In this episode John speaks with Michelle Cooper, CEO of County Durham Community Foundation about how the charity supports Spot On! ideas to help the most vulnerable individuals in the North East of England.

County Durham Community Foundation is an independent grant-making charity, promoting lasting charitable giving by bringing together donors with their chosen causes, through well-targeted grants that make a genuine difference to the lives of local people.

Michelle recently visited Windsor Castle to be presented with her MBE by the now King Charles III. She was awarded the honour for her outstanding contribution to the community effort through the pandemic.

In this episode John speaks with customer and employee experience expert Kate Cooper Faye, CEO and founder of CXY, about her Spot On! ideas to help companies and organisations deliver a winning customer experience.

Kate is an individual who successfully challenges the status quo and consistently maximises the potential of key people, colleagues and customers.

Kate is hugely experienced and qualified to support businesses, including Google and Lloyds Bank, to do better for their customers. She is a Chartered Director, member of the Professional Board Forum, Fellow of the Institute of Sales and Marketing and holds an MBA from Cranfield alongside a degree in Commercial Law.

In the this episode John speaks with former journalist and PR consultant, and now Conservative Deputy Mayor of Middlesbrough, Meika Smiles. She tells John about her Spot on! ideas for education, social mobility and how Middlesbrough is recovering from its bad reputation.

Mieka started her career in journalism, writing for several North-East and national papers. When her children’s school missed out on funding it had been promised, she decided to get involved in local politics. Today, she is deputy mayor of Middlesbrough, a town in North East England - in the heart of the Red Wall.

In the this episode John speaks with manufacturing and automotive business expert and mentor, David Land, director of Drive 2 Business and director and co-founder of IA Growth about his Spot on! ideas about making things that Britain needs, being resourceful and how industry has changed over the years - sometimes for the better, sometimes not!

David has gained experience through working at senior levels within those sectors, with leading companies, such as Cummins and Gestamp Tallent. Starting out as an apprentice, David gained knowledge and experience in all aspects of business, with specific emphasis on strategic planning, business development and project management. Later taking on the responsibility of running one of the North East of England’s largest manufacturing firms

In the this episode John speaks with business consultant Mike Matthews MBE, about his Spot on! ideas about manufacturing, social mobility, changes to working practices, and as well as his business journey.

Mike Matthews is the former Nifco Europe Operations Officer & Managing Director of Nifco UK, Mike was brought up on a council estate in Darlington and made his way from the shopfloor to the helm of one of the UK’s leading manufacturing businesses.

In the first episode John speaks Nicky Jolly, founder of HR2DAY about her Spot on! ideas about people management and employee/employer relations, as well as her business journey.

They talk employee rights, the four-day week experiments and a number of other issues to boost employee wellbeing and engagement.

Nicky Jolley, is the founder of managing director of HR2day, which provides bespoke Human Resources services for small to medium sized businesses employing between 5-150 people.

In the first episode John speaks with Mike Hutchinson, managing director of NTG Precision Engineering, about his Spot on! ideas for training and education, handling turbulent times in business and finding the right people for the right roles - and much more.

Founded in 1979, NTG manufactures low volume, high value and highly complex precision engineered components and assemblies.

Mike led the team that completed a management buy out of the company a few years ago and has delivered consistent growth and is on the verge of moving to new larger premises.

The business has grown substantially over the last five years and weathered the Covid pandemic extremely well, with the business operating throughout the various lockdowns and making no redundancies.