Welcome to the An Unorthodox CEO Podcast! The brand new podcast from Steve Pickering & Sussex Beds. Join us for weekly episodes as we explore the challenges of business, the ups and downs of working with family, and unorthodox tips and tricks to navigate it all! Following on from Steve's weekly LinkedIn posts, this podcast takes a deeper dive into business whilst inviting guests on to share their stories. P.S. We film this in our office, so background noise, laughing, and sneezing may be heard...😂
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This week on An Unorthodox CEO, Steve is joined by Sussex Beds' Training Manager, Amanda, to explore why great training is at the heart of great customer service.
Amanda shares her journey from joining Sussex Beds and helping launch our Ashford store to progressing into her current role, where she now develops and supports teams across the business. Along the way, she reflects on the lessons she's learned, how her previous experience shaped her approach, and what it really takes to lead people with confidence.
Together, they discuss what makes effective training, how Sussex Beds helps new starters build confidence, the importance of self-reflection, and why learning never stops. They also explore the challenge of maintaining the same high standards across every store as the business grows, proving that investing in people is one of the biggest investments any business can make.
00:00 Intro
01:35 Why Amanda joined Sussex Beds
04:20 Working in Ashford when it opened
05:15 Early learnings from working in store
08:30 The change in environments from M&S to Sussex Beds
12:00 Big learnings from her previous job
15:22 How to lead so people follow
17:06 Amandas progression through the business
24:15 Competition being nearby is good
25:30 The training role at Sussex Beds
28:30 What makes great training
31:30 The power of self reflection
33:42 How we build confidence in new starters
36:45 Learning from each other
39:50 Growing and keeping the same standards
43:20 Why personal growth of team aids the business
46:10 Signs of a successful leader
51:46 Biggest training challenge
54:40 Our most successful training
56:48 Quickfire questions
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22 Jul 2026
The #1 Mistake Airbnb Hosts Make
What makes a holiday rental truly memorable? While many hosts focus on décor, location and amenities, one of the most important parts of any stay is often overlooked – the quality of sleep.
In this episode, Steve and Lee explore why the bed should be at the heart of every Airbnb experience. They share their own experiences, discuss the importance of guest feedback, explain the latest furniture safety regulations, and offer practical advice on choosing the right mattress, pillows and mattress protectors.
Whether you're an Airbnb host looking to improve your guest experience or simply interested in what makes a great night's sleep, this episode is packed with useful insights and actionable tips.
00:00 Intro
01:20 Why they chose the topic of Airbnbs
03:30 You hire these houses to sleep - why isn’t it a focus
05:00 Premier inn got it right - the bed is the highlight
06:50 Sleep Facts from Steve & Lee
08:30 The importance of Mattress Protectors
10:45 Why Airbnb hosts should survey their guests
12:40 Don’t be frightened of feedback - embrace it
13:50 Understanding Airbnb Furniture Regulations
16:11 What mattress/ bed we recommend for airbnbs
18:00 Advice on changing the mattress, mattress protectors & pillows
21:07 Quickfire Questions
28:50 Let us know your views
30:16 Outro
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15 Jul 2026
The Secret to Selling Without Selling
This week on An Unorthodox CEO, Steve is joined by Tony White, Managing Director of Bonners Music.
Listen as they chat about all things, business, Tony's journey to Managing Director and what they think the secret to selling is...
00:00 Intro
01:02 How Tony & Steve met
02:15 How fate landed Tony work experience at Bonners Music
06:00 Working full time in the Bonners shop
07:30 Creating a database & holding trade shows
09:00 Instrument progression is very different now
10:45 Tonys first taste of sales
13:45 Key to selling
14:38 Sticking to your purpose when choosing products
16:30 Balancing customer needs
20:19 Creating a welcoming environment in store
23:04 Education is so important in every industry
25:30 Why Tony started his YouTube channel
29:00 How Tony became the owner of Bonners
33:00 The first changes they made after taking over
36:00 The joy of opening new shops
36:00 The internet & websites
38:50 Warehouse & website mistakes
42:00 The way consumers buy has changed
44:00 Targets & juggling with brands
47:00 Opening new stores
50:00 The post pandemic changes
54:30 How the stores & website work together
56:40 Deciding to improve rather than expand
58:50 Did Tony ever want to be a musician
1:03:17 Most challenging part of business journey
1:06:07 Quickfire Questions
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Who has been a guest on An Unorthodox CEO
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Sue Skinner
Paula Pickering
Matt Pickering
John Pickering
Grace Pickering
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
1,527
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
4.6 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
60
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
0
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Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
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Questions about An Unorthodox CEO
Who hosts An Unorthodox CEO?
Steve host the show. Published by Sussex Beds.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
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The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
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