Superconnector Show

New York-based Victor Varnado’s journey as a legally blind, neurodivergent creator & his work at Supreme Robot continues to spark a lot of conversation, especially as he’s bringing AI into education for students who think differently.He’s the mind behind the Writing Coach & the new BrightWrite initiative with Rising Tide Educators & was recently recognised for his efforts to make creative tools more inclusive.On top of that, Victor’s background spans writing for Marvel & New Yorker cartoons, as well as producing for big comedy names. His perspective combines humor & practical tech solutions that get people creating.With over 25,000 creators & fans engaged in the community he’s built, find out more in this interview that was originally broadcast at 1pm (UK time) on Monday 23 March.You can learn more about Victor's work at https://supremerobot.com & play the Worldwide Tic-Tac-Toe Championship (& other games) for free at https://play.highscoregamearcade.com

Do you feel like you're capable of more while staying stuck in the same patterns, not from laziness - from noise? Complexity, the overwhelm of too many systems & not enough simplicity? Mike Bell's 'Reset Journal' is the result of stripping everything back to what actually works: six minutes of deliberate alignment, a proven daily structure & the understanding that you don’t unlock your potential all at once. You unlock it daily. Find out more at https://resetjournals.com & https://www.unlockkeypotential.com ⭐️

Everyone is talking about AI but how many business leaders really know when & how to use it effectively (if at all)? Aidan Dunphy has over 20yrs of expertise in strategy, AI & tech product management & co-founded Frntir.ai with Cyril Le Roux to address a critical gap in the market: small & medium-sized businesses rushing into AI adoption without clear strategy! They help companies with 50-500 employees automate workflows safely & build toward trusted AI agents & Synths, not bots. Find out more by watching this interview (originally broadcast on Monday 9 March 2026). You can also learn more about how Aidan & Cyril can help your business & download a free 'Practical Guide to Agentic AI' at https://frntir.ai ⭐️

What is Digital Transformation? And how can you use technology to create value, save time, waste less money & grow your business / organisation without negatively impacting your people? listen to this interview with Kirsten Edmondson who has held senior technology leadership roles for organisations including the BBC, 3 Mobile, Orange, Formica, Newcastle University, BGL Group, De La Rue & AXA Insurance in the North East of England, across the UK & overseas too!

How do you build a business with an exit in mind from the outset? In this interview, Gavin Bell (ex-Founder & CEO, Yatter) shares how he built & sold a Pay Per Click & Paid Social agency in 3yrs by productising his services & implementing repeatable processes with strong recurring revenues. He also shares some tips & advice on how to find & attract people that will help you grow your business, the benefits & barriers of being based in Scotland & the importance of having a strong personal brand as a content creator. He also touches on the mindset shift he made when going from micro business built around himself to scaling enterprise with a team managing over £20m in client advertising spend annually at the time of the acquisition. If you enjoy this, you can watch more videos of Gavin on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@MrGavinBell & on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mrgavinbell

In this interview, Simon Raybould (Specialist Trainer in Voice & Presentation Skills) talks to Paul Lancaster (Founder & Event Producer, PLATFORM | UK Startup & Scaleup Week) about how to communicate effectively & deliver great presentations / talks. He also covers what clothing to wear, body language, movement, diction, accents, smiling & other ingredients that make a great presentation. Learn more at https://presentationgenius.info

Laurie Stirling is an award-winning Business Ops Strategist who helps business owners transform their business to no longer depend solely on them. With over 20 years experience as an entrepreneur, business analyst, CFO & COO in the creative & technology industries, she empowers founders to step into their CEO role & scale efficiently, delegate confidently & take real time off without the business suffering. Her ‘Step Back to Scale’ system & Group Accelerator programme combines clarity through data, delegation & distilling knowledge & IP, to create businesses that are profitable, growing & self-sustaining. Laurie is passionate about helping overworked entrepreneurs regain balance, increase impact & build the life they want. Find out more at https://www.lauriestirling.com

In this episode, Jeremy Lee (Founder & Host of the 'Just Between Us' podcast) shares some of his amazing experience of building JLA Speakers, the biggest UK speaker agency in the corporate & public sector & being agent to the 'great & good' which includes comedians, politicians, entrepreneurs & cultural figures...After cutting his teeth booking talent into bingo halls & holiday camps, Jeremy founded the speaker agency JLA in 1990, flogging a new wave of stand-ups for recession-weary audiences.The agency soon started signing up politicians & luminaries, turning into 'The UK's leading speaker bureau.' (Financial Times).Aside from comedians he has represented pillars of the Establishment & anti-Establishment as well as experts in this, that & the other. The client list included Mark Carney, William Hague & Boris Johnson before he entered No.10; heads of the army, police & MI5, plus mainstays of the TV schedule from Ian Hislop & Steph McGovern to Brian Cox.He’s flat

