From Bedroom to Boardroom | With Rob Spence

It's Not the Mistake. It's the Recovery | Episode Twenty SevenRob sent a meal back at a restaurant on Saturday night. He doesn't do it often, and he doesn't take it lightly — especially given his background in hospitality. But the story that followed turned into one of the clearest customer service lessons you'll hear.What We CoverThe Night in Question Rob, his fiancée, and their almost-one-year-old headed out for a casual Saturday dinner at a favourite local venue — nothing fancy, but reliably good value and a nice atmosphere. What followed was a cascade of minor problems: thirty minutes to get a drink, wine glasses delivered with no glasses, and then a plate that arrived with someone else's dinner baked onto it. The dirty wine glass that arrived shortly after was the final straw. Rob sent the food back, asked for a fresh glass, and said he'd come in at the end of the meal for a refund.He was clear with the young lad behind the bar: it's not on you, mate. There was one member of staff, a wedding on, a queue at the bar. Management should have been on it.The Recovery At the end of the night, when Rob went to the till expecting a refund on the one dish he'd sent back, the manager refunded the entire bill. The full £55. His fiancée's meal, the chips, the wine, the lot — all of it. Rob had been willing to pay for everything except the food he'd sent back. They went further.Why That Decision Was Brilliant Rob was already prepared to return. The refund sealed it. Now he'll recommend the venue, tell people where it is if they ask, and go back specifically because he wants to pay them for a good experience.This is the principle of reciprocity in action — one of the most powerful drivers of buying behaviour. You do something for me, I want to do something for you. A customer who has a problem handled generously is often more loyal than one who never had a problem at all.The Amazon Comparison Some businesses make you fight for a refund. Proof of this, evidence of that, three emails and a photo. Amazon doesn't. Something wrong? Refund sorted, done. That frictionless recovery is a core reason people keep going back. The lesson scales from a local restaurant to a global retailer.The Question for Business Owners When a complaint lands, what's your instinct? To defend, dispute, and delay? Or to look honestly at what went wrong and ask: what do I need to do to keep this person? The time and energy spent arguing with a customer rarely wins you anything. The goodwill you generate by handling it well can pay back many times over.Key TakeawayCustomers don't expect perfection. They expect to be treated well when things go wrong. A mistake handled with grace builds more loyalty than a flawless experience that's taken for granted.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

You'll Never Get Slagged Off By Someone Doing Better Than You | Episode 26An impromptu one — but sometimes the unplanned episodes are the best ones. Rob's had a run-in with a hater this week. Not a faceless internet troll, but someone in the Leicestershire business networking community who's had it in for him for a couple of years. He's telling the full story, naming what she did, and using it as a jumping-off point for something every entrepreneur needs to hear.What We CoverThe Universal Entrepreneur Experience No matter how successful you become — whether you're Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, or a small business owner in the East Midlands — there will always be people who slag you off. People who preach positivity, champion mental health hashtags, and then quietly go about undermining anyone doing better than them. Rob's seen it everywhere. This week, it landed on his doorstep.What Actually Happened A lady in the Leicestershire networking circuit — who works in business development for a college and has also authored a novel — has had it in for Rob for two to three years. Every time Rob promotes his networking event, Fresh Networking (running since 2019), she responds within the hour promoting a rival group. Fine. Rob has no problem with that.What crossed a line: she went onto Fresh Networking's Facebook page and commented on a "Meet the Member" post, tagging a competing networking group and implying Rob had stolen their idea. A direct, public dig.Rob responded calmly and professionally, pointing out that Fresh Networking has celebrated its members since day one in 2019. He then messaged the lady directly — friendly, measured — and got blocked. She deleted the comment. He has the screenshots.The Backstory Two or three years ago, Rob went out of his way to support this woman. He bought her book. He had her on his other podcast, How I Failed in Business, to promote it — and by his account it was one of the best episodes he ever recorded. Later, a separate guest mentioned a piece of light-hearted banter involving her — completely in context, completely in jest — and that episode happened to go out before hers. She was upset. Rob pulled the relevant segment within hours. Her own episode was never aired and remains on a hard drive. He did everything right. She's been bad-mouthing him ever since.The Lesson Here it is, plain and simple: you will never get slagged off by someone doing better than you. Elon Musk isn't scrolling Facebook to complain someone's copying his ideas. Jeff Bezos isn't walking into bookshops demanding to know why they exist. The hatred flows downhill — from people who aren't where they want to be, aimed at people who are moving in the right direction.Rise to it if you have to — but do it calmly, do it with receipts, and let the quality of your work do the rest.Key TakeawayHaters are a byproduct of success — not a sign you're doing something wrong. If someone's going out of their way to undermine you, ask yourself one question: are they doing better than you? The answer will tell you everything you need to know.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

