Billionaire Business Podcast
Welcome to Billionaire Business. In this series we will be popping the myth that you cannot create a billion pound business in the UK - that’s simply not true
• Inspirational interviews • Advice on how to raise equity and debt • Mistakes to avoid • How to scale rapidly • Create the next billionaire business
Listen on:
Co-hosts: Chris Godsmark & Ian Fishwick
Hello I’m Ian Fishwick (on the right), I’m a technology entrepreneur who started a business in a spare bedroom with little money and eventually sold it in a £100 million transaction. I've been listed on the stock market and done over 40 acquisitions along the way. I had the honour of reporting 29 consecutive years of rising EBITDA, and was named UK CEO of the Year on 3 occasions. I wrote 'The Street-Smart MBA' - I’ve been in business for over 30 years and I’ve got all the war stories to prove it.
And I’m Chris Godsmark (on the left) and for over two decades I’ve been advising technology led companies with valuations of up to a billion pounds and more on mergers and acquisitions. And along the way I helped to create an advisory business which we scaled and sold.
Episodes
30 minutes ago
30 minutes ago
This is a true trailblazer - she didn’t just smash the glass-ceiling in the City for women, she dismantled it forever
In this episode of Billionaire Business, Chris Godsmark and Ian Fishwick sit down with Sam Smith, former CEO of FinnCap, to learn how she became the first female founder and CEO of a London Stockbrokers.
Sam shares how she acquired FinnCap when few saw its potential and strategically repositioned it to become the UK’s leading small and mid-cap advisor. By focusing on underserved SMEs often overlooked by larger institutions, she carved out a powerful niche and built long-term market influence.
Ian and Chris explore:
Turning around and scaling a financial services firm
Building a people-first culture during growth and change
Leading through the 2008 financial crisis and Brexit uncertainty
Managing acquisitions and making tough redundancy decisions
Balancing empathy with commercial reality
After she stood down from FinnCAP Cavendish, Sam realised that she was one of only 80 women in the UK to have created a business with over £50 million revenue - what she calls a ‘super scaler’ - a number that is way too low. She discusses her new venture, The Super Scalers, which supports underrepresented founders in accessing capital, mentorship, and growth opportunities.
Sam also reflects on the personal side of leadership; confronting fear, overcoming self-doubt, and developing resilience under pressure.
Tune in to hear practical lessons on clarity of mission, inclusive leadership, and scaling with conviction — even when the odds are against you.
Follow & Catch Up With Us
Want more from Billionaire Business Podcast? Tap in for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, and everything that doesn’t make it into the mic.
Follow Ian Fishwick:
LinkedIn: linkenin.com/in/ianfishwick
Email: ian.fishwick@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Chris Godsmark:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisgodsmark
Email: chris.godsmark@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Billionaire Business:
Website: www.billionairebusiness.net/
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast
Sam Smith
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-smith-01974918/
Serial Entrepreneur, Superscaler & Former CEO of FinCap,
Tuesday Feb 24, 2026
Tuesday Feb 24, 2026
How to Lead, Grow & Transform At Scale: Lessons From BT & Salesforce
In this episode of Billionaire Business, Chris and Ian sit down with Gavin Patterson, former CEO of BT and President of Salesforce as they discuss what it really means to lead billion-pound businesses.
Gavin draws on his experience running global organisations on both sides of the Atlantic, sharing practical leadership lessons from the top. He explores strategic decision-making at scale, the realities of driving cultural transformation, and the importance of building, developing, and motivating high-performing sales teams in complex organisations.
The episode also explores:
The key differences between US and UK business cultures
Leadership styles, communication, and attitudes to risk and innovation
Navigating regulation and governance in large UK organisations
Building customer-centric cultures and agile teams
Leading through change, crisis, and succession
Gavin also reflects on the importance of leading by example, building trust with boards and frontline teams, and maintaining a relentless focus on execution, not just strategy. He shares real-world stories from his time at BT and Salesforce, offering insights into how transparency, data-driven decision-making, and consistent leadership behaviours sustain momentum at scale.