In this interview, Sophie Tunnah (Founder & Director, Literally Marketing Ltd) shares key insights from her time as a senior marketer across various industries including travel, ecommerce & tech at both multinational & startup levels. She also discusses how digital marketing & social media has changed over the past 20yrs & what you need to do to be visible, build trust & demonstrate expertise online. Find out more about Sophie & her work at https://literallymarketing.co.uk

In this interview, award-winning personal trainer & fitness professional, Katie Bulmer-Cooke talks to Paul Lancaster about why it's important for busy business owners & leaders to stay (or get) fit & healthy if they want to be successful at work & in their personal life plus her own experience of starting & growing a business & appearing on BBC's The Apprentice.If you'd like to work with Katie on a 1-2-1 basis or bring her into their business to work with your team, visit https://www.katiebulmer.com

Cheryl Burgess (Co-Founder & Director, Opexcell Limited) is a dynamic Operations Leader with 15+ years of cross-sector experience in aviation, telecommunications & energy from waste who helps businesses turn operational challenges into strategic opportunities. Find out more at https://opexcell.co.uk

In this episode, Mitali Deypurkaystha (Founder, Impact Icon AI) & Paul Lancaster discuss how you can use AI tools to be more productive & efficient without having a negative impact on your colleagues or the community you belong to! Find out more about Mitali & her work with Private, Public & Third Sector organisations at https://impacticon.ai

In this episode, Nicky Jolley (MD, HR2day Limited) talks about some of the common pitfalls & HR problems that business owners & leaders face, the UK Government’s incoming Employment Rights Bill, when & why you should bring in external HR expertise. She also shares how she started out in business & her experience working as an in-house HR manager before that. For more no-nonsense HR help & advice from Nicky & her team, visit https://hr2day.co.uk

In this episode, Jane Fisher (Founder, Fresh Perspectives North East) & Paul Lancaster (PLATFORM | UK Startup & Scaleup Week) discuss the benefits of taking yourself, your leadership team or your staff outdoors in order to improve wellbeing, happiness & boost productivity too! Find out more at https://janefisherassociates.co.uk

In this episode, Graeme Tennick (Founder & Chief Impact Officer, Tennick Accountants) talks to Paul Lancaster about why he started out in business, why the accounting profession is dying & what accountants can do about it! He also explains the importance of having clear professional & personal goals, the pros & cons of the North East of England as a place to do business versus other regions & the benefits of attending in-person events (like PLATFORM + UK Startup & Scaleup Week). Find out more about Graeme & his team at https://tennick.co.uk

In this video, Ivan Hollingsworth talks to Paul (Lancaster) about how he helps individuals, teams & organisations to thrive. And how in a highly complex & challenging world the need for person-centred coaching, mentoring & learning & development has never been more important.

In this short episode, Paul talks about how he has personally benefited from coaching & mentoring over the years, explains how his '5 Star Focus' programme (1-2-1 coaching / mentoring for business owners & leaders) works, what the 'PLATFORM Premium' mastermind group sessions he runs with Neil Stephenson are all about, who they are for & how you can get involved. Find out more about the '5 Star Focus' programme at https://ukstartupweek.com/5starfocus/ & 'PLATFORM Premium' at https://ukstartupweek.com/platformpremium/

After co-hosting & keynoting at our UK Startup & Scaleup Week festival in Sunderland in June 2025, Alfie Joey joins Paul Lancaster for this episode of his 'SuperConnector Show' podcast to discuss what it takes to be a great speaker & the importance of good communication & storytelling in business. Follow Alfie on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/alfie-speakeasyguy-joey/ & Instagram at www.instagram.com/speakeasyguyalfiejoey/ for more great tips & advice!

In this episode, John Forth (Business Adviser, Mentor & Coach for the North East BIC & IS THIS YOU?) talks to Paul Lancaster about why Sunderland (& the wider North East of England) is such a great place to start & grow a business, the power of networking & collaboration & how coaching & mentoring can help you achieve the success you want in your personal & professional life.

In this episode, Okare Shaba (Founder, Padocare) shares his entrepreneurial journey which began in Nigeria & moved to Sunderland in the North East of England where he is now building a HealthTech platform that helps organisations in the care industry streamline operations, save time & money. He also discusses with Paul the power of networking online & offline, how to use LinkedIn effectively, the importance of focus & pursuing your dreams. Find out more at https://padocare.com