What One Thing?

Phil Davenport and Hayley Baxter
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One business. One lesson. Every episode.  Real businesses. Real stories. Real-time. What One Thing? is the straight-talking bi-weekly podcast for growing UK businesses with a team who are on the move — building, scaling, and figuring it out as they go. Join co-hosts Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT) as they chat with fellow business owners and share their own lessons from the journey — the things they wish they'd known, the wins, the wobbles, and the one thing that made the biggest difference. Each episode is 15–25 minutes of real-world insight, a few laughs, and practical takeaways to help you grow a better business — without the fluff. 🎙️ Expect: Honest interviews with business owners on the growTopic episodes on key business challengesStraight answers, no jargonOne clear lesson, every week👀 Also on YouTube — because yes, it’s filmed too. 📍 Based in Derbyshire, speaking to businesses across the UK. New episodes fortnightly — follow to catch the next one.

  1. How to Build a Consistent Pipeline: Our 30-Day Relationship Building Experiment

    6D AGO

    How to Build a Consistent Pipeline: Our 30-Day Relationship Building Experiment

    If you’ve ever listened to business podcasts and thought “this is great… but I’ll never actually do it” — this episode is for you. In this special episode of the What One Thing podcast, Hayley Baxter and Phil Davenport do something different. Instead of just discussing the ideas shared by successful founders, they commit to implementing one — properly. The focus? Building better relationships as a growth strategy. Over the next 30 days, they set clear targets: 5 meaningful outreach messages per week1 coffee or Zoom conversation1 introduction between contacts1 follow-up with someone already in their networkNo selling. No pitching. Just intentional relationship building. They also open up about the real challenges behind business growth: Inconsistent lead generation pipelinesRelying too heavily on referralsThe discomfort of outreach (especially as an “extroverted introvert”)The gap between knowing what works… and actually doing itThis episode is the starting point of a live business experiment — tracking whether small, consistent actions can create real growth. If you're a business owner looking for more consistent leads, stronger relationships, and a more intentional way to grow your business — this is one to follow. 🎯 Subscribe to follow the full 30-day implementation journey

    10 min
  2. How To Use AI Without The Hype - Ian Lockwood

    MAR 11

    How To Use AI Without The Hype - Ian Lockwood

    There’s a lot of noise around AI — but most small business owners don’t need more hype. They need practical ways to reduce pressure, improve customer experience, and scale without adding unnecessary cost. In this episode, Ian Lockwood shares how he implemented an AI chatbot across multiple websites to reduce inbound calls, automate parts of the quote process, and improve the customer journey — with a clear warning about guardrails and AI “hallucinations”. In this episode, we cover: Why “What problem would it actually solve?” is the best starting pointHow AI chatbots can reduce repetitive inbound calls and improve response timeThe real risk of overpromising — and how to build guardrailsWhat implementation looks like for non-technical business ownersWhen integration gets complex (stock, quotes, delivery updates)Building a usable knowledge base — and why formatting and context matter What One Thing is a podcast for thinking business owners talking to thinking business owners — grounded conversations that focus on what’s useful, not what’s trendy. Hosted by Phil Davenport and Hayley Baxter. Brought to you by Corbar Accounting and Affirm IT Services Ltd. If you’ve been experimenting with AI (or avoiding it), share your “one thing” in the comments — what’s the one business problem you’d actually want AI to solve? And if you found this useful, subscribe for more practical episodes.

