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The Downtown Den Podcast. In conversation with the leading business personalities from the Downtown network.
Episodes
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
FROM JAVELIN THROWER TO PROPERTY INVESTOR – THE STORY OF GOLDIE SAYERS
Successful athlete turned businesswoman Goldie Sayer features in the latest Downtown Den podcast. To celebrate the announcement of the inaugural DIB ‘Business of Sport’ conference which will take place at the Emirates Old Trafford at Lancashire Cricket Club on 7th September 2023.
Goldie joined us during lockdown to discuss her Javelin throwing exploits that led to an Olympic medal, her influence in sport now, and her new career as a property investor.
Well worth a listen, Goldie certainly fits the ‘Winning Women’ title of this season of the Downtown Den. Future guests include Co-op boss Rose Marley, the CEO of FC United Natalie Atkinson, and the chief executive of Birmingham City Council Elaine Bowker.
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
This series of the Downtown Den Podcast is all about Winning Women, in the latest episode Downtown boss Frank McKenna speaks with Liverpool business leader, Kate Stewart.
In this episode, Kate takes us on a whirlwind journey, from dropping out of school to making her first million by the age of 26.
Kate was responsible for the management of the Liverpool Heritage Market and has since gone onto forge a succesful business career in the hospitality sector.
Kate also shares her opinion of the education system and why it needs reform and why she created, Vitality Homes, a hugely successful initiative that gives its residents who may be former addicts, prisoners or anyone who has suffered hardship and found themselves on the wrong path, a chance to turn their lives around long-term and become better members of society.
Follow Kate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrskastewart
Follow Kate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katestewartlife
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
An underachiever at school, a self-confessed chatterbox, and a little lost as to know what to do with herself, Hayley Palmer reached her mid-twenties and decided she’d quite like to be a television presenter.
She now appears on a number of TV programmes and radio shows, and she gets invited to many a red carpet affair as she has become one of the medias leading commentators on all that is happening in the entertainment industry.
This is a lively and fascinating conversation with someone whose journey to a career she absolutely loves was navigated by the sheer force of her attitude, determination, and charming personality.
Have a listen to Hayley’s story and hear the genuine love and enthusiasm she has for the job she does – a job that, in every way, she created for herself.
Twitter: @presenterhayley
Instagram: @hayleypalmer_presenter
YouTube: Hayley Palmer Presenter
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
EDUCATION MINISTER IN THE DOWNTOWN DEN
Back in 2020, the then junior minister for education, Gillian Keegan, joined us in the Den to talk about her fascinating career journey (she started as an apprentice in Kirkby, a town on the outskirts of Liverpool), her transition into politics, and her passion for improving skills, education, and training in our country. She is now the education minister – and she’ll be one of the keynote speakers at DIBs ‘Change Makers Live’ conference on 2nd March 2023 in Liverpool. Have a listen to what Gillian had to say to us almost three years ago when she was a member of Boris Johnson’s government. Whatever your politics, we think you’ll be impressed.
This is episode three of the Downtown Den’s ‘Winning Women’ series. Enjoy.
Friday Jan 20, 2023
Friday Jan 20, 2023
This series of the Downtown Den Podcast is all about Winning Women, in the second episode Downtown boss Frank McKenna speaks with the Leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig.
Bev discusses her first twelve months as Leader of Manchester City Council, her vision for the future of Manchester, her passion for Manchester United and a little bit about her back story.
Follow Bev Craig on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bevcraig
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Friday Jan 13, 2023
In the first episode of the second series of the Downtown Den podcast, Frank McKenna speaks to Managing Director of Mansell Building Solutions, Angela Mansell.
Angela discusses her business journey, challenges in a male dominated sector, the way she has evolved the company and her passion for Greater Manchester and Manchester United Football Club.
To find out more information on Mansell Building Solutions visit https://www.mansellbuild.co.uk
Friday Dec 09, 2022
Friday Dec 09, 2022
In this episode, Downtown boss Frank McKenna chats with our Political Editor Jim Hancock as he takes us on a whirlwind tour of his career covering politics across the UK for over five decades.
