186: Making the Difference: The True North Conversations | Rachael Baker, JJ Smith & Co Ltd
From Change Makers: Leadership, Good Business, Ideas and Innovation by Seven Hills
November 27, 2025 · 17 min · Episode 186
About this episode
Rachael Baker discusses her journey from academia to leading a family manufacturing business and the importance of innovation and community impact.
In this special series of Change Makers, host Michael Hayman meets the business owners delivering positive impact for their people, their communities and the northern economy: leaders driving growth in unexpected places and sectors, nurturing skills for the future, leveraging innovation strategies, investing in nature, and fostering inclusive social change. In this episode, he speaks to Rachael Baker, Managing Director at JJ Smith & Co Ltd. A fourth-generation leader, Rachael reveals how she pivoted from a PhD in veterinary parasitology to running a century-old family firm. She shares what it means to lead a Merseyside manufacturer with employees who’ve stayed for nearly 50 years, how offsite construction can cut waste, and why inspiring the next generation is key to building the homes of the future.
People in this episode
Host: Michael Hayman
Guest: Rachael Baker
Topics covered
- leadership
- business impact
- innovation
- community growth
- sustainable practices
Keywords
- leadership
- manufacturing
- sustainability
- innovation
- community
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: JJ Smith & Co Ltd
Places: Merseyside
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