    34 min

  3. FEB 25

    Know Your Numbers - Debbie Porter

    If you’re bringing in revenue but still not seeing the profit you expect, this episode is for you. Debbie Porter (Destination Digital Marketing) shares how COVID forced a hard reset — and why ‘knowing your numbers’ became the habit that protects profit, reduces risk, and helps you lead your business with clarity. In this episode we cover: • Moving from gut feel to numbers-led leadership • Pricing from costs + margin (not competitors) • ‘Whales’ and why big clients can become a risk • Why Xero shows the past — and what to add to forecast forwards • Avoiding surprise VAT and corporation tax bills • Building a simple sales ledger to spot gaps early

    32 min
  4. Growth Without Freedom Isn’t Success – Bev Flanagan

    FEB 11

    Growth Without Freedom Isn’t Success – Bev Flanagan

    What does it actually take to build a business (an accountancy practice in Bev's case) that doesn’t rely on you 24/7? In this episode of What One Thing?, we’re joined by accountant, coach and international speaker Bev Flanagan. Bev shares how she went from being constantly “on” for clients — even while supporting her sister abroad — to building a fully systemised, cloud-based accountancy practice that allowed her to travel, work from anywhere, and ultimately sell her firm. We cover: • How to stop creating a job and start building a business asset • Why systems and pricing are critical for time freedom • The mindset shift every accountant must make to grow • How to move from firefighting to long-term planning • What to do if you feel stuck in your accountancy practice If you’re an accountant, bookkeeper or service-based business owner who feels chained to your desk, this episode will resonate. Bev now coaches accountants and bookkeepers to build scalable, profitable firms with clarity and confidence. 🎯 Her one thing? Plan what you actually want — and reverse engineer it. — 🔗 Connect with Bev: Website: https://www.bevflanaganbff.com/ Email: bev@bevflanagan.com LinkedIn — What One Thing? is the bi-weekly podcast for growing UK business owners with a team. Brought to you by Corbar Accounting and Affirm IT Services. Subscribe for practical insights, honest conversations, and real-world lessons from business owners building something bigger.

    34 min
  5. You Built It… Now What?: When Success Misaligns – Lisa Johnson

    JAN 28

    You Built It… Now What?: When Success Misaligns – Lisa Johnson

    What happens when you achieve everything you thought you wanted — and still feel unfulfilled? In this episode of What One Thing, we’re joined by Lisa Johnson, who built a multi-seven-figure business, topped the charts, and was invited into the most elite entrepreneurial spaces — before realising the “more” mindset no longer worked for her. From turning down Necker Island to choosing a £6.99 Chinese with friends, Lisa shares the moment she realised success had drifted away from what actually mattered. In this honest, reflective conversation, we explore: Why hitting big financial goals doesn’t always bring fulfilmentHow to define your version of success — not social media’sKnowing when “enough” is an achievement, not a failureRedesigning a business to fit your life (not consume it)Letting go of status, comparison, and external expectationsThis episode is for business owners who’ve built something impressive — but are quietly asking whether it still feels right. 🎙 Hosted by Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) & Phil Davenport (Affirm IT) 👉 If this episode resonates, please like, subscribe, and share it with another business owner on the same journey.

    28 min

  6. JAN 13

    Lessons Learned Running a Business in 2025 (Honest Reflections from Two Founders)

    What really changes after another year of running a business? In this end-of-year reflection episode of What One Thing, Hayley Baxter and Phil Davenport look back honestly on the past year — what surprised them, what challenged them, and what genuinely shifted how they now run their businesses. This isn’t a highlight reel or a list of wins. It’s a real conversation about growth, visibility, accountability, and the lessons that only show up when you’re deep in it. In this episode, they talk about: What they thought would be hard in business — and why it wasn’t Why time, energy, and focus are still some of the hardest things to manage The reality of team management versus expectations How peer groups, collaboration, and asking for help changed everything Why visibility in numbers and decisions matters more than growth alone What they would do differently if they could start the year again The importance of consistency — and how hard it actually is to sustain If you’re finishing the year asking “What have I really learned?” or “Why does this still feel harder than it should?” — this episode will resonate. What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way. If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you! Connect with the hosts Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-davenport-affirmit/ https://affirmit.co.uk/ Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-baxter-/ https://corbar.uk/ Follow What One Thing Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/ Instagram: @whatonethingpod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-one-thing/ YouTube: Subscribe here #UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness Chapters 00:00 Reflecting on the Year08:36 Key Learnings and Changes15:51 Reflection and Planning for the Future21:29 One Word to Describe the Year29:32 Pride and Achievements

