​2023

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EPISODE 118: IN THE MIX: EXTRACTS FROM THREE SEASONS

Published 20 December

Extracts from episodes published  in the three  years with the launch of Inside Agri-Turf with items as diverse as trade associations, tanks and Twickenham

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EPISODE 117: SHARING START-UP SUCCESS with Ollie Austen

Published 2 December

Small businesses (SMEs) are the heartbeat of the UK economy. But who supports the founders?  Who guides them through the ups and downs? I talk to Ollie Austen, co-founder of the peer-to-peer networking group Start-up2standup. the group is tailored  for start-up founders who wish to connect with other

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EPISODE 116: RETENTION: BEYOND THE SALARY

Published 30 November

In Part 2, Paul focusses on RETENTION.  He says that clear, upfront and two-way communication with all members of staffing on a regular basis is the golden rule for ensuring, as far as possible, that loyal, skilled staff - stay loyal. 

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EPISODE 115  RECRUITING? DON'T PANIC! with Paul Harris

Published 23 November

In a two-part episode on Recruitment and Retention, I talk to Paul Harris, the founder of Real Success Ltd, a company specialising in meeting the staffing requirements of the farming community.

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EPISODE 114 THE ROAD TO RESILIENCE with Andrew Findley

Published 16.November

Andrew Findley is an experienced ultra runner and a  motivational speaker talking to groups and businesses about resilience.  Of being able to cope successfully with the bad or difficult times – and you can be assured that Andrew experienced many of those during his participation in extreme conditions.

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EPISODE 113: THE ART OF THE SALES CONVERSATION (Part 2) with St John Craner

Published 9 nOVEMBER

In this episode, St John Craner, connects the two important elements of The Art of the Sales Conversation, that of listening, and then asking the right questions at the right time and in the right way.

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EPISODE 112: COUNTAX: THE BEGINNING AND THE END with Harry Handkammer

Published 2 November

With the news that AriensCo are to cease production of Countax and Westwood models at Great Haseley – and have no plans to use the brand names in the future, Chris Biddle looks back at the beginnings and now the end of the Countax story with founder Harry Handkammer.

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EPISODE 111: TURN COMPLAINTS INTO COMPLIMENTS with Dan Pratt

Published 26 October 

In the first part of his series of The Customer is always Right?  Dan Pratt, founder of DAP Consultancy talked about different types of customers, their behaviour, and ways of successfully diffusing difficult situations.

 

EPISODE 110: NEW SCIENTIST LIVE PREVIEW with Anna Eccleston, Richard Charles and 

Published 19 October

Reflecting on the recent New Scientist Live event are Anna Eccleston, Farmers Weekly, Richard Charles, AGCO and Daniel Fasham from the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) representing the We Are Land-based Engineering campaign

 

EPISODE 109: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT? with Dan Pratt

Published 12 September

"Customers are always right" says Dan Pratt "until they are not!" In this episode he talks about ways of diffusing confrontation - and how to address negative reviews on social media

 

EPISODE 108: THE ART OF THE SALES CONVERSATION with St John Craner

Published 5 October

Farming and food production will take centre stage at  2023 New Scientist Live described as the worlds greatest festival of innovation, ideas and discoveries

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EPISODE 107:  ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW SHOW

Published 28 September

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new show, The Agri-Turf Academy Show

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EPISODE 106: NEW SCIENTIST LIVE PREVIEW with Anna Eccleston and Kit Franklin

Published 21 September

Farming and food production will take centre stage at  2023 New Scientist Live described as the worlds greatest festival of innovation, ideas and discoveries

 

EPISODE 105: AI: YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS with Wesley Baker

Published 7 September 

Leading businessman, Wesley Baker, founder of Canterbury AI talks about the impact that AI (Artificial Intelligence) will have businesses and society as a whole over the coming years.

