James Reed: all about business

For years, this Ros showed up to work as someone she wasn't, and it took her far longer than she'd like to admit to realise it was quietly costing her the thing she needed most.In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Ros Morgan, chief executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance, the organisation representing over 500 businesses across London's West End.Ros explains why, early in her career, she believed professionalism meant suppressing her personality entirely, dressing to fit in with an all-male board and refusing to discuss anything personal at work, and the moment she decided to deliberately drop that act. She breaks down why being more open with her team, rather than less, ended up making her more credible as a leader, not less.The conversation also unpacks a second lesson from Ros' own career: her habit of saying yes to opportunities before she felt fully ready for them, including taking on her first CEO role in her early twenties with no real knowledge of the industry she was stepping into. She explains why she believes the businesses that succeed are the ones that get out and learn from their peers rather than trying to solve every problem alone.Timestamps 01:41 What Is a BID09:50 Scenes in the Square17:53 London Safety Perception29:53 How London Stays Ahead36:21 Real Rates Reform Plan45:46 Japan Resilience Lessons57:29 Hiring For Culture FitLinksFollow James Reed on LinkedInFollow Ros Morgan on LinkedInFind out more about Heart of London Business Alliance and their work hereSubmit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HEREAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Every founder eventually hits a decision that determines whether their company survives them or dies with them. Almost all of them get it wrong.In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic Farmers, who turned three acres and a borrowed tractor into a £120 million business, and found a way to cash out on his terms without ever putting the company up for sale.Guy breaks down why he sold shares to his own staff instead of chasing a trade sale or private equity deal, and the near-£2 million mistake Riverford made along the way. He also shares the moment he walked away from a major retail contract and why no single customer, however large, should ever be allowed to dictate your terms.The conversation unpacks what changed once Guy made the shift to employee ownership. He also gets candid about leading as an intuitive, emotionally-driven founder, and how a genuine apology turned out to be one of the most underrated leadership tools he's used.Timestamps 01:31 From Wheelbarrow to Veg Boxes10:08 Leading Through Constant Change17:56 Growth Drivers and Father’s Approval20:15 Leadership Transformation and Coaching25:27 Employee Ownership in Action32:09 Why Employee Ownership41:27 Greenwash and Trust48:20 Supermarket Bullying StoriesLinks Follow James Reed on LinkedInFollow Guy Singh-Watson on LinkedInFind out more about Riverford Organic Farmers and their products hereSubmit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HEREAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk

Building and scaling a venture at the intersection of culture and technology requires deep industry insight, structural thinking, and relentless adaptability.In this episode of All About Business, James sits down with Rio Caraeff, Co-President of Musixmatch and former CEO of Vevo. Together they unpack a 30-year career spent shaping how music is distributed, monetized, and consumed globally. Rio shares candid stories from his early life, including how Dolly Parton taught him to read and how his father captured the legendary photo of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire, before detailing his pioneering moves in digital downloads with Steve Jobs and launching Vevo.The conversation delves into the core mechanics and future of the music economy. Rio explains why he views music as a "$10 business stuck in a $5 bag," breaks down the friction caused by fractured global copyrights, and demonstrates how Musixmatch uses AI tools like Sentinel and Music Lens to protect rights holders, while turning decades of lyric metadata into actionable market intelligence.Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to move legacy industries forward, a creator navigating the rise of generative AI, or a leader seeking to master complex ecosystems, this episode provides a realistic, forward-looking guide to strategy and innovation.Timestamps 04:36 Growing Up Around Rockstars07:37 What Music Got Wrong17:55 Musixmatch Explained22:44 Administration and Getting Paid25:24 AI as a Music Superpower33:30 Creativity Versus AI39:24 Lyrics as Durable Signal48:09 Sync and Forecasting Uses51:52 Optimism and SuperpowersLinks Follow James Reed on LinkedInFollow Rio Caraeff on LinkedInFind out more about Musixmatch and their services hereSubmit your application to Reed’s Entrepreneurs Fund for a chance to a £20,000 grant HEREAll About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk