Prasanta Dey, professor of operations and information management at Aston Business School, explains how his Low Carbon SMEs project is set to save 6,000 tonnes of  CO2– more than five times its initial target. Lee Cole, managing director of Paint 360, just one of the 165 companies involved, and Jamal Lea, project manager of Low Carbon SMEs, discuss details of the achievements to date.

Aston means business

S4E4 - Low Carbon SMEs

Dr Mark Prince, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at Aston University, explains how 3D printing provided a vital solution to a medical problem caused by COVID-19. Meanwhile, Dr Ahmad Beltagui, a lecturer in operations and information management at Aston Business School, says  ‘Imagination is the only limit’ for additive manufacturing’s future, which is already used to make hearing aids, dental crowns and hips.

S4E3 - The potential for 3D printing to disrupt traditional manufacturing

Dr Isabella Moore, the chair of Comtec Translations who became an entrepreneur again aged 60, discusses the greater disadvantages that women in 'later life' face when it comes to setting up their own business. Businesswoman Merle Palmer also explains how she overcame a lack of confidence to launch her own company after redundancy.

Series 4 - Episode 2 - The challenges women face as ‘later life’ entrepreneurs

Dr Geoff Parkes discusses new research by Aston Business School that proves how SMEs embracing language capabilities are 30% more successful at exporting. Rob Mannion, founder of e-commerce platform B2B.Store, says his business is now reaping benefits of languages investment, starting with its first overseas client in Mexico.

Series 4 - Episode 1 - Language capability and UK SME export success

Helena Hogarth, owner of Hogarths Hotels, plans to bounce back from a 90% downturn during COVID-19 by switching from large corporate events to smaller weddings, staycations and spa offerings. Dr Rob Thomas, a teaching fellow in Marketing and Strategy at Aston, has been helping the group to rebrand and identify new target markets. The pandemic has devastated many businesses, but Dr Thomas says: “It’s a wonderful chance to revitalise who you are.”

Series 3 - Episode 8 - Hogarths Hotels

James Morris, managing director of Trafalgar Marquees, explains how he initially lost 90% of revenues in the lockdown but is now growing again after switching from corporate events to providing extra space for NHS COVID-19 testing centres and school classrooms. Mark Hart, professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston, praises the turnaround, and highlights the new government-backed Help to Grow: Management scheme.

Series 3 - Episode 7 - Trafalgar Marquees

Amy Foster, founder of Nomad HR and Recruitment in Atherstone, Warwickshire, has launched a social enterprise to help find jobs for the young unemployed. She's already got six back into work, including a homeless youth. Nathalie Ormrod, local director of the UN's Principles for Responsible Management Education at Aston Business School, praises Ms Foster's “inspirational journey” as “heart-warming” and “courageous”.

Series 3 - Episode 6 - Nomad HR and Recruitment

Nathan Tromans, the founder of NLT Electrical, explains how a new marketing strategy has helped him revive his company's fortunes after its revenues were halved by COVID-19. Dr Rob Thomas, a teaching fellow in marketing and strategy at Aston Business School, praises Mr Tromans for his “exemplary” approach in developing a stronger market orientation, improving customer relationships and realigning NLT’s brand values.

Series 3 - Episode 5 - NLT Electrical

Sarah Beattie, owner of a full-time nursery and the Fun Fest holiday club franchises, explains how government finance helped her businesses survive COVID-19 and is now funding her launch of a new nursery franchise. Martin Potts, a senior lecturer in the Accounting department at Aston Business School, praised Sarah's “financial literacy” and explained how a “working capital cycle” can be used to monitor finances.

Series 3 - Episode 4 - Fun Fest

Sandra Berns, founder of Centric HR, explains how her revenues have tripled in the last year, partly as a result of an initial investment of free and low-cost advice to companies at the start of the first COVID-19 lockdown. Mark Hart, Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School, says this was a great example of how SMEs can invest to grow.

Series 3 - Episode 3 - Centric HR

Adnan Khalid, founder of Integritax Accountants, explains how his revenues doubled by using the latest digital accounting tools to help SMEs survive COVID-19. Matt Davies, of the Accounting Department at Aston Business School, says undergraduates are now using the latest Xero software on compulsory undergraduate accounting modules.

Series 3 - Episode 2 - Integritax

Tommy Sandhu, founder and director of the Smart Learner driving school, explains how the business has continued to grow and now has a four-week waiting list, despite COVID-19. Dr Geoff Parkes of Aston Business School says it's crucial for SMEs to "be focused, listen to your customer, and look beyond the crisis".

Series 3 - Episode 1 - Smart Learner

Iain Collis, managing director of Metal Assemblies, hopes a new Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) will drive better data management to increase the car parts firm's efficiencies and profits. Prof Ben Clegg, head of the Operations and Information Management Department, says Aston Business School will act as a change catalyst to help the company's productivity.

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Metal Assemblies

Steve Barbour, managing director of Composite Braiding, describes how angel investors helped his component company’s plans to double in size in the next couple of years, despite COVID-19. Angel investor Liz McKenzie said she funded the firm because Steve was “switched on, knew his numbers, was realistic, and had a determined glint in his eye”. 

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Composite Braiding

Amy Seton, owner of The Whisky Club in Birmingham, lost 95% of her revenues because of lockdown. She explains how a loan and small grant have helped her to invest in a new website and casks for online deliveries of bottle collections to customers across the UK. Prof Mark Hart of Aston Business School praises how Amy is keeping her brand alive and said: “Once you put your business on a website you are global." 

Season 2 - Episode 8 - SMEs adapting to COVID-19 challenges (Amy Seton and Mark Hart)

A podcast from Aston Business School hosted by Journalist Steve Dyson. Steve will be interviewing some of the UK's top business academics every month.

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Aston means business

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