 

EPISODE 104: DISSECTOLOGY with David Hart

Published 31 August

David Hart, managing director of Kubota UK describes the challenges faced by a manufacturer when replacing a dealership's main franchise. the knock-on impact on existing or neighbouring dealers is rather like trying to complete a devilishly difficult jigsaw (dissectology)

 

EPISODE 103: TOP RANKING DEALERS with Peter Hill

Published 9 June

Freelance journalist Peter Hill has recently completed the latest league table of the UK Biggest Farm Machinery Dealers by turnover. He reveals the 'movers and shakers' as the dealer network continues to consolidate 

 

EPISODE 102: PREVIEW OF SEASON FOUR

Published 24 August

 

EPISODE 101: WHAT IS LAND-BASED ENGINEERING? ASK AI 

Published 9 June

How would Aidan, Aileen and Aimee - the clue lies in the first two letters of each name – describe the attractions of land-based engineering?  I have produced this episode using ChatGPT, posing questions, refining the text responses,  and recording for this podcast. 

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EPISODE 100: FULL CIRCLE with Keith Christian 

Published 27 April

For the 100th episode of Inside Agri-Turf podcast,  I'm talking to special guest Keith Christian, the recently retired Director of BAGMA about his remarkable career which including heading both trade associations for manufacturers and dealers.

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EPISODE 99: WHAT THREE WORDS? with Ruth Bailey and Gareth Ford

Published 20 April

The Agri-Turf machinery industry, officially known as Land-based Engineering has long wrestled with finding a readily understood definition of what it is, what it does. - and what three words best sum up its attraction?

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EPISODE 98: PLANTING THE SEED with Ken Smyth

Published 31 March

From an apprentice himself, Ken Smyth is to today general service manager at leading dealership Ernest Doe Ltd, overseeing the service departments and transport fleet at Doe's 19 branches with 180 technicians and over 160 vehicles

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EPISODE 97: THE BUSINESS OF BUYING AND SELLING with Jerry Hanss

Published 23 March

Is there sufficient collaboration between manufacturers and their dealers about business management and maximising sales and service opportunities? Jerry Hanss talks about benchmarking, finance managment, reduction of downtime, service absorption and more.

 

EPISODE 96: APP-LAUDED with Will Dunn, Founder of Ag-drive

Published 16 March

The developer of the Ag-drive app, Will Dunn which simplifies job recording and invoicing for farmers, farm contractors and other service sectors talks about his journey - and winning major awards.

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​EPISODE 95: RE-IMAGINING THE LITTLE GREY FERGIE with Campbell Scott

Published 9 March

Cambell Scott, Founder of Atomic Tractors talks about plans to re-create an adaptation electrically powered version of the Ferguson TE20, and research into hybrid power units for tractors

 

​EPISODE 94: PITCHES, POLO AND PILOTING with John Ledwidge MBA

Published 2 March

John Ledwidge, Head of Sports Truf and Grounds at Leicester City FC provides a fascinating insight into his all-embracxing role, and how he founded a multi-million pound Sports Turf Academy 

 

​EPISODE 93: AGRI-TURF TALK No: 7 Feeling OK? Let's Chat

Published 23 February

A panel representing agriculture and turfcare discuss issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing in their industry 

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​EPISODE 92:  AGRI-TURF TALK No 6: featuring an all-women panel

Published 16 February

Four women in key roles in agriculture and turfcare share their experiences of working in a male dominated industry

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​EPISODE 91:  CLONFARF TO WORLD CUP with Karl McDermott

Published 9 February

Karl McDermott, Head Groundsman at Lord's Cricket Ground tells of his jopurney from a Dublin Cricket Club to the Home of Cricket

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​EPISODE 90:  FAMILY PLANNING with Heather Wildman

Published 2 February

a fascinating exploration by Heather Wildman of the positives and pitfalls facing family companies when sitting down to discuss succession planning.

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​EPISODE 89:  CROSSING THE DIVIDE with Anna Jones

Published 26 January 2023

The episode features writer, journalist, TV producer and broadcaster Anna Jones talking about the formation of the Just Farmers media network and her book Divide.

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​EPISODE 88:  THE PROBLEM WITH SALES - IS SELLING with St John Craner

Published 19 January 2023

We head down-under to New Zealand where I catch with St John Craner, an Essex boy, who now runs a successful sales training company for agribusiness clients. He is also the host of the Rural Sales Show podcast 

 

​EPISODE 87:  2022 REFLECTIONS, 2023 IN VIEW

published 5 January 2023

A selection of excerpts from episodes at the back end of 2022