How do you win a B2B deal when five to ten people make the decision and the sales cycle runs for years? In this episode, Brooke Pinkney, Managing Director of Broadly Speaking, shares what 13 years in B2B lead generation have taught her.

Brooke joined Broadly Speaking in 2013 as an apprentice with no sales or marketing experience, and took over the business through a management buyout in October 2023. She talks about leading a team through that succession, protecting the culture the founders built, and hiring on behaviour over CV.

She then explains how complex B2B sales work now: researching each person in the buying committee before the first call, influencing buyers two years before an RFP, staying in front of prospects across phone, email and LinkedIn, and treating gatekeepers as allies. She shares a deal that took five years to land, a client account where every contact left after a buyout, and why she believes AI can write the email but can't win the contract.

Key takeaways:

• Understand every person in the buying committee
• Build relationships years before the tender
• Widen your zone of influence in each account
• Use AI for research, and people for trust
• Cold calling still works when it's done well

Find Brooke Pinkney here: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/brooke-p-09879084

Find James Summers here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjamessummers/

To work with James and discover growth coaching visit: https://bloomcoach.uk/

What does it take to turn around a 30-year-old British heritage brand when you have never worked in beauty? In this episode, Jordan Schlipf, CEO of Cowshed, shares a candid, humble account of stepping in as an external CEO.

Jordan explains how he reverse-engineered an exit by speaking to strategic acquirers before accepting the role. He covers the revenue sweet spot buyers look for, why geography and channel mix matter, and why simplicity often beats a "sexy" brand. He also shares his turnaround playbook: listen first, decide once, communicate the why, and use the first 90 days wisely.

Jordan also speaks openly about leaving investment banking, choosing to be "the casino, not the gambler", the lessons of burnout and founder accountability, and why looking after your health makes you a better leader. He finishes with the challenge ahead: creating a hero product in a blockbuster game.

Key takeaways:

• Work backwards from what buyers want

• Do less to grow more

• Earn trust as an external CEO

• Protect your health to lead well

• Choose the game you can win

Find Jordan Sclipf here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-schlipf-0b855174/

Find James Summers here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjamessummers/

To work with James and discover growth coaching visit: https://bloomcoach.uk/

Jeremy Brassington has spent four decades investing in, building, and rescuing technology businesses, from angel investing to venture capital to hands-on operating. Now Executive Chairman and CFO of Habitat Learn Group, he's on a mission to make learning accessible to every student, not just those with disabilities.

In this episode, Jeremy takes us through the seven-year wait for AI hardware to catch up with his vision, the moment ChatGPT forced a painful pivot away from proprietary AI, and how a chance introduction at Humber Polytechnic led to Habitat Learn becoming an Apple Education Ecosystem Partner. He talks candidly about managing investor fatigue, mentoring a first-time founder co-founder, building a neurodiverse team by design, and why he believes personalisation and privacy sit in constant tension.

Beyond the business, Jeremy shares why he can't stop innovating, how cycling 2,600 metres of Alpine elevation gain keeps him sharp, and what "patient capital" really means after 40 years on both sides of the table.

A masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and building for the long game.

Contact Jeremy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habitatlearn/

Find Habitat Learn Group here: https://www.habitatlearn.com/

Work with James Summers: https://bloomcoach.uk/