Jim’s career took him from the pioneering Piccadilly radio in Manchester to the BBC, he’s interviewed several Prime Ministers from Margaret thatcher to Tony Blair, he’s covered numerous party conferences and despite his many years in the business of politics he still has the same enthusiasm for it as he did all those years ago.
In this episode Jim discusses:
- His initial interest in politics
- His foray into broadcasting
- The politicians who have impressed him most
- Why it is important for politics journalists to be party neutral
- The future of political journalism
Follow Jim on Twitter
Friday Dec 02, 2022
Friday Dec 02, 2022
The legendary Liverpool radio host and entertainer, Pete Price, needs little to no introduction. Known best for his late-night talk show on Liverpool radio station Radio City, his career has spanned 50 years in showbiz, with regular TV appearances and a bestselling autobiography ‘Pete Price – Name Dropper’.
Renowned for his larger-than-life personality, in this episode of the Downtown Den, Pete candidly discusses both the highlights and dark times from his life and the lessons he has learnt along the way. Sharing emotional anecdotes from his early life and career, we delve deep and discover how Pete Price became Pete Price.
Pete chats to Frank about:
- His childhood
- Work ethic
- Becoming a DJ and his first taste of showbiz
- Fighting his sexuality
- Acceptance
- Reinventing himself
- His late-night phone in show
- His father and the Sicilian Mafia
Follow Pete on Instragam:
https://www.instagram.com/petecityprice
Follow Pete on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/PeteCityPrice
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Friday Nov 25, 2022
A political giant for more than five decades, the man who many believe to be ‘the best Prime Minister we never had’, Lord Michael Heseltine, joined DIB boss Frank McKenna in the Downtown Den this week.
‘Hezza’, also affectionately referred to as ‘Tarzan’ by Tory activists in the 1970s and 80s, has been at the forefront of public life since 1979 when he was given his first cabinet role by Margaret Thatcher as the Secretary of State for the Environment. He has also served as the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Trade & Industry, and Deputy Prime Minister.
A staunch advocate of the UK remaining in the European Union, Lord Heseltine is President of the European Movement.
Despite a general antagonism towards Conservative leaders and politicians, the city of Liverpool have made Heseltine an ‘adopted Scouser’, following his pivotal role in helping to regenerate the city in the early Eighties, when he was given the title ‘Minister for Merseyside’. He was made a Freeman of Liverpool in 2012 and he is still a regular visitor to the city.
In this wide-ranging conversation, the successful entrepreneur and politician discusses his role in Liverpool’s renaissance; his frustrations with Brexit; his time in government; and his vision for the future.
In this fascinating discussion, Lord Heseltine chats to Frank about:
- His role in the urban regeneration of Liverpool
- Devolution
- The overdominance of London
- Levelling Up
- Brexit and re-establishing EU relations
- His impressive political career
- Highs and lows of governments over the years
- Local government reorganisation
- His favourite Prime Minister
The European Movement https://www.europeanmovement.co.uk
Follow DIB here:
Friday Nov 18, 2022
Friday Nov 18, 2022
Long-serving chief executive at Warrington Borough Council, Vice Chairman of Rugby Super League Club Warrington Wolves, and early adopter and supporter of Downtown in Business, Prof. Steven Broomhead joins Downtown CEO Frank McKenna in the Downtown Den.
In this honest discussion, Steven reflects on his impressive career at the council, “delivering on the ground” and securing funding for regeneration and development schemes that have made a huge impact across the North West region. Furthermore, he gives his realistic insight into the future of local government and shares his passion for Warrington and his role at the Warrington Wolves.
DIB CEO Frank McKenna talks to Steven about:
- Devolution
- Abolishment of the Northwest Regional Development Agency
- Steven’s career at Warrington Borough Council
- Delivering on the ground
- Public private sector partnerships
- Council as community business
- The future of local government
- Skills agenda
- Model of governance debates across Northwest counties
- Warrington Wolves
To follow Steven on twitter, click here.
Find out more about Warrington Wolves here.
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