It’s not every day that a north east newcomer and a Cambridge serial entrepreneur combine forces (and personal finances) in a management buy-out to raise the north east’s business growth game, but that’s exactly what Jonathon Gold and Peter Hiscocks have done to help companies prepare for investment.

The newly formed Finance Tree, based on a management buyout, is a specialist investment readiness company that plays to the strengths of its co-founders - neither Jonathan nor Peter are strangers to this game!

Shami Chakrabarti has been Director of Liberty since September 2003.
Hear Shami in conversation with Andrew Hebden from The Journal in front of an audience at St James' Park in Newcastle.

In 1999 David Jeffries said to his soon to be bank manager “I’d like to start a business”. “Whats your plan?” the suited gent replied? “My business partner Graeme Love is really good at what he does, I’m a 3D animator and I’ve got a big mouth, can we borrow 5k?” and so it began….

David Jeffries now runs the southern hemisphere office and new Managing Director Steve Walmsley has taken the reigns in Newcastle with his sights firmly fixed on the company owning its own premises and an achievable £5million turnover as the North East’s premier digital creation house. Having this year signed its first million pound plus contract Mere Mortals continues to innovate and build on an enviable pedigree with expansion and acquisition both evident into its future plans.

If you want to learn about the growing pains within Creative Digital business, how David and Steve met 20 years ago and how he’s evolved three separate companies into one; what he’s learned about management from the combination of company ownership and an academic career; or how he deals with a co-director in New Zealand, then this conversation is a must!

The sound quality on this recording is slightly compromised by background noise at the venue.

Bob Cuffe takes his responsibilities as MD of the growing media business that is the Gazette Media Business very seriously.
Hear Bob talk openly and honestly with Caroline Theobald about how he has helped GMC become one of the leading multimedia businesses not only regionally but also nationally.

the dynamic duo from Twenty First Century Media who have just won the Royal Television Society's Moving Image Company of the Year.
The conversation with Managing director, Sam Morton and marketing director, Nick Imrie is bound to be a show-stopper (what else do you expect from the BC team). Just to whet your appetite, Twenty First Century Media has grown fast and now operates around the UK from four offices: Newcastle, Leeds, London and Glasgow. In 2007 alone the company produced 130 projects for corporate clients as diverse as Nike, Nestle, Imperial Tobacco, KPMG, Sage and the NHS with a staff of 20 people and an extensive freelance production network.

This episode features some interference to normal sound quality due to the location of the event.

To many Paul Callaghan is a well known figure on the North East business circuit who is passionate about helping businesses prosper in his capacity as Chairman of Business Link North East, RTC North and a Director of the Entrepreneurs Forum.
Hear how his entrepreneurial tenacity helped build his own business, Leighton Group, from a small publishing company into a global technology and communications group that operates in 45 countries and in 10 languages.

After 38 years in business, Simon Pearson, chairman and founder of the eponymous Pearsons recruitment and marketing business says that he’s still learning – but he also has a lot of experience to share!

On the face of it the managing director of the half a billion pound business that is Greggs might not have much in common with an early stage owner-manager, but the values that underpin the success story at Greggs have just as much validity for any business owner regardless of size, sector or business distance travelled.

Hear Sir Mike talk about the journey that led to his taking the helm at Greggs and converting it from what was a medium-sized family business owned by Ian Gregg to a publicly quoted company with a big business future.

The Bgroup, which was founded by Siobhan Bales in 2001, has taken lots of baby steps on the journey to find its true destination. This year, seven years into business the b is set to take a bungee jump as it positions itself as the leading national creative agency specialising in enterprise and entrepreneurship.

For anyone who wants to know the importance of independence in a politicised marketplace, how to manage cash-flow at periods of rapid growth, how to become profitable whilst keeping a happy team and the importance of both systems and people… this conversation with both Si and Di is a must!

In addition, our Member of the Month for April is Carol Barwick of Carol Barwick Associates Ltd.

This episode contains the very occasional use of mild swear words during the conversation.

An opportunity to hear from some of South Tyneside leading business figures in this special event held in partnership with South Tyneside Council and organised by Bridge Club.
The event is hosted by the inimitable Ray Spencer of the Customs House and facilitated by Caroline Theobald.
It features Caroline In Conversation with… James Ramsbotham of NECC, Jocelyn and Tom Maxfield of Tom’s Companies and Geoff Ford of Ford Component Manufacturing Ltd.