Two Years In and Just Getting Started: A Fresh Chapter for Paragon Creative Studios | Episode Twenty FiveAfter two heavy episodes, Rob made a deliberate decision to keep this one positive. No complaints, no court cases, no politics. Just a genuine milestone and a renewed sense of excitement about what's coming next.What We CoverHappy Birthday, Paragon Creative Studios Two years ago to the day of recording, Rob received the keys to the studio space in Countesthorpe, Leicestershire. Paragon Creative Studios (PCS) was born — not all at once, but bit by bit, piece by piece, gradually built into what it is today.To mark the occasion, Rob and the team have just invested in a refresh. New reception desk. New white and cream sets. Plans for additional sets in the pipeline. The studio is looking cleaner, fresher, and more capable than ever.An Honest Admission Rob holds his hands up: PCS has effectively been treated as a side hustle. Given everything else going on in the business, it hasn't received the attention it deserves. But he's sitting on an asset that could genuinely thrive — and he knows it. That changes now.What Reignited the Passion Two things:First, competition. A contact of Rob's has just opened a new studio in Leicester — and it looks great. Rather than feeling threatened, Rob says it's given him exactly the rocket he needed. Being pushed by someone doing good work is a good thing.Second, content. Rob's hobby content around movies and physical media has pulled him into a deeper understanding of cinematography, social media strategy, and what makes content actually work. All of that is now feeding back into how he thinks about PCS — and it's exciting.What's Coming A redesigned website, an overhauled social media presence, new sets, and a renewed push to make PCS the go-to content studio in Leicestershire. Watch the socials.If You're in Leicestershire Whether you need a space for a podcast, talking head videos, social media content, or photography — PCS has the kit, the capability, and the know-how. Rob would love to welcome you in.Key TakeawaySometimes the thing that reignites your passion for a business you already own is a competitor doing well, a hobby that teaches you something new, or simply a milestone worth celebrating. All three landed at once here.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

Read the Room: Why Our High Streets Are Dying and Who's to Blame | Episode Twenty FourFollowing last week's raw, difficult episode, Rob is back — still frustrated, still honest, but this time pointing his anger somewhere specific. Businesses are closing around him, and he wants to talk about why.What We CoverKnight and Garter — Leicester Loses a Good One Knight and Garter, one of Leicester city centre's last genuinely good independent restaurants (run by award-winning operator Sam Hagar), is closing. Not because of bad management or poor food — but because business rates imposed by Leicester City Council have become unsustainable. On top of VAT, rising food costs, fuel costs, NI increases, minimum wage hikes, and a drop in footfall — the business rates were the final straw.The High Cross Hypocrisy The same Leicester City Council recently wrote off approximately £3 million in business rate debt accumulated by the High Cross shopping centre. A generic chain-store mall that — by Rob's count — has around 30% of its units vacant. The contrast is stark: independent operators who actually make Leicester worth visiting are being squeezed out, while a largely empty shopping centre gets its debt wiped.The Big Difference Company Also in the news: the holding company behind the Leicester Comedy Festival has struggled to pay its comedians and has now been locked out of its own venue after falling behind on rent. Rob connects the dots — if people aren't coming into the city centre, venues can't trade, can't pay rent, can't keep the doors open. The ripple effect hits staff, suppliers, local breweries, and everyone downstream.Simpsons, Birmingham It's not just Leicester. Simpsons — a Michelin-starred restaurant that held its star for 25 consecutive years — has also closed, citing the same unrelenting cost pressures. When businesses of that quality and reputation can't survive, something is seriously broken.The Bigger Argument Rob's point is simple: you cannot have workers if there are no businesses to employ them. Councils that keep raising rates while letting city centres decay are killing the very ecosystem they depend on. The answer isn't another event in the town square — it's making city centres accessible, attractive, and worth the trip.A Direct Invitation Rob calls out Sir Peter Soulsby of Leicester City Council by name: come on the podcast. Explain the thinking. If anyone working in local government or high street regeneration is listening, Rob genuinely wants to hear the other side.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

The Hardest Day in Eight and a Half Years | Episode Twenty ThreeNo studio. No plan. Rob is recording from his car, minutes after letting three members of his telemarketing team go. In eight and a half years of running his business, he's never had to do this before. This is as raw as it gets.Note: the audio quality reflects exactly where and when this was recorded. That's the point.What We CoverWhat Just Happened Three good people — Rob's words — have just lost their jobs. He's clear it isn't their fault. He largely takes the responsibility himself, while also naming the factors that backed him into this corner.The Two Clients Who Didn't Pay Regular listeners will recognise both of these:The first signed a six-month agreement, allocated Paragon's resources were built around that contract — and then walked away three months in, with no legitimate cause. Because Paragon had already invoiced for the work, HMRC expected VAT on income that never arrived. Rob is taking them to court.The second signed a three-month agreement. Paragon delivered results, went above and beyond, communicated throughout. The complaints only surfaced when Rob started chasing payment. He's taking them to court too. He has the contract, the evidence, and every confidence he'll win both.The Economic Backdrop Non-paying clients don't operate in a vacuum. National insurance increases, rising wages, business rates, utility bills, insurance — the costs of running a business have climbed significantly. Rob spoke recently to a charity whose bottom line had increased by half a million pounds year on year from these rises alone. Add the natural summer slowdown in sales and marketing, and several pressures converged at once.How It Feels Rob is genuinely struggling with this. He's not trying to make it about himself — he's very aware that three people are going home today without jobs — but he's honest that this is the hardest thing he's had to do since starting the business. He doesn't know how larger companies cycle through redundancies repeatedly. To him, this isn't a number. It's people's mortgages, their families, their dignity.He ends with a direct apology to those who lost their jobs today — and a promise to himself that he'll do everything in his power to never be in this position again.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

