Beyond Breakeven is a Xeinadin podcast designed to inspire and educate, by bringing together leaders, game-changers, and innovators from various fields, offering fresh perspectives on success and growth.
Each episode explores the personal journeys, challenges, and breakthroughs of remarkable individuals and conversations go beyond numbers and spreadsheets, diving into lessons that can be applied in business, leadership, and personal development.
Tune in for inspirational guests, practical take-aways and actionable insights that can fuel your own growth journey. Last but not least, tune in for great conversations.
Idea To Impact: Creating Safer Travel For Solo Women
Host Alex Deakin-Mckay interviews founder Vanessa Karel about creating safer travel for solo women and building a mission-led business.
7 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
No Way Out But Forward: Lessons From Rowing an Ocean
Host [Host Name] interviews members of The Only Way Is Rowing as they share essential leadership and teamwork lessons learned from rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.
6 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
Leading with Impact: Celebrating Women in Tax
To mark International Women’s Day, this episode of Beyond Breakeven brings together seven standout women from Xeinadin’s UK & Ireland tax advisory teams to share their journeys into tax and why the work matters. From R&D tax relief and succession planning to global mobility and long-term pension and wealth strategy, the conversation aims to highlight how trusted advice helps SMEs grow, protects family legacies, and supports clients through life’s biggest decisions. Expect practical insight, honest reflections on accelerating progress for women in the profession and career advice for the next generation.
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28 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT
IT: AI adoption and digital transformation
Host Alex Deakin-Mckay interviews Georgina Barber, IT Director, about AI adoption and digital transformation for professional services, emphasizing practical technology use while maintaining human connection.
13 Jan 2026
Tax Advisory: Strategy for the Future
This mini-series episode, Tax Advisory: Strategy for the Future, goes beyond compliance to explore how proactive tax planning can unlock growth, protect value, and support long-term decision-making.
In this episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mckay, Marketing Director at Xeinadin, is joined by Adam Owens, Head of Tax Advisory (UK North & Midlands) and Dave O’Brien, Head of Tax Advisory for Xeinadin Ireland. Together, they unpack the real difference between tax compliance and tax advisory, why forward-looking strategy matters, and how businesses can avoid costly surprises as they scale, innovate, and expand internationally.
From R&D tax credits and succession planning to holding companies and cross-border growth, this conversation offers practical insights for ambitious business owners looking to plan smarter and grow with confidence.
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16 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT
Corporate Recovery: From challenge to opportunity
When a business faces financial distress, the path forward can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode of our Beyond Breakeven miniseries, host Alex Deakin- Mckay sits down with Xeinadin’s Corporate Recovery specialists in the UK, Alan Fallows and Jess Barker to demystify what corporate recovery really means.
From early warning signs and director responsibilities to restructuring options, emotional support, and real-world turnaround stories, this conversation goes beyond the stigma and into the strategy. Discover why early advice matters, how businesses can regain stability, and why insolvency doesn’t have to be the end, but can often be the beginning of renewed success.
A must-listen for business owners, advisers, and anyone navigating uncertainty.
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2 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT
Cloud Accounting: Preparing for MTD
In this episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mckay sits down with two of Xeinadin’s Cloud Accounting specialists, Katie McTear and John Howarth, to demystify cloud accounting and uncover what Making Tax Digital (MTD) really means for self-employed individuals and landlords.
From real-time financial visibility to smarter tax planning, Katie and John share practical insights on what cloud accounting actually is (without the jargon), who will be impacted by MTD and when, how to prepare now to avoid last-minute stress as well as the role advisors play in making the transition smooth, simple and confidence-building
Whether you’re a sole trader, landlord, or a business owner focused on future growth, this conversation is packed with clarity, encouragement and actionable advice.
Tune in and get ready for April 2026 and beyond.
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18 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT
Indirect Tax - The Hidden Game Changer
In the first episode of our Beyond Breakeven miniseries, Xeinadin’s Marketing Director Alex Deakin-Mckay sits down with VAT experts Liz Maher OBE (Partner) and Drew Shrimpton (Associate Director) from Xeinadin’s Cardiff office. They unpack why VAT is simple in theory but complex in practice, the costly pitfalls (exemptions, property, international trade), and where the real opportunities lie. You’ll hear how case law, Brexit-era changes and upcoming policy shifts shape decisions today, plus a candid take on why “Google isn’t your friend when it comes to VAT.” If you’re growing, expanding overseas or restructuring, this one’s for you.
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1 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT
Season 1: Reflections
Season finale time 🎉 In this highlights episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mckay sits down with Xeinadin regional leaders Sandra Clarke( Managing Partner – Republic of Ireland) and Giles Murphy (Managing Partner - UK South) to revisit the best insights from Season 1: growing in volatile markets, creating true alignment (hello, North Star), setting BHAGs (with realism), rewarding and engaging teams, the ROI of DEI, and the cash-flow levers SMEs can’t ignore. It’s practical, people-first growth from founders and leaders across the UK & Ireland. Listen, review, and get ready for our service-led mini-series next.
