The Parenting Business

Stuart Malcolmson with Ben Lovejoy
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If you're a parent and you're in business, whether you own it or manage it, then this podcast is for you. Stuart and Ben are both multiple business owners trying to juggle work and family life. We discuss how things are going, the ups and downs of running businesses and how that affects weekly family life. We also talk about other things happening in the world, give our views on it and chat to other parents in business, to discover their stories, secrets, hints and tips for both better business and family life.

  1. 1d ago

    The Chaos, The Joy and The Big Question: Will We Be Here Next Week?

    Summary In this weeks episode, Stuart and Ben share their usual candid stories from their busy parenting and business lives — from bedtime routines to epic road trips — and reflect on the realities of entrepreneurship mixed with family life. Expect honest insights, humor, and practical thoughts on balancing it all. Dont forget to follow of subscribe and remeber you can get in touch with your stories, thoughts, jokes and question by eailing podcast@parentingbusiness.com Key Topics The flexibility and chaos of running a business with kids aroundThe humorous side of parenting challenges, like late-night recording and road trip grumblesCelebrating small wins: moments of joy and pride with childrenThe impact of social events like Nottingham Pride on personal and professional lifeManaging feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome as business ownersThe importance of celebrating successes and acknowledging progressNavigating desire for material symbols of success, such as cars, versus financial security and investmentsThe influence of comparisons and self-worth in entrepreneurship and family life Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: The juggling act of parenting and entrepreneurship00:31 - Rethinking recording schedules around kids’ routines01:36 - The reality of working long hours flexibly02:47 - Celebrating kids’ independence and creativity in everyday moments03:45 - Parenting frustrations and the beauty of children leading their own play04:34 - The significance of small parenting victories and moments of pride05:01 - Discussing visual coffee art and the importance of details05:46 - Challenges of family trips, delays, and road trip frustrations06:53 - The persistent question, “Are we nearly there yet?” and managing family expectations07:45 - The influence of material possessions and the desire for status symbols08:45 - Personal stories about car choices and perceptions of success09:35 - The importance of valuing experiences and investments over flashy objects10:23 - Celebrating community events like Nottingham Pride and their broader significance11:00 - The joy and diversity of pride celebrations and corporate involvement12:27 - The relentless pressure of work and planning upcoming holidays13:16 - Discussions about taking breaks from podcasting and managing editing responsibilities14:54 - Recognizing the importance of celebrating small wins in business and life15:41 - Reflecting on respect, kindness, and managing emotions in everyday interactions16:45 - Sarcastic humor in everyday situations and managing frustrations17:45 - The story behind "urine sample" joke, highlighting humor in stressful moments18:14 - The universal fear of not being enough and its effect on entrepreneurs19:23 - Exploring the comparison trap and feelings of inadequacy20:02 - The misconception of entrepreneurship bringing more freedom and wealth21:19 - The desire for recognition and praise, regardless of age22:32 - The importance of celebrating wins and overcoming negative moods23:19 - Social media influences, status symbols, and personal identity24:13 - The lessons from luxury cars and the value of financial priorities25:05 - The story of a successful business owner with modest possessions26:07 - Cost analysis of luxury cars versus investing in future security27:34 - Fuel efficiency myths and driving habits28:46 - Imposter syndrome and feeling out of place among successful peers29:23 - Managing self-esteem and the pressure to conform to material standards30:02 - Family perceptions and the importance of self-worth beyond possessions31:10 - Long-term investments in children’s future over material luxuries31:43 - The importance of savings and compounding in financial planning33:21 - Wrapping up with questions about taking a summer break or continuing the podcast34:49 - The ongoing struggle with self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy35:54 - Final thoughts: acknowledging the chaos but finding joy in the journey

    The Chaos, The Joy and The Big Question: Will We Be Here Next Week?

  2. Jul 23

    Ben's Had Some Sh1t Customers This Week... And Stuart's One Of Them!!!

    Summary It's another week with Stuart and Ben sharing personal highs and lows, discussing current political and economic issues, and exploring business insights, all with a humorous twist. This weeks episode offers another candid look at parenting, business challenges, and the state of UK politics. Stuart also shamlessly plugs his new company It's a Dogs Life. A lifestyle clothing brand, with a humerous twist. You can check out the range at www.its-dogslife.co.uk and, if you use the discount code PARENT10 at checkout, you'll get 10% OFF! Stuart also flips The Big Question on Ben and takes over his Dad Joke, although at the minute is the bigger joke British politics? Don't forget you can get in touch with your stories, jokes and tips by ether leaving us a comment or emailing us at podcast@parentingbusiness.com Chapters Stuart's a dope and didn't actually create any this week, so you'll have to listen to the whole thing!! Keywords business, parenting, UK politics, entrepreneurship, resilience, energy, government, UK economy, business challenges, personal highs and lows

    Ben's Had Some Sh1t Customers This Week... And Stuart's One Of Them!!!

