Podcast Guest Kit

Carls Podcast Speaker Kit

Helping business owners and directors think clearly, lead better, and grow sustainably.

👋 About Carl

Carl Bradshaw is a business coach, board adviser, Trustee, Treasurer, Chair and Non-Executive Director who works with SMEs, charities and social enterprises across the UK.

With over 30 years’ experience, Carl helps business owners and directors step out of the day-to-day and into clearer, more confident decision-making. His approach is simple, practical, and grounded in real-world experience — no jargon, no fluff, just what works.

Often described as a “critical friend”, Carl brings an independent perspective to leadership teams, helping them challenge their thinking, improve accountability, and focus on what really matters.

Alongside his commercial work, Carl is actively involved in the charity sector as a trustee and adviser, giving him a strong understanding of purpose-led leadership and governance.

🎙️ What I Love Talking About

I’m not here to lecture — I’m here for a good, honest conversation that your audience can actually use.

Here are a few areas I regularly speak on:

🔹 1. Why Most Business Owners Are Stuck in the Day-to-Day

How to step back, create thinking space, and lead more strategically.

🔹 2. The Accountability Gap

Why plans don’t get delivered — and what to do about it.

🔹 3. Governance Without the Grey Suits

What good governance actually looks like in SMEs and charities (in plain English).

🔹 4. Busy vs Effective

The trap most directors fall into — and how to escape it.

🔹 5. Building a Better Board (Even If You Don’t Have One Yet)

How to bring structure, challenge, and better decision-making into your business.

❓ Questions I Can Help Answer

Happy to go wherever the conversation flows, but if it helps, here are some questions your audience often asks:

  • Why do business owners struggle to switch off from operations?
  • What does “good governance” actually mean in a small business?
  • How do you make better decisions when everything feels urgent?
  • Why do most strategies fail after the first 90 days?
  • What’s the role of a Non-Executive Director — and when do you need one?
  • How can leaders hold themselves (and others) accountable without micromanaging?

💬 A Few Things You Might Hear Me Say

  • “Most businesses don’t have a strategy problem — they have a thinking problem.”
  • “If everything’s urgent, nothing’s strategic.”
  • “You don’t need more time — you need better decisions.”
  • “Governance isn’t red tape — it’s clarity.”

👥 Who This Is For

Your audience will get the most value if they are:

  • Business owners or directors (especially SMEs)
  • Leaders feel stretched or stuck in the day-to-day
  • People responsible for growth, strategy, or governance
  • Charity leaders, trustees, or senior managers

🎯 What Your Audience Will Take Away

After the conversation, listeners will:

  • Think more clearly about their role as a leader
  • Understand where they’re getting stuck (and why)
  • Have practical ways to improve decision-making
  • Feel more confident stepping into strategic leadership

📸 Media & Links

👉 Happy to provide headshots, logos, or anything else you need for promotion.

☕ Final Note

I keep things relaxed, conversational, and practical — no scripts, no jargon.

If your audience enjoys honest conversations about leadership, decision-making, and what really happens behind the scenes in business…

We’ll get on just fine.

Want a copy of this as a one-page PDF? Drop me a message.