Businesses today are operating in turbulent times. Technology, particularly AI, is enforcing an exponential change in working methods, product requirements, and customer expectations. As if that wasn’t enough, geopolitical challenges, from the turmoil of political uncertainty to a period of high inflation and high-interest rates, are taking their toll.
All is not lost. Across the globe, business leaders are overcoming these challenges. In the art of being nimble podcast, we interview them to hear their stories so you can learn from their experiences.
What the Swiss F-35 Deal Teaches Us About Procurement
What can a controversial fighter jet deal teach us about the way organisations buy products and services? In this episode of The Art of Being Nimble, Glenn Smith is joined by Mirko Kleiner, co-founder of the Lean-Agile Procurement Alliance and a leading voice in rethinking procurement approaches. Together, they unpack the Swiss government’s troubled acquisition of the F-35 fighter jet — a high-stakes, multi-billion deal that has become a national scandal. Mirko explains why traditional procurement processes often set both buyers and suppliers up for failure, particularly in fast-moving, complex environments. The conversation explores: Why procurement models built for a predictable world are failing in today’s complexity The hidden costs and risks of lengthy, adversarial tendering processes How outcome-based specifications and collaboration with suppliers can deliver better results Real-world examples of Lean-Agile Procurement in government and enterprise settings Practical advice for leaders preparing for their next big procurement challenge Whether you’re managing multi-million contracts or simply trying to buy smarter in your organisation, this episode will change how you think about procurement — and why agility, trust, and collaboration matter more than ever.
3 Jul 2025
Sir Robert Buckland on Navigating AI Risk and Regulation
Sir Robert Buckland KC informs Glenn about the legal and ethical considerations for businesses adopting AI, highlighting data retention, copyright, and regulatory differences in this interview.
9 Jun 2025
When the Juice Isn’t Worth the Squeeze: Letting Go of a Promising Business
Entrepreneur Adam Mattis recounts shuttering his promising home services startup, Beans Power Clean, revealing the critical importance of aligning business ventures with personal values and motivations in this interview.
20 May 2025
Lonely at the Top – Why Founders Need NEDs
Being a founder can be exhilarating — but also isolating. As businesses grow, the decisions get harder, the stakes get higher, and the pressure doesn’t let up. That’s where a good non-executive director comes in. In this episode, Glenn speaks with James Savage, a Chartered Director, experienced board member, Institute of Directors Ambassador, and advisor to tech companies across the UK and Asia, about the role of a Non-Executive Director (NED). They explore how independent directors provide challenge, calm, and clarity when it matters most, and why many companies misunderstand the role. Because leadership can be lonely, and sometimes the most valuable thing a founder or senior leader can have is someone who has been there, sees clearly, and has no hidden agenda.
28 Apr 2025
How Finding Product-Market Fit Unlocked Rapid Growth — and Why Adobe Acquired ContentCal
Every startup talks about finding product-market fit—but few get it right. Andy Lambert and the team at ContentCal didn’t just find it - they used it to unlock rapid growth, build a loyal customer base, and ultimately catch the attention of Adobe. In this episode, Andy shares the real story behind ContentCal’s journey: the early hustle, the painful lessons, and the critical decisions that made the difference—including how putting human faces at the centre of their brand created an unstoppable force of personality-led growth. We explore how relentless customer conversations shaped the product, why focusing on underserved businesses (not big logos) was crucial for rapid scaling, and how ContentCal’s personal, human approach to marketing established trust that no paid ad could replicate. Andy also shares lessons on rectifying early sales mistakes, expanding a team, and what it’s like to hand your company over to one of the world’s largest software brands. It’s a practical, honest examination of what it takes to grow a company from idea to exit. The book Andy mentioned was The Startup Owner's Manual.
1 Apr 2025
Building a Learning Organisation Across Generations
How do you create a workplace where four generations can learn from each other? With Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z all working together, organisations must rethink how they share knowledge, develop skills, and adapt to change. But learning looks different across generations—what worked in the past doesn’t always fit today’s workforce. So, how do leaders create a culture of continuous learning that works for everyone? In this episode, Andy Lethbridge, Global Head of Consulting at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, discusses how his organisation is tackling this challenge. He discusses what it takes to build a multigenerational learning organisation, from rethinking leadership development and training styles to leveraging AI-driven learning environments and digital twins. As organisations face rapid change, creating a culture that learns and where knowledge flows across generations is more important than ever.