Adapt or Get Left Behind: Why Change Is the Only Option | Episode Twenty TwoEpisode SummarySomething is changing at Paragon. Rob isn't ready to say exactly what yet — it's still too fresh, too raw — but this episode is his way of processing it out loud. A reminder to himself, and to anyone listening, that staying still is its own kind of risk.What We CoverChange Is Coming — Details To Follow Rob is candid from the off: there are decisions being made in the business right now, some already done, some in progress. He's not ready to spell them out. But he knows they're overdue. Eight and a half years in, the core of what Paragon does and how it does it has stayed largely the same. And while that's not failure, it's starting to look a lot like stagnation.The Kilner Family Warning The story that brought it into focus came from Clarkson's Farm. It turns out Jeremy Clarkson is related to the Kilner family — the famous glass jar makers who once dominated their market. Their mistake wasn't bad products. It was failing to embrace technology while competitors did. They went from market leaders to irrelevant. A warning Rob takes personally.Paragon Sales Solutions has been a market leader in telemarketing and lead generation for nearly a decade. But leading in a market that's shifting under your feet isn't enough. The current climate — economically and politically — is making that clearer by the day.Why Business Owners Resist Change Rob gets honest about the psychology of it. Fear of what clients will think. Fear of what the team will think. Fear of what family will think. But the world is big and your business is small — and if you're so worried about outside perception that you won't evolve, you're already losing.Nervous, but Excited That's where Rob lands. The change is happening. He's not sure how it'll look from the outside yet, but he knows it's necessary — and there's something energising about that, even when it's scary.Key TakeawayEvery business either changes or gets left behind. The Kilner family didn't fail overnight — they just didn't move fast enough. What's the change you've been putting off in yours?Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

You Can Rebuild a Business. You Can't Get This Time Back | Episode Twenty OneAn unplanned, slightly chaotic episode — recorded at 4pm with the England pre-match build-up on in the background, because Rob left the original recording on the SD card at the studio. Classic. But amid the chaos, a genuinely honest reflection on what being your own boss is actually for.What We CoverThe Accidental Home Studio Rob forgot the SD card. So he's cobbled together a setup at home — microphone straight into the laptop, sitting by a sunny patio door — and is recording with England kicking off at 5pm. The irony isn't lost on him.Why He's Working From Home More Often Rob's partner returned to work a couple of months ago doing two days a week in clinic. To avoid paying for childcare until funded hours kick in September, Rob looks after their daughter — now nearly 11 months old — one day a week. His partner's mum covers another day. Between them, they've carved out a solution that saves money and, more importantly, gives Rob time with his daughter that he'd otherwise miss.When she's awake, the laptop is closed. He's fully present. Work happens in the nap windows. He admits it adds some stress — his output is lower on those days — but the trade-off is obvious to him.The Real Reason to Own a Business Rob pushes back on the culture of bragging about absence. The business owners who wear it as a badge of honour that they haven't seen their families, missed bedtimes, skipped breakfasts for meetings. His take: that's not success. That's a priority problem.His daughter won't remember these days — but he will. She'll see the photos and the videos and know he was there. And that, to Rob, is a bigger flex than any business win.You can rebuild a business. You can restart a career. You won't get the first year back.What Entrepreneurship Is Actually About Not just money. Not just growth. Time. Flexibility. The ability to solve a childcare problem by showing up. That's the real upside of being your own boss — and it's easy to forget when you're buried in the doing.Key TakeawayBeing present isn't a weakness. It's the whole point. If your business can't survive you being a parent for a day, you've got a leadership problem — not a family problem.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl

A Company of Giants: Why You Should Always Hire People Better Than You | Episode Twenty Rob's back from holiday and keeping this one short. But the topic is anything but small. A principle he once believed in, drifted from, and is now recommitting to: always hire people who are better than you. Two stories — one from Henry Ford, one from David Ogilvy — and one honest admission about where drifting from this has cost the business.Key TakeawayStop hiring people you have to carry. Hire people who make you faster, sharper, and more dispensable — in the best possible way. A company of giants starts with the courage to admit you don't need to be the best person in the room.Massive thank you to my partners - make sure you give them some love:Paragon Creative Studios - www.paragoncreativestudios.co.uk monday.com - https://try.monday.com/9fu602qtcgca Xero - https://referrals.xero.com/i5kqkglg3n3w-nx0cim Apollo.io - https://get.apollo.io/b3kjbubqrsvl