Tune in to hear hard-earned lessons from the very top of global business and discover what it takes to lead, grow, and transform organisations operating at billion-pound scale.
Follow & Catch Up With Us
Want more from Billionaire Business Podcast? Tap in for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, and everything that doesn’t make it into the mic.
Follow Ian Fishwick:
LinkedIn: linkenin.com/in/ianfishwick
Email: ian.fishwick@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Chris Godsmark:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisgodsmark
Email: chris.godsmark@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Billionaire Business:
Website: www.billionairebusiness.net/
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
Tuesday Feb 10, 2026
How to Build a Billion-Pound Business from Scratch
In this episode of Billionaire Business, Chris Godsmark and Ian Fishwick sit down with Matthew Riley, the founder of Daisy Group, one of the UK’s leading telecoms companies. They discuss "How To Build A Billion-Pound Business From Scratch." Matthew has built not one, but two, businesses valued at over a billion pounds - O2 Daisy and GIACOM.
Matthew shares his incredible journey, starting with leaving school at 16 due to dyslexia and a traditional education system that didn’t recognise his potential. He talks candidly about overcoming early challenges, using setbacks as motivation, and finding his path in the business world.
The episode also explores:
How Matthew’s first sales jobs shaped his entrepreneurial mindset
The risks he took, including mortgaging his house to start his first venture
The strategy behind acquiring over 50 companies to grow Daisy Group
Managing rapid expansion, integrating businesses, and maintaining culture
Lessons from taking a company public and then private again
Matthew also shares practical advice on leadership, building a strong team, and leveraging personal strengths while compensating for weaknesses. He challenges the notion that academic success is a prerequisite for business achievement, emphasising resilience, adaptability, and learning from failure.
Tune in to hear how Matthew turned vision, grit, and determination into one of the UK’s most successful telecoms companies and discover actionable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make their mark.
Follow & Catch Up With Us
Want more from Billionaire Business Podcast? Tap in for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, and everything that doesn’t make it into the mic.
Follow Ian Fishwick:
LinkedIn: linkenin.com/in/ianfishwick
Email: ian.fishwick@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Chris Godsmark:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisgodsmark
Email: chris.godsmark@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Billionaire Business:
Website: www.billionairebusiness.net/
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast
Tuesday Feb 03, 2026
Tuesday Feb 03, 2026
From Football Hooligan to Chancellor: Resilience, Failure, & Reinvention
In this episode of Billionaire Business, Chris Godsmark and Ian Fishwick sit down with Nadhim Zahawi for a powerful and deeply personal conversation. They discuss the keys to extraordinary success lie in the interplay of failure, resilience, and reinvention.
Nadhim traces his remarkable journey from fleeing Saddam Hussein’s Iraq as a non-English-speaking child to co-founding YouGov and later becoming UK Chancellor of the Exchequer. He speaks openly about arriving in Britain as a refugee, struggling to integrate, and navigating a turbulent adolescence that included brushes with trouble as a football hooligan, experiences that helped forge his resilience and determination.
The episode also explores:
Growing up as a refugee and adapting to a new culture
The early failures and risks behind founding YouGov
The emotional and financial toll of repeated setbacks
How family support played a critical role during hard times
Transitioning from entrepreneur to public service and politics
Nadhim shares the lessons he learned from failure, including the importance of adaptability, learning quickly from mistakes, and maintaining a growth mindset. He reflects on navigating intense public scrutiny, overcoming regulatory and political challenges, and reinventing himself at multiple stages of his life and career.
Throughout the episode, Nadhim offers practical advice for young people and aspiring leaders facing adversity, tune in to hear his extraordinary story of perseverance, reinvention, and belief and discover how resilience can turn even the toughest beginnings into lasting success.
Follow & Catch Up With Us
Want more from Billionaire Business Podcast? Tap in for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, and everything that doesn’t make it into the mic.
Follow Ian Fishwick:
LinkedIn: linkenin.com/in/ianfishwick
Email: ian.fishwick@billionairebusiness.net
Follow Chris Godsmark:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisgodsmark
Email: chris.godsmark@billionairebusiness.net
Nadhim Zahawi
linkedin.com/in/nadhim-zahawi-a49a75224/
Founder of YouGov, one of the great pioneering internet businesses.