    28 min

  7. 12/24/2025

    What We’ve Learned From Running a Weekly Podcast as Business Owners| What One Thing

    What’s one thing about starting a podcast that you thought would be easy… but wasn’t? In this behind-the-scenes episode of What One Thing, hosts Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) reflect honestly on what it’s really like running a weekly podcast alongside two busy businesses. They share what surprised them, what took far longer than expected (editing, captions, clips, admin), how tough audience growth can be without consistent marketing, and how they’ve embraced AI tools (Riverside transcripts + GPT) to save time and tighten up the show. If you’re a business owner considering launching a podcast — or you’re trying to build your brand through content without burning out — this episode is packed with real-world lessons. ⏱️ Episode timestamps 00:05 – What seemed easy but wasn’t?  00:10 – Audience growth struggles  00:44 – Editing + admin reality  01:58 – Why structure matters  02:38 – The surprising part: enjoying it  03:07 – Guest lessons that changed how we run our businesses  05:07 – Unexpected benefits (collaboration + confidence)  08:13 – Playing the long game + consistency  09:05 – ROI and the “soft introduction” effect  12:24 – What we’d do differently if we started again  15:25 – Using AI to speed up content creation  18:58 – Final thoughts: make it enjoyable or you won’t stick with it If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a business owner who’s thinking about hitting “record.” What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way. If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you! Connect with the hosts Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services LinkedIn https://affirmit.co.uk/ Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting LinkedIn https://corbar.uk/ Follow What One Thing Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/ Instagram LinkedIn YouTube #UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

    20 min

  8. 12/17/2025

    Taking Radical Responsibility in Business: How Jo Simpson Survived the 2008 Crash

    What do you do when your business looks successful on the outside… but the numbers tell a very different story? In this episode of What One Thing, Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) talk to Jo Simpson, an accountant who grew multiple businesses – including two multi–seven-figure ventures – before the 2008 crash exposed just how fragile things really were.  Jo shares: How she realised strong revenue was hiding weak financial foundationsWhy she spent months blaming the government, banks and everyone else before accepting that nobody was coming to save her The “stop it and tidy up” approach she used to face every number, cost and commitment in both life and businessHow honest conversations with suppliers, clients and even HMRC helped her keep going when most businesses folded Phil and Hayley use Jo’s story as a springboard to talk about: The difference between blame and responsibility for business ownersWhy knowing your numbers and having solid IT systems is essential if you want a resilient, scalable businessHow strong relationships – with suppliers, clients and your team – can carry you through a recession, a pandemic and everything in between If you’re a business owner in the East Midlands (or anywhere else) who wants to grow and sleep at night, this episode will challenge how you think about responsibility, risk and leadership. What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way. If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you! Connect with the hosts Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services LinkedIn https://affirmit.co.uk/ Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting LinkedIn https://corbar.uk/ Follow What One Thing Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/ Instagram LinkedIn YouTube #UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness

    32 min
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About

One business. One lesson. Every episode.  Real businesses. Real stories. Real-time. What One Thing? is the straight-talking bi-weekly podcast for growing UK businesses with a team who are on the move — building, scaling, and figuring it out as they go. Join co-hosts Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) and Phil Davenport (Affirm IT) as they chat with fellow business owners and share their own lessons from the journey — the things they wish they'd known, the wins, the wobbles, and the one thing that made the biggest difference. Each episode is 15–25 minutes of real-world insight, a few laughs, and practical takeaways to help you grow a better business — without the fluff. 🎙️ Expect: Honest interviews with business owners on the growTopic episodes on key business challengesStraight answers, no jargonOne clear lesson, every week👀 Also on YouTube — because yes, it’s filmed too. 📍 Based in Derbyshire, speaking to businesses across the UK. New episodes fortnightly — follow to catch the next one.

Information

  • Creator
    Phil Davenport and Hayley Baxter
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Phil Davenport and Hayley Baxter
  • Show Website
    What One Thing?