12 Mar 2025
From Shoebox to Scale: The Char.gy Story
What does it take to turn an idea into an EV charging network? Richard Stobart never set out to start a hardware company—he just wanted to charge his new hybrid Volvo outside his London home. That simple need led to the creation of Char.gy, a company transforming urban EV charging using existing infrastructure: lamp posts. But the journey from a cardboard prototype to a certified, scalable product was anything but simple. In this episode, Richard shares the challenges of launching a hardware startup—navigating government regulations, iterating through product failures, and learning the hard way that software moves fast, but hardware demands patience. He explains how agile principles—often seen in software development—helped Char.gy test, iterate, and adapt in the physical world. We talk about early setbacks, breakthrough moments, and what it takes to scale an innovative idea in a highly regulated industry. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of EV infrastructure, want to build products that interact with the real world or what it takes to build a company from scratch, this conversation is for you.
24 Feb 2025
No One Wants to Call the Government — But It Shouldn’t Be This Hard
Why are government services so frustrating to use? And does it have to be this way? Public services are designed for people who have no choice but to use them. Whether paying tax, applying for a school place, or sorting out your pension, you’re often stuck navigating complicated processes, clunky forms, and long phone queues. All while dealing with frustration, stress, or even urgency. Unlike businesses that compete for customers, government services don’t have competitors. So, what needs to happen to make these services easier for everyone? In this episode, Helen Gracie reveals what’s happening behind the scenes. Why poor service design incurs extra costs for everyone, how digital transformation in government has been sluggish and challenging, and what must change to improve these systems for the people who depend on them. We unpack the challenges, examine where progress is being made, and discuss how to create public services that benefit people rather than hinder them. We will unpack the challenges, explore where progress is happening, and discuss what it takes to create public services that work for people, not against them. We will also see how the lessons learnt in government can be applied to the private sector.
31 Jan 2025
When to Build, When to Buy, and When to Do Both
To build or to buy? This is one of the most significant strategic decisions a business can face—but many tend to get it wrong. In this episode, Jason Sprague discusses the trade-offs involved in build versus buy decisions, the reasons organisations struggle with agility, and how cultural attitudes towards risk influence procurement strategies. We delve into why businesses often desire the control of building while expecting the flexibility associated with buying. How leadership biases affect these decisions, and why the optimal solution is seldom an either/or scenario—it’s a combination. If you believe that the build versus buy discussion is merely a procurement debate, reconsider.
31 Jan 2025
Garbage In, Garbage Out. AI Won’t Save You from Bad Data
AI is only as good as the data it learns from, yet most organisations are sitting on a jumble of outdated, fragmented, and unreliable data. So, how do you clean it up and make it effective you? In this episode, Andy Smith examines the reality of data cleansing in the AI era, explaining why poor data results in poor decisions and how organisations can prevent themselves from becoming overwhelmed by disconnected datasets. We discuss why data isn’t merely a technological issue, but a challenge that spans the entire business, and how mapping customer journeys can uncover significant opportunities for AI. If you’re considering employing AI but have yet to address your data chaos, this conversation may very well change your perspective.
31 Jan 2025
Not Broken, Just Built for Change
For 15 years, Charlie Fleet was told he was broken, unfocused, and unlikely to succeed. He was seen as the sort of person who needed to ‘fix’ himself to fit in. But the reality was that he was thriving—getting promoted, taking on more significant challenges, and ultimately realising that his so-called ‘flaws’ were his greatest strengths. In this episode, Charlie shares his unconventional path to becoming a transformation leader—explaining why being different is an asset, how he learned to identify opportunities in chaos, and what it really takes to drive meaningful change within organisations. We analyse leadership blind spots, the hidden dysfunctions that hinder teams, and why transformation isn’t about large programmes, but about making small, deliberate shifts. We also explore the role of frameworks—how they can foster clarity, alignment, and accountability, as well as how they can be misapplied, weaponised, or induce a false sense of security.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 11 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
9
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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