Business Blethers

Karen Kennedy
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

From upstart bakeries to award winning consultancies, chartered accountant Karen Kennedy chats to business owners across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. What motivates them, what are the benefits and challenges of operating here, and what does success look like? If you are interested in business and the people behind them, this is the podcast for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. 01/27/2025

    What did we learn? - Bonus episode

    A wee chance for Karen to go over some of her highlights from series 1. Thanks to everyone for listening, for sharing, and for getting in touch. I've made a wee survey to ask your opinion on the series. Please fill it in. It won't take long, but it will help us make sure we are making the podcast you want to listen to. https://forms.gle/gKb2AYMtziZR2QmQA The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track. The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/ The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/  You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 min

  2. 01/13/2025

    From hospital to hospitality - Clare Winskill

    In episode 6, Karen is having a blether with Clare Winskill. Clare and her partner Iain run Coruisk House in Elgol on the Isle of Skye. In a previous life she was an intensive care nurse, and also a lawyer specialising in insolvency. They talk about those massive career changes, the decision to take on a small business in Skye, and how she found out some of her former colleagues were involved in a £245 million pound fraud that led to 6 of them going to jail. In Skye, Clare has taken on quite a few leadership roles – she is the Co-Chair of the Institute of Directors Highlands and Islands, as well as being a member of the Scottish Tourism Alliance. A lot of the blether focuses on that. And on her concerns about the future of tourism in the highlands as we await the introduction of a visitor levy. You can find the survey we talk about here. Please fill it in if you can. https://skyeandlochalsh.com/ The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track.   The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/   The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/   You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/   and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min

  3. 12/30/2024

    Being more than a mum - Izzy Cunnignham

    Welcome to Episode 5 of Business Blethers. This one is with Izzy Cunningham. Izzy runs Scribe and Grow, a craft business in the Isle of Skye, specialising in plantable greetings cards and candles with seeds where the container becomes a plant pot. She’s been stocked in John Lewis, as well as being found businesses throughout Scotland. I know Izzy very well. I am both her accountant and friend. It makes this blether all the more special, and it means we can talk openly and frankly about motherhood, mental health and fulfilment. I’m very grateful to Izzy for speaking to me, and for telling me about the struggles that led her to seek a change in her life. We also talk about scaling a business, letting go of control, employing staff, finding confidence, and leaving behind the unhealthy work culture of a career in fashion in London. This is actually the first blether I recorded, way back in November 2023 when I had the idea for the podcast, even though you guys are just hearing it now. You can find Scribe and Grow at https://scribeandgrow.com/ Or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/scribe_and_grow/?hl=en-gb The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track. The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/ The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/  You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min

  4. 12/16/2024

    Scaling a business at speed and winning awards - Iain MacPhail

    Welcome to episode 4 of Business Blethers. This time Inverness based UK Start Up Entrepreneur of the Year, Iain MacPhail, stops by for a blether with Karen. She chats to him to him about how the necessity to problem solve in the Highlands and Islands makes for adaptable, skilled and pragmatic businesses. She asks him about the many awards they’ve won in their 4 years trading. He talks about his background as an electrician, and his involvement as chair of the HebCelt Festival in his native Isle of Lewis. https://www.hebceltfest.com/ https://idmsafetysolutions.co.uk/ The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track. The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/ The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/  You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min

  5. 12/01/2024

    Believing in your own abilities - Lynne Kennedy

    In this episode, Karen chats to elopement and food photographer, Lynne Kennedy. Lynne used to work London and could never imagine returning back home to the west coast of the Highlands. That all changed and she did. Now, several careers later, she is a successful elopement and food photographer. Elopement photography has really taken off on the Isle of Skye. Lynne talks about changing tack to make that the main focus of her business. Her and Karen also talk about making work suit your life, and about overcoming the voice in your head that holds you back. You can find more information about Lynne's work at https://lynnekennedy.co.uk/ The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track. The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/ The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/  You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min

  6. 11/18/2024

    From cupcakes and spreadsheets to Nigella Lawson endorsements - Jeni Iannetta

    Jeni Iannetta runs Bad Girl Bakery in Inverness and Muir of Ord, as well the Cook School. She also has a very successful cookbook - endorsed by Nigella Lawson, no less, and has started a network for other food businesses in the Highlands. She wasn't always a baker, though. It's a job and change of career that grew out of a hobby. She’s got loads of great stuff to say about quality, pivoting, valuing staff input, and how other businesses can support each other. Here's her website for more info https://badgirlbakery.co.uk/ The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track. The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/ The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/  You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  7. 11/04/2024

    The drive to always do better - Gary Innes

    In this episode, Karen chats to musician, broadcaster and businessman, Gary Innes. When Gary isn’t playing accordion with traditional music group Mànran, he can be found hosting Take the Floor and Your Requests on BBC Radio Scotland. If that’s not enough, he’s turned his hand to music promotion – putting on Hoolie in the Hydro, a giant traditional music event in Glasgow, in 2022, 2023 and now again in 2024. Karen finds out what motivates Gary. She hears about his family’s roots in business, his mother’s insistence that playing an accordion wouldn’t be enough to keep a family, and his pride in excelling at event organising, despite not being academic in school. Tickets for the Hoolie are still available https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/hoolie-in-the-hydro-glasgow-07-12-2024/event/36005F63D5214DA7 The music is Each Uisge by Niteworks. Thanks to Niteworks for permission to use the track. The artwork for the podcast is by Caitlin at Sona Design https://www.sona.scot/ The episode was recorded and edited by John at Telt Media https://telt.media/  You can find Karen in her day job at Kennedy Accountancy https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ and here, on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kennedy-ca-3b2a1849?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min

  8. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Trailer

    A wee taste of what's to come on Business Blethers - a new podcast with Karen Kennedy. Every fortnight, Karen chats to a businessperson in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland about them, their life and their business. Insightful, interesting and fun - make sure you subscribe to Business Blethers so you don't miss and episode. Find out more about Karen at Kennedy Accountancy: https://kennedyaccountancy.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

Trailer

About

From upstart bakeries to award winning consultancies, chartered accountant Karen Kennedy chats to business owners across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. What motivates them, what are the benefits and challenges of operating here, and what does success look like? If you are interested in business and the people behind them, this is the podcast for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Karen Kennedy
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Karen Kennedy
  • Show Website
    Business Blethers