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16 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT
The Entrepreneur’s Balancing Act: Hustle, Health & Hard Choices
In this episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mckay sits down with Stuart Bradley, founder of Dos Dedos, to explore the realities of entrepreneurship beyond the highlight reel. From battling long Covid to rebuilding his business around values, Stuart shares candid insights into resilience, brand building, and finding harmony between personal wellbeing and professional growth. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance hustle with health and still build a business you love, this conversation is for you.
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2 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT
Side Hustle to Selfridges
In this episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mckay sits down with Ryan Panchoo, food entrepreneur and founder of Borough 22, a gluten-free, vegan, nut-free doughnut brand that’s redefining indulgence for everyone. What began as a father’s mission to create safe treats for his children with severe allergies has grown into a category-leading business, now stocked in Selfridges and celebrated nationwide.
Ryan shares his journey from baking in his home kitchen to winning investment, building a stand-out brand, and navigating the challenges of scaling a food business, all while staying true to his mission: food that’s safe, inclusive, and downright delicious.
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19 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT
The DEI Download: On a Mission for Equity, Inclusivity, Diversity
Host Alex Deakin-Mackay sits down with Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer of Harrington Starr Group, award-winning advocate for gender equality, and author of FinTech Women Walk the Talk and host of the FinTech’s DEI Discussions podcast.
Nadia shares her personal journey, the challenges of breaking barriers in financial services, and why fairness and inclusivity aren’t just moral imperatives but commercial drivers for business growth. From recruitment insights to leadership lessons, this conversation is a powerful call to action for businesses striving to create workplaces where everyone can thrive.
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5 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT
A Strategic Approach to Employee Rewards
In this episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mackay speaks with Oliver Coakley, founder of Citris, a boutique rewards consultancy, and Dave O'Brien, Head of Tax at Xeinadin Ireland. Together, they unpack what strategic rewards really mean, especially for SMEs, and how aligning incentives with business goals can create high-impact, cost-effective employee value.
From growth shares and hybrid working to gender pay gap reporting and EU pay transparency, this conversation explores the real-world mechanics behind building reward systems that retain talent and fuel sustainable growth. If you're scaling a business, refining your people strategy, or simply curious about how rewards impact culture, this episode is a must-listen.
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22 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT
Win or Learn: An Entrepreneurial Mindset – with Spencer Gore
Win or Learn: An Entrepreneurial Mindset – with Spencer Gore
What does it take to build an award-winning business, challenge the status quo, and stay relentlessly focused even through setbacks? In this powerful episode of Beyond Breakeven, host Alex Deakin-Mckay sits down with Spencer Gore, CEO of the European Medical Journal, serial founder, and fierce believer in values-first leadership.
From selling toast out of a classroom window to leading a multimillion-pound business, Spencer shares the pivotal lessons behind his mindset: how being diagnosed with severe dyslexia later in life reshaped his perspective, why failure is essential, and how he built a high-performing culture by hiring for values, not just skills.
This is a conversation about resilience, thinking differently, and playing the long game.
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8 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT
Funding the Future: Investment Landscapes in Ireland
Host Alex Deakin-Mackay interviews Sarah Jane Larkin, Director General of the Irish Venture Capital Association, about Ireland's investment ecosystem, revealing the forces shaping funding for startups and indigenous businesses.
24 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT
Don't Settle For Sidelined
Podcast host Alex Deakin-Mckay interviews Yvonne Harrison, CEO of Women in Football, about her career journey and how she dismantles gender barriers in football leadership to shape the future of the game.
10 Jun 2025TRANSCRIPT
Entrepreneurial Secrets
Alex Deakin Mackay interviews Tannah Matus, who shares the realities of scaling a startup, including navigating private equity and building tech infrastructure, revealing the importance of enjoying the journey.
27 May 2025TRANSCRIPT
Growth in a Volatile World
CEO Derry Crowley, CCO Tim Halford, and Marketing Director Alex Deakin-Mckay discuss how businesses navigate uncertainty and embrace change to unlock new opportunities in a volatile world.
22 May 2025TRANSCRIPT
Trailer
Beyond Breakeven introduces a podcast that shares unfiltered insights from inspiring leaders on what it really takes to grow in business and in life.
Inside a recent episode
Idea To Impact: Creating Safer Travel For Solo Women
Published 21 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] You know what I mean? Yeah, absolutely. So basically, I can't recall if we are in Fiji, but Greer is in over 130 countries. currently in over a thousand cities that said our most of your destinations are the most of your destinations people go to you know the Italy you know Japan Spain Paris you know Mexico so you input the city that you're traveling to so let's say you're going to Tokyo for the first time and then you tell us I would like someone to meet me for two and a half hours, four hours. And this is my first time going to Tokyo. And I love art and I love food. I would like someone who can show me great, you know, street art and then also show me a great local food spot that I can't miss. […]
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