North of Ordinary
Claim This Podcastby C4DI Hull
Podcast Overview
<p>North of Ordinary is the podcast from Hull’s Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI), celebrating the businesses and people driving the Humber and East Yorkshire forward.</p><br><p>Hosted by Tina Swann, the show explores every aspect of business life, from start-ups and scale-ups to established companies navigating change. Each episode uncovers the wins, the failures, and the lessons that define what it takes to run a business today.</p><br><p>We speak with founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders about finance, funding, marketing, product design, technology, sales, and strategy. But we also shine a light on the resilience, collaboration, and culture that keep this region moving.</p><br><p>Hull and East Yorkshire are anything but ordinary. This is where businesses grow, adapt, and shape the future. We are North of Ordinary.</p><br><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
9/29/2025
1 verified contact email on file for North of Ordinary
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Recent Episodes
June 22, 2026
From Hull to the Premier League: with Oxen Sports CEO, Lee Jenkinson.
<p>Oxen Sports was born in a Hull meeting room out of adversity, and seven years on, you'll find the brand in kit bags, dressing rooms and locker rooms across the country and around the world. </p><br><p>In this episode of North of Ordinary, host Tina Swann sits down with Lee Jenkinson, CEO of Oxen Sports and Elite Pro Sports, to unpack how a brand created beneath C4DI's feet became Hull City's Premier League kit partner.</p><br><p>Lee talks openly about the pivot that started it all, why the kit that divides opinion always sells best, and the storytelling behind the Tigers' new 26/27 home shirt. He also reveals the thinking behind the newly launched Oxen running brand with rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield, the long road to building genuine club relationships, and why "sometimes a no is as powerful as a yes."</p><br><p>This is a conversation about Hull pride, the long game, and what it really takes to build a sports brand on your own terms.</p><br><p>North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire. Send all enquiries to: hello@c4di.net</p><br><p>The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs and forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/</p><br><p>Produced by Audite Podcast Production.</p><p>https://www.audite.uk/</p><br><p>Chapter Markers.</p><br><p>00:00 Born out of adversity: where Oxen began</p><p>03:40 Athlete-led product and the new boot for 2028</p><p>06:00 Launching Oxen running with Kevin Sinfield</p><p>09:00 What Hull means to the brand</p><p>11:30 Becoming Hull City's first Premier League kit partner</p><p>16:30 The kit that divided opinion</p><p>19:30 Why "a no is as powerful as a yes"</p><p>25:00 Listening to fans and the women's range</p><p>26:00 What's next: Australia, the NRL and the long game</p><p>30:00 Quickfire round</p><br><p>#NorthOfOrdinary #OxenSports #HullCity #HullBusiness #EastYorkshire #KevinSinfield #KitDesign #BusinessPodcast #Hull #TheTigers</p><p>North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire.</p><p>Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net</p><br><p>The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and</p><p>forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/</p><br><p>This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
June 1, 2026
Life After the Final Whistle | A Conversation with Former Hull City Captain, Ian Ashbee.
<p>Ian Ashbee captained Hull City through one of the most remarkable journeys in English football: three consecutive promotions from the third tier to the Premier League. It's a feat that may never be matched. But in this episode of North of Ordinary, we're less interested in the trophies and more interested in what came after.</p><br><p>Ian opens up about the reality of retiring from professional football; the loss of routine, identity, structure and purpose that almost nobody prepares you for. He talks honestly about the years it took to find his feet, the businesses he's built since, and why giving back to Hull and its young people has become the driving force of his second chapter.</p><br><p>From the pressures of captaincy to the challenge of learning spreadsheets, from life on the estate in Birmingham to becoming an honorary Yorkshireman, this is a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and what success actually looks like when the roar of the crowd has faded.</p><br><p>Hull and East Yorkshire are anything but ordinary. Neither is Ian Ashbee.</p><br><p>North of Ordinary is a podcast celebrating the lives and work of the people and businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire. It's produced by Audite Podcast Production and powered by C4DI, Hull's Centre for Digital Innovation. </p><br><p>Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.</p><br><p>#NorthOfOrdinary #BusinessPodcast #FootballToBusinessLife #HullCity #LifeAfterFootball</p><p>North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire.</p><p>Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net</p><br><p>The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and</p><p>forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/</p><br><p>This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
April 22, 2026
What It Really Takes to Run a Hospitality Business
<p>What is it really like to run a hospitality business in the UK today?</p><br><p>In this episode of North of Ordinary, Anna Lamb, founder of Nibble, Next Door, and The Makery, shares an honest, unfiltered look at the realities of operating in the hospitality industry. From launching a café with limited resources to building a recognised food brand, this conversation explores the true highs and lows of owning a hospitality business.</p><br><p>Anna breaks down the real challenges facing the UK hospitality sector, including rising food costs, energy bills, staffing pressures and the long-term impact of COVID on customer behaviour. She explains why being busy doesn’t always mean being profitable, and why many hospitality businesses are under more pressure than ever before.</p><br><p>This episode goes beyond the surface to explore leadership in hospitality, team culture, customer experience and what it takes to build loyalty in a competitive food and drink market. It also highlights the resilience required to survive in an industry where margins are tight and expectations are constantly evolving.</p><br><p>Whether you run a restaurant, café or food business, or you are thinking about entering the hospitality industry, this episode offers real insight into what it takes to succeed and sustain a business in today’s climate.</p><br><p>#HospitalityBusiness #UKHospitality #RestaurantIndustry #CafeOwner #FoodBusinessUK</p><p>North of Ordinary wants to hear from you. Tell us about your business journey, ask us a question, or share your stories of living and working in Hull and East Yorkshire.</p><p>Send all enquiries about the podcast to: hello@c4di.net</p><br><p>The Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) is a thriving community of tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and</p><p>forward-thinking businesses. For more information, visit: https://www.c4di.co.uk/</p><br><p>This podcast was produced by Audite Podcast Production: https://www.audite.uk/</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
10 total episodes available
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- What is North of Ordinary?
<p>North of Ordinary is the podcast from Hull’s Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI), celebrating the businesses and people driving the Humber and East Yorkshire forward.</p><br><p>Hosted by Tina Swann, the show explores every aspect of business life, from start-ups and scale-ups to established companies navigating change. Each episode uncovers the wins, the failures, and the lessons that define what it takes to run a business today.</p><br><p>We speak with founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders about finance, funding, marketing, product design, technology, sales, and strategy. But we also shine a light on the resilience, collaboration, and culture that keep this region moving.</p><br><p>Hull and East Yorkshire are anything but ordinary. This is where businesses grow, adapt, and shape the future. We are North of Ordinary.</p><br><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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