Mind Your Business

In this episode of @Mind_Your_Business_Pod David Pawsey speaks to Ben Davie, performance coach and founder of Keep Your Cool, a cold water immersion therapy business based in Crawley.Ben’s work spans an incredible range of environments, from helping elite athletes perform under pressure to supporting business leaders, football teams and prisoners with mindset, breathwork and resilience.David and Ben explore the science and psychology behind cold water therapy, why doing hard things can unlock confidence, and how discomfort can bring teams closer together. Ben also shares powerful insights from his work in prisons, where he uses breathwork, movement, journaling and cold water immersion to support mental health, emotional regulation and rehabilitation.They also discuss Ben’s Crawley roots, his work with local football clubs including Crawley Town and Three Bridges, and why connection, vulnerability and small everyday interactions can have a much bigger impact than we realise.A fascinating conversation about resilience, pressure, recovery, community and what it really means to help people.In this episode, we cover:Ben’s journey from personal trainer to performance coachThe benefits of cold water immersion for body and mindWhy elite athletes and business leaders both need mental resilienceHow ice baths can strengthen team bonds Ben’s work supporting prisoners through wellbeing programmesThe importance of breathwork, movement and emotional regulationWhat businesses can learn from sport, pressure and discomfortListen now on YouTube, Spotify and all major podcast platforms.

In this episode of Mind Your Business, David Pawsey sits down with Fiona Anderson, Innovation Director at the Crawley Innovation Centre, to explore the real challenges early-stage businesses face when trying to grow.From the struggle to secure funding to the importance of testing an idea before investing too heavily, Fiona shares practical insight drawn from years of supporting startups across the UK. She explains why many founders hit the same obstacles regardless of location, what investors are really looking for, and why passion alone is not enough to build a sustainable business.The conversation also dives into the unique barriers women founders still face, including confidence gaps, access to investment and the constant balancing act between business and family life. Fiona reflects on her own career journey too, including a difficult period working in South Africa and what that experience taught her about resilience, culture and finding where you truly belong.This is an honest, thoughtful conversation about entrepreneurship, growth, leadership and the realities behind building a business in a changing world.What you’ll hear in this episodeWhy access to funding remains one of the biggest challenges for startupsThe difference between grants, loans and angel investmentWhy founders need to validate demand before scalingCommon mistakes that cause promising businesses to stallHow to test a business idea quickly and affordablyWhy women founders often face extra barriers in businessThe role confidence, childcare and culture play in leadershipFiona’s personal story of career challenges, resilience and returning to the UKWhy in-person connection and business communities still matterKey takeawayA great idea is not enough on its own. The businesses most likely to succeed are the ones that understand their customer, test demand early, plan properly for growth and stay adaptable when conditions change.About the guestFiona Anderson is the Innovation Director at the Crawley Innovation Centre and also works independently as a consultant and mentor for early-stage businesses. With experience supporting startups across multiple regions and sectors, Fiona brings practical, grounded insight into funding, growth strategy and the realities of entrepreneurship.Connect and learn moreTo find out more about Fiona’s work and the support available through the Crawley Innovation Centre, connect with her on LinkedIn.Follow Mind Your BusinessIf you enjoyed this episode, follow Mind Your Business on YouTube, Spotify and all major podcast platforms for more conversations with people from different industries sharing the challenges they’ve faced and how they’ve progressed in their careers.Produced by deepsocialdeepsocial helps businesses create podcasts and turn each episode into a full content campaign, including blogs, whitepapers, LinkedIn posts, videos, shorts and more.

n this episode of Mind Your Business, David Pawsey sits down with Jody Raynsford to unpack the story behind a business built on bold thinking, sharp positioning and community-first marketing.From journalism and copywriting to building the cult-favourite Bad Boy Running podcast, Jody shares how doing things differently helped him create a loyal audience and shape a distinctive approach to brand strategy.A standout moment in the episode is Jody’s take on launching his book, How to Start a Cult. Rather than following a standard formula, he took inspiration from an unlikely source — Cliff Richard and the idea of the Christmas number one — turning the launch into a themed, community-powered campaign that rallied people behind it and made the whole thing feel like an event.The conversation also digs into Jody’s refreshing view of marketing: that the most effective marketing is not bland, polished or designed to please everyone. It works best when it’s authentic, clear in what it stands for, and divisive enough to attract the right people while putting off the wrong ones. In Jody’s world, trying to appeal to everyone is usually the fastest route to being ignored.David and Jody explore how Bad Boy Running grew by embracing humour, in-jokes, honesty and a clear set of shared beliefs — proving that strong communities are built less on constant content and more on consistency, identity and connection.What you’ll hear in this episodeHow Jody moved from journalism into brand strategy and challenger-brand messagingThe origins of Bad Boy Running and why its rough-around-the-edges style helped it stand outWhy strong positioning matters more than trying to please everyoneHow authenticity and a willingness to be polarising can make marketing far more effectiveWhat most brands get wrong about community buildingThe story behind Jody’s book launch and the unexpected Cliff Richard-inspired strategy behind itWhy consistency builds trust more than polished perfection ever willHow bold brands create belonging by being clear about who they are — and who they’re not forKey takeawayThis episode is a reminder that great marketing doesn’t come from playing it safe. It comes from knowing what you stand for, saying it clearly, and building something people genuinely want to belong to.Memorable theme from the episodeThe best marketing is authentic and a little divisive.Not because controversy is the goal but because clarity is. When you stop trying to win everyone over, you make it much easier for the right people to find you, trust you and champion what you do.Links mentionedHow To Start A Cult | Build A Cult Brand | Homehttps://howtostartacult.co.uk/Bad Boy Running | Podcast and Communityhttps://badboyrunning.com/The conversation also digs into Jody’s refreshing view of marketing: that the most effective marketing is not bland, polished or designed to please everyone. It works best when it’s authentic, clear in what it stands for, and divisive enough to attract the right people while putting off the wrong ones. In Jody’s world, trying to appeal to everyone is usually the fastest route to being ignored.David and Jody explore how Bad Boy Running grew by embracing humour, in-jokes, honesty and a clear set of shared beliefs — proving that strong communities are built less on constant content and more on consistency, identity and connection.What you’ll hear in this episodeHow Jody moved from journalism into brand strategy and challenger-brand messagingThe origins of Bad Boy Running and why its rough-around-the-edges style helped it stand outWhy strong positioning matters more than trying to please everyoneHow authenticity and a willingness to be polarising can make marketing far more effectiveWhat most brands get wrong about community buildingThe story behind Jody’s book launch and the unexpected Cliff Richard-inspired strategy behind itWhy consistency builds trust more than polished perfection ever willHow bold brands create belonging by being clear about who they are — and who they’re not forKey takeawayThis episode is a reminder that great marketing doesn’t come from playing it safe. It comes from knowing what you stand for, saying it clearly, and building something people genuinely want to belong to.Memorable theme from the episodeThe best marketing is authentic and a little divisive.Not because controversy is the goal but because clarity is. When you stop trying to win everyone over, you make it much easier for the right people to find you, trust you and champion what you do.Links mentionedHow to Start a CultBad Boy RunningJody’s resources and framework via his website