Follow Billionaire Business:
Website: www.billionairebusiness.net/
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast
Friday Oct 31, 2025
Friday Oct 31, 2025
How to Sell Your Business for the Best Price
In this special Bonus episode for Series 1- Episode 7, Chris and Ian discuss 'A Life In Deals'. They talk about "HOW TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS FOR THE BEST PRICE." Over the last 20 years, Chris and Ian have acted as advisors, buyers and sellers on hundreds of mergers and acquisitions - they are possibly worth listening to.
Ian and Chris explain:
▪️ The importance of data
▪️ When you should start getting ready to sell
▪️ How soon should you meet potential buyers?
▪️ When is the best time to sell?
▪️ What factors will impact the price you get?
Follow Ian Fishwick:
LinkedIn com/in/ianfishwick
Email –fishwick@billionairebusiness.net
Website – billionairebusiness.net
Follow Chris Godsmark:
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/chrisgodsmark
Email –fishwick@billionairebusiness.net
Website – billionairebusiness.net
Billionaire Business:
Website: billionairebusiness.net
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true
Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick
HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2
Sponsors for Series 1:
NETS International - https://nets-international.com
Friday Oct 10, 2025
Friday Oct 10, 2025
£25bn of UK Tech Funding with British Banking Giant NatWest
In this episode we interview Neil Bellamy, the Head of Technology Media and Telecoms [TMT] at NatWest. He set up a sector-specific lending team that has now lent £25 billion to over 25,000 UK technology businesses. This sector approach has now been copied into many other industries. Neil appreciates that many TMT businesses want the 3 B’s – get Backing, get Big and get Bought.
We ask the UK’s largest bank – how do you decide which companies to lend to, and what is the new concept of lending against Intellectual Property? If you want to understand how business lending works, this interview is a great place to start.
At the end, in the section called ‘Ian and Chris’s Takeaway’, the hosts discuss the key lessons to learn from this interview and how it shows that the UK’s largest bank is constantly seeking new companies to lend money to.
Neil explains:
▪️ How much money is he trying to lend each year?
▪️ What proportion of applications for loans are approved and why?
▪️ How big does a company need to be before they can get a loan approved?
▪️ What does he mean by Intellectual Property?
▪️ How many loans are not repaid, and what happens then?
Follow Neil Bellamy:
LinkedIn - com/in/neilbellamy
Email – bellamy@natwest.com
Website - https://www.natwest.com/business/sector-expertise/technology-media-telecoms.html
Billionaire Business:
Website: billionairebusiness.net
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true
Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick
There is a chapter in The Street-Smart MBA specifically devoted to Banks. The chapter on bank borrowing is for people who are serious about setting up a business and want to know how to deal with banks. Lessons that you rarely see elsewhere.
HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2
Sponsors for Series 1:
NETS International - https://nets-international.com
Friday Oct 03, 2025
Friday Oct 03, 2025
It is rare for a family business to decide to go global. In this episode Jahangir Ahmad tells how NETS International now operates in 8 countries worldwide, with almost 1,000 staff.
At the end, in the section called ‘Ian and Chris’s Takeaway’, the hosts discuss the key lessons to learn from this impressive family story.
Jahangir explains:
▪️ How he sold his business in Pakistan and moved to Dubai to start again
▪️ How he spotted the fastest growing part of the technology market and pivoted the company
▪️ How they identify which countries to move into next
▪️ How they use ‘academies’ to transfer skills to new countries
▪️ How a family business cannot afford to fail
▪️ How working with key suppliers can help you grow
Follow Jahangir Ahmad:
LinkedIn - com/in/jahangir-ahmad-76b08917
Billionaire Business:
Website: billionairebusiness.net
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true
Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick
HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2
Sponsors for Series 1:
NETS International - https://nets-international.com
Thursday Sep 25, 2025
Thursday Sep 25, 2025
Bob Falconer, former CEO and Richard Bligh, former CO, are two of the UK Telecom’s industries best known figures of the last two decades. They explain how they took a business with c£3 million revenue to a valuation of £1.5 billion before they finally stood down.