  3. Jul 16

    Harnessing AI For Business Growth & Security - Chris Wilkes: From The NHS To Tech Leadership

    Summary This week Stuart and Ben chat with Chris Wilkes, technical director at Geostream Solutions, who shares his journey from NHS support desk to leading cybersecurity and AI integration in business. We explore how AI can transform operations, the importance of family support, and practical advice for business owners navigating digital change. The guys also share another story about some of the challenges of both being a business owner and a parent and Ben gets replaced for his Dad Joke! If you want to get incolved, please do make sure you leave us a review or comment. Remeber you can calso get in touch with us by emailing podcast@parentingbusiness.com. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the show and Highs and Lows 23:07 Introduction to Chris and Geostream Solutions 25:57 Chris's Journey in IT and Family Life 28:52 Balancing Work and Family Responsibilities 31:47 The Role of AI in Business 34:45 Understanding AI and Its Applications 37:25 Educating Businesses on AI Utilization 40:30 Role Play: AI Implementation Challenges 43:22 Exploring AI's Potential for Efficiency 46:08 The Importance of Understanding AI's Capabilities 49:12 AI for Lead Generation and Automation 52:01 Conclusion: Time Management and AI Benefits 53:12 Harnessing AI for Life Improvement 55:03 Overcoming Personal Challenges 01:00:36 The Importance of Family Support 01:04:49 Career Achievements and Future Aspirations 01:10:35 Navigating AI's Impact on Jobs 01:13:28 Advice for Business Owners and Parents 01:16:25 Future Plans: Starting a Podcast 01:21:40 Embracing the 21st Century 01:24:27 Philosophical Musings on Everyday Questions 01:27:21 Family Life and Weekend Plans Keywords AI, cybersecurity, business automation, family life, career journey, digital transformation, managed IT, Microsoft 365, AI security, leadership

    Harnessing AI For Business Growth & Security - Chris Wilkes: From The NHS To Tech Leadership

  4. Jul 9

    Mechanical Breakdown This Week. Back to Mental Breakdowns Next!

    Summary Alongside the usual rambling chat about goings on in life, business ownership and parenting, this week Ben and Stuart talk about Ben's crazy car accident and the aftermath! This is coupled with the usual Big Question, which has both Stuart and Ben realise that they should know the answer but don't! Also this week, the Dad Joke becomes toddler joke of the week, in what looks set to become a new feature. Don't forget to subscribe and follow the show, so that you can get a new episode into your ears every Thursday. And, if you have any big questions, experiences or jokes to share, please either leave us a comment or drop us an email to podcast@parentingbusiness.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Parenting and Business Balance 02:46 Celebrating Small Wins in Parenting 05:28 Highs and Lows of Business Life 05:53 The Importance of Supportive Networks 09:52 Navigating Challenges in Parenting and Business 10:47 A Heroic Moment on the Road 18:48 Frustrations with Insurance and Breakdown Services 22:10 Late Night Adventures and Misadventures 25:20 Reflections on Faith and Community 29:17 The Importance of Helping Others 34:08 Humor and Lighthearted Moments 39:49 Looking Ahead: Future Topics and Guests Keywords podcast, personal stories, road incident, faith, community, humor, parenting, business, life lessons

    Mechanical Breakdown This Week. Back to Mental Breakdowns Next!

  5. Jul 2

    The Happiness Of Being There For Your Kids Milestones

    Summary Stuart and Ben this week actually pick a topic to talk about!! Their share their satisfaction of how being a business owner can actually have it's perks and allow you to be there more for your kids important milestone. Things like sports days, first days of school, nursery graduations and more. Stuart also shares how it can be difficult, as a seperated dad who unfortnately missed out on some of thosemilestones in his daughters life, despite wanting to be there. Also, this week the guys share their usual weekly highs and lows, theirs Ben's usual dad joke and the Big Question doesn't come from a 5 year old, but instead comes from Stuart! Don't forget that you can get in touch with the show by either leaving us a comment or sending us an email to podcast@parentingbusiness.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Parenting and Business Dynamics 03:00 Navigating Business Challenges and Maintaining Momentum 05:45 Highs and Lows of Business Operations 08:46 Outsourcing and Managing Workloads 11:22 The Importance of Margins in Business 13:17 Parenting Milestones and Personal Reflections 16:13 Balancing Personal Growth and Parenting 18:59 The Emotional Journey of Parenting 21:53 Reflections on Childhood and Parenting Styles 31:08 Parental Involvement in Childhood Events 33:02 Reflections on Family Dynamics and Business 33:46 Work-Life Balance and Family Priorities 36:29 Navigating Business Challenges and Family Commitments 39:17 Management Styles and Team Dynamics 43:51 Quality Control and Business Standards 47:44 Flexibility in the Workplace 51:17 Lighthearted Moments and Audience Engagement Keywords business challenges, family milestones, outsourcing, work-life balance, manufacturing, food coloring, entrepreneurship

    The Happiness Of Being There For Your Kids Milestones

  6. Jun 25

    The Challenging Discussion That Nearly Didn't Get Aired!

    Summary This week, Stuart and Ben share what decended into a (very) long disccusion from from a few weeks back, about how they manage and support their staff in different ways. The discussion took them on a bit of a roller coaster, butting heads and then finding elements of common ground, showing that there isn't always a definative "right" or "wrong" way to manage your staff team. There's also the usual Big Question and Dad Joke, but with a twist this week. As well as the guys weekly highs and lows and a quick discusion on Keir Starmer's resignation and the possible new Labour leader and Prime Minister. Please do get in touch with your questions, stories, jokes and tips about how you manage your parenting business. You can either leave us a comment or send us an email directly to podcast@parentingbusiness.com

    The Challenging Discussion That Nearly Didn't Get Aired!

  7. Jun 18

    Kids On Social Media And Parenting - What's our Initial Thoughts On The Ban

    Summary This week Stuart and Ben chat about their usual highs and lows. They then get into an initial discussion on the governments recent announcement to ban social media for your people and their thoughts on how it might affect things, as a parent. ben then shareshis insightful Big Question about explaining C-Sections to toddlers and follows with his usual Dad Joke. Don't forget that you can get in touch with the show to ask questions, share stories, or suggest topics for Stuart and Ben to discuss by either commenting, or sending an email to podcast@parentingbusiness.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction and episode overview 00:35 Personal updates and sugar-free challenge 02:12 Practical use of water temperature theory 03:51 Business update: order book and liquidation 05:35 Dealing with liquidation and business resilience 07:46 Car issues and upcoming holiday plans 18:29 Government social media ban and its implications 22:15 Social media's influence on children and mental health 25:55 Content quality and social media's impact 30:41 Parenting questions: children and social media 35:37 Humorous and philosophical questions about birth 41:03 Jokes and light-hearted moments 43:46 Time to Say Bye! Keywords parenting, business, social media, mental health, entrepreneurship, family, technology, parenting tips, business challenges, social media ban

    Kids On Social Media And Parenting - What's our Initial Thoughts On The Ban

  8. Jun 11

    How Do You Tell A 5 Year Old The Dog's Dead?.. And Other Things

    Summary This week Stuart talks about breaking the worst news to a 5 year old and shares the way he did it. Ben talks about having a favourite child! And, the guys both share their other highs and lows of the past week, both in work and family lives. Ben also shares his Big Question and usual top quality *cough* Dad Joke. Don't forget that you can get in touch with us at The Parenting Business, with your questions, tips, advice and stories about how you balance being both a parent and business owner. Just either leave us a comment or send us an email to podcast@parentingbusiness.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Parenting and Business Balance 02:03 Reflections on Wealth and Happiness 02:55 Family Dynamics and Compliments 04:47 Challenges of Parenting Boys vs. Girls 05:45 The Struggles of Sugar-Free Living 09:40 Highs and Lows of Car Ownership 18:19 Dealing with Loss and Grief 22:34 Processing Loss and Grief 24:18 The Impact of Pet Loss on Children 25:53 Comparing Loss: Pets vs. Humans 28:05 Building Resilience Through Repeated Loss 28:58 Navigating Grief in Children 31:38 Coping Mechanisms During Difficult Times 33:41 Lighthearted Moments Amidst Serious Topics Keywords parenting, family, personal stories, pet loss, life challenges, mental health, parenting tips

    How Do You Tell A 5 Year Old The Dog's Dead?.. And Other Things
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About

If you're a parent and you're in business, whether you own it or manage it, then this podcast is for you. Stuart and Ben are both multiple business owners trying to juggle work and family life. We discuss how things are going, the ups and downs of running businesses and how that affects weekly family life. We also talk about other things happening in the world, give our views on it and chat to other parents in business, to discover their stories, secrets, hints and tips for both better business and family life.

Information

  • Creator
    Stuart Malcolmson with Ben Lovejoy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Stuart Malcolmson with Ben Lovejoy
  • Show Website
    The Parenting Business