Small Business, Big Network

Liz Drury

Small Business, Big Network is the podcast for small business owners who want better results from their networking. I'm Liz Drury, a freelance voiceover artist who knows that if you're not working as much as you'd like, then networking could help! The show is a mix of bite sized episodes on networking basics, and interviews with business owners who are successfully using networking to grow. There are lots of inspirational stories that will encourage you to get started or to keep going on your own networking journey.

  1. Jun 1

    Create a niche to make yourself memorable

    Paul Westlake (Westy) is on a mission to make learning actually work – not just tick boxes. As Digital Director at PeopleUnboxed and Customer Success Director at BentoBot (BentoBot.com) – a spaced repetition solution that makes learning stick – Westy transforms how organisations develop their people. He also hosts the popular PeopleUnplugged podcast, where he unpacks what really works in L&D. But here's the thing: Westy didn't start in a boardroom. He spent five years in the trenches delivering face-to-face leadership training before leading McDonald's UK through a complete digital L&D transformation – designing learning experiences for 120,000 employees who didn't have time to waste on forgettable training. That experience taught him something crucial: great learning solutions need to work for both the L&D team and the people actually using them. It's like designing a car that's brilliant to drive but also easy to maintain – both sides matter. After his McDonald's decade, Westy moved supplier-side with Kineo, where he designed award-winning learning solutions for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Compass Group, and Mitchells & Butlers. He also hosted Kineo's "Stream of Thought" podcast, proving that learning geeks can be entertaining. His superpower? Combining analytical and creative thinking to challenge the status quo. He doesn't just ask "what training do you need?" – he asks "what actually needs to change?" Then he builds blended solutions that genuinely shift behaviours and deliver results. When he's not empowering L&D teams to be heroes, Paul's an award-winning wedding photographer whose company sponsors a race car. So his weekends are an unlikely mix of grease, spanners, running shoes, camera lenses, and bass guitar riffs. He lives with his wife and two daughters, who've learnt that Dad's enthusiasm for digital learning is matched only by his enthusiasm for... pretty much everything else. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/westyphotography/ PeopleUnboxed: https://peopleunboxed.co.uk/ BentoBot: https://bentobot.com/

    28 min
  2. May 25

    Be the content of a networking meeting!

    Katrena Friel is an internationally recognised Business Mentor and networking catalyst for women in business. With over 25 years of experience, Katrena has dedicated her career to helping women build powerful professional networks that unlock opportunities, accelerate growth, and create lasting impact. Known as the “Business Mentor to the Awakened,” Katrena’s approach is all about connection. Connecting women to their strengths, to each other, and to the strategies that drive real results. As an award-winning author, sought-after speaker, and TEDx presenter, she has inspired thousands to step confidently into leadership, leveraging relationships as the foundation for personal and professional success. Katrena’s signature “Done for You Program” is more than a business accelerator, it’s a networking incubator, bringing together ambitious women who support, challenge, and champion one another. Her clients don’t just build businesses, they build communities, creating 7 distinct streams of income and a network that supports them for life. With a reputation for fostering authentic lifelong relationships, Katrena empowers women to move beyond self-doubt and into collaborative action. Whether on stage, in a mastermind, or during her 1:1 mentoring, she shows women how to turn every conversation into an opportunity and every connection into a catalyst for growth. For women ready to expand their influence, elevate their network, and thrive in the new world of business, Katrena is the “how” you've been waiting for, offering clarity, strategy, and a genuine soul's mission to support your journey. Website: http://www.becomingtheexpert.com.au Offer: Organise your Free Discovery Session https://www.becomingtheexpert.com.au/service-page/free-discovery-session-1

    23 min

About

Small Business, Big Network is the podcast for small business owners who want better results from their networking. I'm Liz Drury, a freelance voiceover artist who knows that if you're not working as much as you'd like, then networking could help! The show is a mix of bite sized episodes on networking basics, and interviews with business owners who are successfully using networking to grow. There are lots of inspirational stories that will encourage you to get started or to keep going on your own networking journey.

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