Throughout this series we'll be catching up with a number of Northumbria alumni, to discover what life after Northumbria looks like..!

Robert Lundgren Jones was a Newcastle Business School student, whose passion for travel and performance led to him setting up his own interactive tour company, Lundgren Tours.

Find out how the idea was born, how he overcame the challenges of launching a travel company amidst the pandemic, and how Northumbria University remain on hand to help in his onward journey! 

This episode is hosted by Professor Dawn Whitton, and also features contributions from one of Rob's tutors, Graham Baty.

Throughout this series we'll be catching up with a number of Northumbria alumni, to discover what life after Northumbria looks like..! Robert Lundgren Jones was a Newcastle Business School student, whose passion for travel and performance led to him setting up his own interactive tour company, Lundgren Tours.
Find out how the idea was born, how he overcame the challenges of launching a travel company amidst the pandemic, and how Northumbria University remain on hand to help in his onward journey! 
This episode is hosted by Professor Dawn Whitton, and also features contributions from one of Rob's tutors, Graham Baty.

Why Small Business Matters from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University provides a platform for successful small business leaders to tell their stories, offer advice and unravel what it means to be a successful modern SME.

Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management delivery team at Northumbria University, Small Business Matters takes a casual but inciteful look behind the scenes with contributions from rising entrepreneurs and leaders of established small businesses that have been trading for many years.  

It will find out what gets them up in the morning, how they've navigated the challenges of the pandemic and their vision for small business in the region, the country and across the globe. 

For more info on Help To Grow visit Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow

Why Small Business Matters from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University provides a platform for successful small business leaders to tell their stories, offer advice and unravel what it means to be a successful modern SME.
Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management delivery team at Northumbria University, Small Business Matters takes a casual but inciteful look behind the scenes with contributions from rising entrepreneurs and leaders of established small businesses that have been trading for many years.  
It will find out what gets them up in the morning, how they've navigated the challenges of the pandemic and their vision for small business in the region, the country and across the globe. 
For more info on Help To Grow visit <a href="Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow">Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow</a>

Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management team at Northumbria University

Why Small Business Matters

Why Small Business Matters from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University provides a platform for successful small business leaders to tell their stories, offer advice and unravel what it means to be a successful modern SME.

Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management delivery team at Northumbria University, Small Business Matters takes a casual but insightful look behind the scenes with contributions from rising entrepreneurs and leaders of established small businesses that have been trading for many years.  

It will find out what gets them up in the morning, how they've navigated the challenges of the pandemic and their vision for small business in the region, the country and across the globe. 

For more info on Help To Grow visit Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow

Why Small Business Matters from Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University provides a platform for successful small business leaders to tell their stories, offer advice and unravel what it means to be a successful modern SME.
Brought to you by the Help to Grow Management delivery team at Northumbria University, Small Business Matters takes a casual but insightful look behind the scenes with contributions from rising entrepreneurs and leaders of established small businesses that have been trading for many years.  
It will find out what gets them up in the morning, how they've navigated the challenges of the pandemic and their vision for small business in the region, the country and across the globe. 
For more info on Help To Grow visit <a href="Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow">Northumbria.ac.uk/HelpToGrow</a>

Northumbria University

Student to Entrepreneur - Robert Lundgren Jones

Robson & Robson are a creative agency specialising in multidisciplinary design - elevating brands, packaging, and products. led by Dan and Joe Robson in the northeast of England, they've spent over a decade helping businesses across sectors and partnering with leading global brands.

Not only that but they're not the pressures of launching a product first hand. In 2023 they appeared on Dragons Den where they successfully received investment into their SeedCell technology from Sara Davies. In this podcast hear the long road they had to travel to get to that point, with Brexit and Covid thrown in for good measure.

This is the first part of 2 episodes with Dan & Joe, so be sure to follow Why Small Business Matters on your favourite podcast app to get the next episode!

This podcast is brought to you by the Help To Grow Management course, at Northumbria University. To find out more visit northumbria.ac.uk/helptogrow

Robson &amp; Robson are a creative agency specialising in multidisciplinary design - elevating brands, packaging, and products. led by Dan and Joe Robson in the northeast of England, they've spent over a decade helping businesses across sectors and partnering with leading global brands.
Not only that but they're not the pressures of launching a product first hand. In 2023 they appeared on Dragons Den where they successfully received investment into their SeedCell technology from Sara Davies. In this podcast hear the long road they had to travel to get to that point, with Brexit and Covid thrown in for good measure. This is the first part of 2 episodes with Dan &amp; Joe, so be sure to follow Why Small Business Matters on your favourite podcast app to get the next episode!
This podcast is brought to you by the Help To Grow Management course, at Northumbria University. To find out more visit northumbria.ac.uk/helptogrow

Into the Dragon's Den - Robson & Robson Part 2

Sowing the seeds of success - Dan & Joe Robson

In this episode we team up with Rachel Clarke of Bournemouth University Business School, and Liam Toms, and SME owner in Dorset.

Liam Toms is a communications and engagement manager at Grapevine, a company based in Dorset. He has a background in marketing and business engagement, having previously worked with Bournemouth University, where he facilitated projects connecting students with real-world business challenges. He has also been involved in alumni networking events, supporting local business communities

Employee ownership is a powerful business model that gives workers a direct stake in their company, often through shares or an employee-owned trust. This approach has several key benefits:

1. Increased Motivation & Productivity: When employees have a financial and personal investment in the company’s success, they tend to be more engaged and committed to their work.

2. Stronger Workplace Culture: Employee ownership fosters collaboration, trust, and transparency, leading to a more positive and cohesive company culture.

3. Long-Term Stability: Since employee-owned businesses aren’t as vulnerable to external investors or sudden corporate takeovers, they often demonstrate greater resilience over time.

4. Better Retention & Recruitment: Employees are more likely to stay with a company that offers shared benefits, and the model is attractive to skilled workers looking for long-term security.

5. Greater Wealth Distribution: Rather than concentrating profits among a small group of executives or shareholders, employee ownership helps distribute financial rewards more fairly across the workforce.

Companies like John Lewis Partnership in the UK have successfully implemented employee ownership, proving that this model can drive both profitability and worker satisfaction.

In this episode we team up with Rachel Clarke of Bournemouth University Business School, and Liam Toms, and SME owner in Dorset.
Liam Toms is a communications and engagement manager at Grapevine, a company based in Dorset. He has a background in marketing and business engagement, having previously worked with Bournemouth University, where he facilitated projects connecting students with real-world business challenges. He has also been involved in alumni networking events, supporting local business communities
Employee ownership is a powerful business model that gives workers a direct stake in their company, often through shares or an employee-owned trust. This approach has several key benefits:
1. Increased Motivation &amp; Productivity: When employees have a financial and personal investment in the company&rsquo;s success, they tend to be more engaged and committed to their work.
2. Stronger Workplace Culture: Employee ownership fosters collaboration, trust, and transparency, leading to a more positive and cohesive company culture.
3. Long-Term Stability: Since employee-owned businesses aren&rsquo;t as vulnerable to external investors or sudden corporate takeovers, they often demonstrate greater resilience over time.
4. Better Retention &amp; Recruitment: Employees are more likely to stay with a company that offers shared benefits, and the model is attractive to skilled workers looking for long-term security.
5. Greater Wealth Distribution: Rather than concentrating profits among a small group of executives or shareholders, employee ownership helps distribute financial rewards more fairly across the workforce.
Companies like John Lewis Partnership in the UK have successfully implemented employee ownership, proving that this model can drive both profitability and worker satisfaction.

Student to Entrepreneur - Robert Lundgren Jones

Why Small Business Matters

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