaps.
• How she tackles resistance to change.
• Finding creative ways to move organisations forward.
• Actionable advice for entrepreneurs starting a business.
• The perils of late payments – and how to avoid them.
• The importance of ‘Speaking Up’ when you see wrongdoing.

…and much more besides!

Liz has so many lessons to share that will help entrepreneurs starting or scaling their business!

Liz Barclay:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lizbarclay
Website: https://peoplematter.tv/people-who-make-a-difference/liz-barclay/

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

Our 50th episode of The Merri-Cast podcast is now live! We’re thrilled that joining us on this milestone episode, is the brilliant Per Wimmer – entrepreneur, adventurer, philanthropist and recent winner at the Business Book Awards.

From working at prestigious organisations like Goldman Sachs and McKinsey, space training, skydiving over Mount Everest to founding multiple businesses including Wimmer Financial – Per’s life and career has been full of variety and exciting adventures.

Per’s experience means he has a unique perspective on blending ambition with purpose. In this episode, he tells some fascinating stories and shares valuable insights including:

• Facing challenges head-on
• Human interaction - why people want to interact with interesting people
• The 7 Core Values for Success and what value is most important to him
• How to start and grow a sustainable business
• How his adventures fuel his entrepreneurial drive

There’s a common view that entrepreneurs should be focused on one thing, but Per’s story proves that you can balance risk, adventure and make a positive impact. So, whether you're a new entrepreneur, a seasoned professional or someone inspired by courageous journeys, this episode is for you.

Per Wimmer:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/perwimmer
Wimmer Financial: https://wimmerfinancial.com/
Wimmer Space: https://wimmerspace.com/
Book: The Sky is No Limit

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk

This week on The Merri-Cast, I’m joined by the brilliant Polly Barnfield OBE, CEO and Founder of Maybe* which helps companies save time and improve results through the use of AI.

Polly’s career started with riding horses and working for a web design company, before deciding that taking instructions from others wasn’t for her. After setting up various business and charitable ventures, she set up Maybe* 10 years ago.

In this episode, Polly shares fantastic insights including:

• The importance of planning in encouraging the best ideas.
• Employing people better than you.
• Being prepared to change your plan but stick to your vision.
• What “winning” means to her.
• Viewing AI as an ally, rather than an enemy.

Whilst Polly explains that entrepreneurship is tough, she emphasises how much fun it is too. What impressed me the most though, is how brilliantly Polly tells her story, her positive take on AI and why as a founder, you must get used to being wrong far more often than you might care to admit.

Polly Barnfield:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pollybarnfield
Website: https://www.maybetech.com/
Email: polly@maybetech.com

Trevor:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevormerriden/
Merriborn Media: https://merribornmedia.co.uk/
Email: trevor.merriden@merribornmedia.co.uk