Is it all about the science, or can any business benefit? Let’s talk R&D

When you hear Research & Development, you probably picture lab coats, test tubes, and big pharma breakthroughs. But guess what? R&D isn’t just for the science geeks... it could be hiding in plain sight in your business.

We’re diving into the surprisingly wide world of R&D and how it’s not just about creating the next COVID vaccine or sending a robot to Mars. It’s also about improving processes, building better tech, and doing things in new, smarter ways, whether you’re in software, manufacturing, or even printing sassy greeting cards.

We’re breaking down how R&D tax credits actually work, why loads of businesses miss out, and what kind of expert support can help you claim what you’re owed. We also chat about what doesn’t qualify... sorry arts, humanities, and social sciences, HMRC just isn’t that into you.

This episode is your fun, jargon-free guide to making innovation pay off, even if you don’t wear a lab coat or carry a clipboard. Because whether you’re solving big problems or just making small improvements with a bit of creative thinking, you might be doing more “research and development” than you think.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Cornflakes: the innocent breakfast staple… or the crunchy legacy of a bizarre 19th-century wellness cult?

We’re diving spoon-first into the truly wild origins of Kellogg’s, because this isn’t just a story about cereal. It’s a story about celibacy, enemas, and accidental entrepreneurship. Yes, really.

It all started in 1894 with Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a wellness-obsessed doctor running a sanitarium that promised to cleanse both body and soul. Picture it: strict diets, no caffeine, no meat, and definitely no… solo activities. He and his brother, Will Keith Kellogg, created Corn Flakes as part of this very pure, very bland lifestyle. But when Will suggested adding sugar to the flakes to make them actually taste nice, Dr. John lost it. Cue a dramatic brotherly bust-up, a new company, and the birth of the Kellogg’s we all know today.

Fast-forward to the 1950s, and the brand exploded with Special K, Frosties, and later Pop-Tarts, becoming a breakfast icon across the globe. But over the decades, the shine has worn off. Sales have been steadily dropping, 10% down in the 2010s and still sliding by 2–3% each year.

Now, Kellogg’s is trying to reinvent itself, leaning into snacks, global markets, and a rebrand that quietly avoids mentioning its culty past. But let’s be honest, once you know your morning cornflakes were invented to suppress desire, it kind of changes things, doesn’t it?

Grab a bowl, pour some tea (or milk, we’re not judging), and join us for a crunchy look at breakfast’s weirdest backstory.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

At first glance, it looked like the future of work. Open-plan spaces, kombucha on tap, and a promise to “elevate the world’s consciousness.” Founded in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey, WeWork wasn’t just offering office space, it was selling a movement. By 2019, it had exploded into over 100 cities across 29 countries, racking up a jaw-dropping $47 billion valuation.

But underneath the glossy branding and community buzzwords, things were spiralling. Fast.

We dig into how WeWork’s entire business model was built on shaky foundations, leasing long-term real estate and subletting it short-term, inflating numbers, and at times leasing properties back to themselves. Add in Neumann’s erratic behaviour, outsized voting control, and eyebrow-raising personal enrichment, and you’ve got a business too caught up in the hype to see its own downfall coming.

We unpack how, post-collapse, WeWork has tried to rise from the ashes, this time with a focus on profitability, sustainability, and actually doing the work rather than just selling the vibe.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.