Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds (Ministry of Work)

In Episode 6 of Greater Manchester's Greatest Minds, we sit down with personal branding trailblazer Ash Jones. As a pioneer in shaping personal brands across the UK - especially in Manchester - building the profiles of names like Gary Neville and Sacha Lord.

Join us as Ash shares his journey into the world of personal branding, his experiences working alongside industry giants, and how he’s redefining the game for entrepreneurs and influencers alike.

Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with one of the leading voices in personal branding today! ___________________________________________________________________________

Check out our socials!

https://www.instagram.com/gmgmpodcast

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiewhittingham/

Ash’s LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-jones-85363975/

Produced, Recorded, Edited, and Published from Ministry of Work. https://www.ministryofwork.co.uk

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, we sit down with Paul Cheetham-Karcz, founder of Sedulo, to talk about his journey from a working-class upbringing in Stockport to building a £20M+a-year financial consultancy.

Paul shares how growing up in a council estate, rejecting a “job for life” mentality, and taking huge financial risks shaped his success. He opens up about his struggles with anxiety, why he believes in writing your own eulogy, and how he scaled Sedulo to work with top businesses and sports teams.

We dive into: The biggest risks he’s taken—including signing a 10-year lease mid-COVID How he went from knowing nothing about finance to running a £20M+ firm Why most successful people are the most anxious people he knows  His mission to break the poverty cycle through his foundation

This episode is packed with honest insights on business, mindset, and resilience.

🔗 https://sedulo.co.uk/ 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-cheetham-karcz/

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, we sit down with Ryan Williams, the entrepreneur behind the viral media sensation It’s Gone Viral.

Ryan shares his journey from struggling with academia to discovering his passion for IT and ultimately building a thriving social media empire.

We explore how Ryan turned a side hustle into a multimillion-pound business, the challenges of balancing family life with his growing brand, and the lessons he’s learned about risk-taking, resilience, and innovation. He also reflects on selling the business, navigating personal challenges, and his vision for inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.

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Ryan's LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com/in/ryantwilliamsofficial/

Blood, Sweat and Tweets - Ryan & Jenna Williams

www.waterstones.com/book/blood-sweat-and-tweets/jenna-williams/lolo-stubbs/9781916237780/

In this episode, we sit down with Manchester-based founder Laura Pomfret, the visionary behind Financielle—a platform empowering women to take control of their finances.

Unlike traditional financial advice, Laura’s approach addresses the unique challenges women face, providing resources to help them budget, tackle debt, and build lasting wealth. She shares her journey from spotting a gap in financial education to making Financielle a go-to resource for women striving for financial independence. Laura is redefining financial freedom for women everywhere, making her a leading voice in financial empowerment.

In this episode, we talk to Bury-born marketing genius Dan Kelsall—a marketer who’s built and exited his own agency, working with brands like Ladbrokes, Coral, and KFC. Unlike most marketers who stick to safe, predictable moves, Dan specialises in helping startups and small businesses grow from scratch, with a twist. He’s Manchester’s leading brain for help startups stand out and making brands unforgettable.

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, we sit down with Vikas Shah, a true entrepreneurial trailblazer. Starting his business journey in his teens, Vikas went on to purchase his father’s textiles company, transforming it into a thriving business in today’s competitive market.

We delve into his early ventures, the challenges of taking over a family business, and how he has navigated the complexities of entrepreneurship while preserving tradition. Vikas shares valuable lessons on resilience, innovation, and the importance of adaptability in business.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a business owner, or someone looking to learn from the experiences of a seasoned leader, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical advice.

Tune in for a conversation filled with insight, passion, and a fresh perspective on what it takes to succeed in business.

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, Lucy shares how her upbringing in Salford shaped her entrepreneurial journey—building businesses with nothing but determination, learning on the go, and taking risks without fear.

From launching an events company with no experience to co-founding a distillery with her sisters, Lucy's story is one of grit, blind confidence, and figuring it out along the way.

She talks about overcoming setbacks, navigating business partnerships, and the lessons learned from failure, success, and everything in between.

If you’ve ever thought, I have no idea how to do this, but I’ll figure it out, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we talk to pioneer of local lager Will Evans— an adopted Manc who had a mission to make a beer that ‘tastes like home’ for Greater Manchester. 

Will dreamt of having his own brewery since his first sip of beer as a kid and these days, he’s making his lifelong dreams come true.

Owning ‘Manchester Union Lager’, ‘Wandering Palate’ in Monton and soon to open ‘The Trading Route’, a new, pioneering lager house in the heart of Manchester, Will has certainly established himself as a centre of the Manchester Hospitality community. 

