エピソード

  • Charge What You're Worth — Ep 66

    Charge What You're Worth — Ep 66
    2026/04/20
    Most small business owners know their prices should go up. They just can't bring themselves to do it.In Episode 66, Matt and Charlie get into the real psychology behind pricing — why founders undercharge, why the fear of losing customers is almost always bigger than the reality, and why putting your prices up is often the most commercially responsible thing you can do right now. Recorded with Charlie calling in from Spain, surrounded by palm trees and Brent crude updates.They also pull back the curtain on their own businesses — from shipping thresholds and delivery gap tracking to labour cost percentages and the compounding effect of letting small inefficiencies slide. Because pricing confidence and cost control aren't separate conversations. They're the same one.Takeaways:💸 Why undercharging can actually cost you the job📦 How tweaking your delivery threshold saved one business £150k in a year🧮 The percentage mindset every founder needs to understand their real margins😬 Why the customers you lose when you raise prices are often the ones you didn't want anyway🔧 Price and cost control — why both have to happen at the same timeFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    49 分
  • HMRC's New Rules Explained — Ep 65

    HMRC's New Rules Explained — Ep 65
    2026/04/13
    HMRC's Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is finally here after 11 years of delays — and if you're a sole trader earning over £50K, the clock is already ticking. Matt and Charlie break down what it actually means, who it hits, and why limited company directors like them won't be losing sleep over it (yet).Takeaways:🧾 MTD for Income Tax kicks in at £50K from April 2026, dropping to £30K in 2027 and £20K in 2028 — quarterly reporting is coming for almost every sole trader⛽ Fuel duty is hammering small businesses running vans and vehicles, with over 53p per litre going straight to the treasury before you've even started💸 The UK's tax gap sits at £46.8 billion — small businesses account for 60% of it, and that's exactly why HMRC is tightening the screws🏭 Charlie's making moves on a new warehouse unit — weighing up the cost vs the growth opportunity and whether to pull the trigger🏃 The British Business Running Club leaderboard gets a mention — Matt's top, Jacob's second, and Charlie's... working on itFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    45 分
  • Claude Check-In: What's Working, What's Not — Ep 64

    Claude Check-In: What's Working, What's Not — Ep 64
    2026/04/06
    Two episodes ago, Matt made the case for Claude over ChatGPT. Now it's time to show their workings. Matt and Charlie check back in on what they've actually been doing with Claude day-to-day — the real tasks, the real results, and what it's changed inside their businesses.Matt breaks down how he's been using Claude across HR contracts, SEO research, and the Ahrefs integration — and why giving AI proper context is the difference between a useful tool and a waste of time. Charlie shares where it's landed for him too.They also get into the bigger picture — UK SME AI adoption has jumped from under 20% to 35% in just 12 months, and the gap between founders who are genuinely embedding it versus those just dabbling is already starting to show.If you're still treating AI as something you occasionally ask a question, this episode is your reality check.Takeaways:🤖 Why Matt switched from ChatGPT to Claude — and what's actually better⚙️ The specific tasks Claude is handling inside their businesses right now📈 UK SME AI adoption jumped from 20% to 35% in 12 months⏳ Why dabbling with AI isn't enough — and what proper use looks like🔮 What the next few years of AI in business could mean for UK foundersFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    48 分
  • Why Work Doesn’t Pay in the UK — Ep 63

    Why Work Doesn’t Pay in the UK — Ep 63
    2026/03/30
    If you’re working hard, running a business, or trying to get ahead… but it feels like you’re standing still — this one’s for you.Matt and Charlie go from paper rounds and £5-an-hour jobs… to a proper breakdown of why work doesn’t feel like it pays in the UK anymore.They dig into the numbers, the incentives, and the reality for both employees and business owners — from rising taxes and stagnant thresholds, to welfare, hiring challenges, and the growing gap between effort and reward.This isn’t politics. It’s what it actually feels like on the ground running a business and trying to build something.No fluff. No theory. Just a real conversation about what’s broken — and what might fix it.Takeaways:💷 Why earning more doesn’t always mean keeping more📉 The real impact of tax thresholds and wage compression🏢 Hiring problems: no-shows, motivation, and incentives⚖️ Welfare vs work — where the balance is off📊 Why businesses feel squeezed even when they’re growing🧠 The mindset shift from revenue to profitability🤖 Plus: AI, Claude, and how business owners are actually using itFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    54 分
  • Most UK Businesses Aren’t Using AI Properly — Ep 62

    Most UK Businesses Aren’t Using AI Properly — Ep 62
    2026/03/23
    AI is everywhere right now — but most UK businesses still aren’t actually using it properly.In this episode, Matt and Charlie dive into how SMEs are really using AI (and where most founders are getting it wrong). Despite all the hype, fewer than 20% of UK small businesses are actively using AI tools in their operations — and many who say they are, are really just experimenting with it like a search engine.Matt explains why he thinks Claude might currently be the best AI tool for UK SMEs, why he prefers it over ChatGPT, and how tools like large language models can genuinely improve productivity when used correctly.The conversation also explores the confusion between AI, automation, and APIs, why many businesses resist adopting new technology, and where AI could realistically replace or support tasks inside a small business.No hype. No “AI will replace everyone” nonsense. Just a practical conversation about how small businesses can actually use AI today.In this episode:💥 Why most UK businesses say they use AI — but actually don’t💥 The difference between AI, automation, and APIs💥 Why Matt thinks Claude currently beats ChatGPT for business use💥 How large language models can help founders make faster decisions💥 The real opportunities for AI inside small businesses💥 Why AI-generated content can actually harm your website SEOIf you run a business and want to understand where AI actually fits into your operations, this episode breaks it down without the tech jargon.Follow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    48 分
  • Why UK Businesses Can’t Find Warehouse Space — Ep 61

    Why UK Businesses Can’t Find Warehouse Space — Ep 61
    2026/03/16
    If your business is growing and you’re starting to run out of space, this episode will feel very familiar.Matt and Charlie dive into a challenge facing thousands of UK SMEs right now: commercial property. Warehouses are scarce, rents are rising, planning is slow, and the leap from a small unit to something bigger can be financially brutal.Charlie talks through the reality of growing a production business while constantly fighting for space. Matt shares his own experience trying to buy a warehouse — from deposits and valuations to legal costs and the endless complexity of commercial property deals.They unpack why warehouse vacancy rates have dropped below 3% in the UK, what that means for growing businesses, and why many founders are stuck between staying cramped or taking on serious risk to expand.The conversation also gets into leases, landlord negotiations, planning restrictions, and the uncomfortable truth: moving to a bigger space can either unlock growth or quietly break the business.No theory. No property hype. Just the real decisions founders face when they hit the limits of the space they’re in.💥 Why warehouse shortages are becoming a serious barrier for UK SMEs💥 The risks hidden inside commercial property leases💥 Why growing into a bigger unit can make or break a business💥 The real costs of buying a warehouse in the UK💥 Why planning, regulation and supply are slowing down business growthIf you run a business — or plan to — this episode explains a problem you’ll almost certainly face sooner or later.Follow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    47 分
  • Why So Many Business Owners Feel Like Quitting — Ep 60

    Why So Many Business Owners Feel Like Quitting — Ep 60
    2026/03/09
    If you’ve ever sat there running a business and thought “why the hell am I doing this?” — this episode will probably feel very familiar.Matt and Charlie have an honest conversation about the weeks founders rarely talk about publicly: the ones where motivation drops, costs keep rising, and it feels like you're working harder than ever just to stand still.The episode starts after Charlie messages Matt saying he feels “lower than a snake’s belly” and questioning why he bothers running a business at all. That opens up a brutally honest discussion about the emotional and financial pressure that comes with building something yourself.They talk about the reality of employing people when revenue isn’t guaranteed, the frustration of growing turnover without seeing more money personally, and why so many founders quietly question whether the whole thing is worth it.Along the way they also discuss the UK’s small business landscape — including the fact that around 5.5 million SMEs make up over 99% of UK businesses and roughly 60% of private sector employment.Despite that, most small business owners operate under enormous pressure: rising costs, staffing challenges, tax, regulation, and constant cash-flow tension.The uncomfortable truth: a huge number of founders go through periods where they seriously consider quitting.But most don’t.Takeaways:💥 Every founder has weeks where running a business feels brutally hard💷 The financial reality of growing a business without seeing personal reward for years📉 Why many founders feel like they’re constantly treading water financially🧠 The psychology behind why founders keep going when it would be easier to walk away🏃 Why routine, discipline and fitness often help when motivation disappearsFollow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    40 分
  • Does Raising Minimum Wage Create More Inflation? — Ep 59

    Does Raising Minimum Wage Create More Inflation? — Ep 59
    2026/03/02
    If you run a business and your wage bill is rising again in April… this one’s for you.The National Living Wage is going up by over 4%. Inflation is sitting around 3%. The Bank of England says wage growth above target risks keeping inflation sticky.So who’s right?Matt and Charlie go head-to-head on the wage spiral debate — whether increasing minimum wage above inflation fuels further price rises, or whether businesses are too quick to blame wages for broader cost pressures.This isn’t theory. It’s payroll, margins, hospitality, retail, SMEs and the real decisions business owners have to make when costs move faster than productivity.No politics. No grandstanding. Just what actually happens on the ground.Takeaways:💥 Why wage growth above productivity creates pressure somewhere in the system📊 CPI explained properly — and why services inflation matters most🏪 The SME squeeze: labour, NI, pensions and margin compression📈 Absorb the cost or pass it on? The uncomfortable pricing reality⚙️ Productivity vs pay — and why efficiency is no longer optionalIf wages rise 4% but output doesn’t… someone pays.The question is: who — and for how long?Follow Matt:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mrmattholland/👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmattholland/📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrmattholland❌ X - https://x.com/mrmattholland1Follow Charlie:📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theworkwearexpert👨‍💻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-smith-1a55295b/
    続きを読む 一部表示
    31 分