They made a visionary decision, about 15 years ago: the future of phone calls will be over the internet rather than using conventional Telecoms networks. The success of GAMMA in the B2B market has been extraordinary.
At the end, in the section called ‘Ian and Chris’s Takeaway’, the hosts discuss the key lessons to learn from this remarkable story – one of the few examples ever of a business floating on the London Stock Exchange and then the share price increasing over 10x.
Bob and Richard explain:
▪️ How they hit £100m revenue in 3 years and then decided they were in the wrong part of the market
▪️ How they had about 5,000 salespeople – without paying a salary to any of them
▪️ How they used an imaginary customer ‘Tracy’ as their guiding light
▪️ How keeping IT systems simple is key to rapid growth
▪️ How an obsession with refining their products constantly was key to keeping growth going
▪️ How a forward-looking investor played a critical part in their success
00:00 - Welcome and Hosts Intro
01:58 - Acquiring Distressed Assets: The Atlantic Telecom Story
03:11 - From Asset Acquisition to a Viable Business Model
09:30 - Meet 'Tracy', The Mythical Customer That Drove Success
13:10 - The Visionary Pivot to Voice Over Internet
16:07 - Exploiting Incumbent Weakness: The Innovator's Dilemma
18:10 - The Strategic Rationale for an Initial Public Offering (IPO)
19:35 - Our Sponsor: NETS International
21:25 - The Indirect Sales Model: Scaling Through Channel Partners
28:00 - The Strategic Advantage of a Focused Product Portfolio
33:00 - Cornerstones of Company Culture
38:48 - Ian and Chris’s Takeaways
Bob Falconer is now retired. Follow Richard Bligh:
LinkedIn - com/in/rbligh
Billionaire Business:
Website: billionairebusiness.net
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true
Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick
HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2
Sponsors for Series 1:
NETS International - https://nets-international.com
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Maxine Laceby is an absolute inspiration to single mum’s who have teenage children. Her eldest daughter went to University, and the next, a year younger, learned to drive. She was then faced with the decision that all mum’s face – what do I do with the rest of my life?
The tale of how she became convinced that collagen was vital to the health of women and then quickly turned it into a hugely successful business is amazing.
At the end, in the section called ‘Ian and Chris’s Takeaway’, the hosts discuss the key lessons to learn from this extraordinary lady.
Maxine explains:
▪️ That she had never run a business before and hates the concept of a spreadsheet
▪️ The business hit £12m revenue still operating from her garage
▪️ Her obsession with the customer – what she calls ‘the absoluter’
▪️ Within 6 years she hit £30m revenue
▪️ What it was like to work with her eldest daughter, Darcy
▪️ How she chose which private equity investor to work with, to help them grow, even faster
Follow Maxine Laceby:
LinkedIn - com/in/maxinelaceby
Website – absolutecollagen.com
Billionaire Business:
Website: billionairebusiness.net
Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true
Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick
HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title
KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2
Sponsors for Series 1:
NETS International - https://nets-international.com
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Lessons for Scale-Ups from a European Venture Capital Leader, Dawn Capital Dawn Capital, with 2 billion Euros under management, are probably Europe’s largest Venture Capital fund investing in software companies. Nils Howland has been involved in many of their investment decisions and is very clear about what they look for. There are millions of coders out there, but which ones will be backed to become the next big software company? And which types of AI company are they looking to invest in? At the end, in the section called ‘Ian and Chris’s Takeaway’, the hosts discuss the key lessons to learn from this interview. Nils explains: ▪️ How a €2 billion Venture Capital fund decides which software and AI companies to back ▪️ What type of founders are they looking for? ▪️ How important is the actual code? ▪️ Do you need a complete senior leadership team? ▪️ How big do you need to be to attract investment from Venture Capital? ▪️ How do you decide whether a business is capable of being valued at over £1 billion? Follow Nils Howland: • LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/nilshowland Billionaire Business: • Website: www.billionairebusiness.net • Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick • HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title • PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title • KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2 Sponsors for Series 1: NETS International - https://nets-international.com