Listen in to hear about Will’s journey working for industry giants and how he ended up as a serial entrepreneur.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-evans-94658892/ https://manchesterunionbrewery.com/ https://www.wanderingpalate.co.uk/ https://thetradingroute.co.uk/

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, we sit down with Lewis Kemp, founder of Lightbulb Media, to talk about his unconventional journey from a council estate in Bolton to leading a thriving marketing agency.

Lewis shares how his early experiences-like door-knocking in the rain and facing constant rejection-shaped his resilience and business mindset.

He opens up about being diagnosed with autism at 30, how it reshaped his self-awareness, and why he believes success isn’t about vanity metrics but about freedom. We also dive into hard-hitting lessons on scaling a business, the real barriers to growth, and why he refuses to work with clients who let their egos get in the way.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-kemp-manchester/

https://lightbulbmedia.co.uk/

In this episode of Greater Manchester's Greatest Minds, we meet Charles Burdett, a designer-turned-entrepreneur who turned a “dumb little idea” into a global success story. Charles shares how his love of design, combined with resilience and curiosity, led to the creation of Pip Decks—a tool now used by everyone from corporate leaders to pastors worldwide. From scrubbing butcher shop floors to working with the BBC and launching a thriving business, Charles offers invaluable insights into creativity, innovation, and navigating imposter syndrome. Tune in to discover how a small idea from Greater Manchester became a worldwide phenomenon!

In episode 4 of Greater Manchester's Greatest Minds, we chat with Helen Hardy, a Geordie entrepreneur who moved Manchester.

Helen is the founder of FOUDYS, the leading retailer of women's football merchandise.

She shares how she found herself in this business and what she's learnt along the way.

Listen to hear about Helen's climb to the top in women's football! 

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, we sit down with Jennie Bailey, founder of Calla Shoes, to talk about how she turned a personal struggle into a thriving business.

Jennie shares how an unexpected redundancy and an unplanned pregnancy pushed her to take the biggest risk of her life—starting a footwear brand from scratch, without any experience in shoemaking.

She opens up about the challenges of breaking into a centuries-old industry, why she sold her first 150 pairs of shoes before she even had them, and how Helen Mirren unexpectedly became a customer.

We also dive into the realities of building a product-based business, the financial risks most founders don’t talk about, and the magic moments that make the journey worthwhile.https://callashoes.co.uk/

In this episode of Greater Manchester's Greatest Minds, we sit down with Phil Jones, the MD of Brother UK, a leading printer company based in Manchester. 

Phil’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the power of personality. While he wasn't the top student in school, his passion, drive, and focus on self-improvement set him on a path to success.

Phil opens up about how his unconventional journey, shaped by early struggles and challenges, led him to become a key figure in the business world.

Tune in to hear how a relentless commitment to greatness can turn setbacks into stepping stones and learn valuable lessons from a true Mancunian success story.

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, we explore the journey of Hattie Pearson. A Manchester based radio DJ whose resilience and passion drove her to become successful in a very competitive area.

From being a trailblazer in education, navigating the evolving media landscape, and embracing unexpected paths in life, including triathlons and creative ventures, we get to hear about the trials and tribulations that got her to where she is today.

In this episode of Greater Manchester’s Greatest Minds, Jackie Hyde shares her incredible journey of building a thriving insurance business while overcoming immense personal challenges. From navigating a traumatic accident and a cancer diagnosis to breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry, Jackie’s story is one of resilience, passion, and purpose. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on turning adversity into opportunity and leading with determination.

In the pilot episode of Greater Manchester's Greatest Minds, we chat with Dan Sandler, a South Manchester-born entrepreneur behind multiple successful businesses, including QR code table service, a car rental company, and 'Damage Control,' an app that tracks existing damage in rental cars.

Dan shares his journey, lessons from the tech world, and insights on solving everyday problems through innovation.

Tune in to hear how Dan is reshaping industries and what drives his entrepreneurial spirit!

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Check out our socials!

https://www.instagram.com/gmgmpodcast

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiewhittingham/

Dan's LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-sandler/

Produced, Recorded, Edited, and Published from Ministry of Work.

https://www.ministryofwork.co.uk

In this episode of Greater Manchester's Greatest Minds, we chat with Naomi Timperley, a tech innovator, mentor, and community builder. From launching Baby Loves Disco to mentoring over 500 entrepreneurs, Naomi shares her journey of resilience and reinvention.

We explore her Dragon’s Den experience, founding Tech North Advocates, and her mission to put the North on the global map. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, tech enthusiast, or changemaker, this episode offers insights and inspiration from one of Manchester’s brightest minds.

Tune in for advice, stories, and a fresh take on creating lasting impact!