Tales from The Engine Room

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Tom Parslow, runs Buzzshot a company that makes software for escape rooms.

https://buzzshot.com

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Ruth Preston, a virtual assistant, juggling a job, a freelance career, and student life.

https://uk-virtual-assistant.co.uk

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Jack Tracey, a cloud solution architect who's followed his heart all the way to Microsoft.

https://bio.link/jacktracey

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Kelly Smith, a partner of creative agency, Neo.

https://www.weareneo.com/

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Dave Pereira Gurnell, director of Cartographer, an engineer and product person.

https://cartographer.io/

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Becky Miller, a service and policy designer working for DEFRA, the UK Government Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

https://beckymiller.co.uk

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Stuart Wallace, a freelance artist and developer who makes games and apps.

https://leftisright.co.uk/

One of our members interviewed a few of her fellow Skiffmates.

Some who joined last month, some who have been with us for a decade. You probably won't believe the things they had to say. Words don't tell the whole story.

Listen to their voices...

Like what you hear? Listen to more in this Twitter thread:
https://twitter.com/theskiff/status/1637837620947431424

Happy with where you already work?
Maybe you know someone who isn't.
Please share this with people who are:

• New to Brighton
• Struggling with working from home
• In need of a change one day a week

You can book a free tour & trial day at: https://theskiff.org/

Curious about what members of The Skiff do? Listen to interviews with some of them on this podcast: https://podcast.theskiff.org/

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Jo Harrison, a illustrator and graphic designer.

Jo provides a fresh and intimate look into the realities of working in a creative and dynamic industry.

You'll learn how Jo:

• Started out as a sign maker.
• Manages her client effectively
• Is trying to make her life as rich as possible

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the freelancing world, looking for insights and inspiration from a seasoned professional.

Find out more about Jo's projects at https://jo-harrison.co.uk

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Tom Buck, the founder of Fair Internet Report.

Tom shares his journey of creating websites that analyse mobile broadband speeds in the UK, starting with his frustrations about certain network coverage areas. His entrepreneurial spirit drives him to find ways to monetize the websites, which involves incorporating mobile phone deals that visitors might find beneficial.

Tom discusses the utilization of open data from sources like Measurement Labs (M-Lab), and he emphasises the challenges of making such massive datasets comprehensible and accessible to the general public. An interesting discussion on the unpredictability of SEO leads to Tom expressing his skepticism towards those who over-promise on SEO capabilities.

The conversation transitions to the challenges and benefits Tom experiences due to his position on the autism spectrum, including his difficulty in writing compelling copy for his websites. Tom mentions his reliance on AI tools, specifically ChatGPT, to help him create more engaging content. These tools alleviate the stress of producing compelling writing, thereby enabling him to focus on data analysis and website development.

Tom offers insights into his work habits, explaining his ability to stay focused on engaging tasks and his tactic of switching to different tasks when one proves too challenging. Lastly, Tom discusses his various projects, the most successful of which, crimerate.co.uk, he developed during a bout of burnout. He talks about the challenges of monetizing the site, given the nature of its content. The future, he hints, might involve exploring the realm of open energy data.

Find out more about Tom's business at https://fairinternetreport.com

In this episode of Tales from the Engine Room, host Caroline Beavon interviews Alice Dewar-Mills, the founder of Looking Glass Solutions. 

Alice's company is committed to simplifying contract and commercial strategy procedures for small businesses. Alice shares her passion for aiding individuals and companies in the intricate world of contracts.

Discussion Points Include:

1. Introduction to Alice's background as a commercial director and her choice to launch her own enterprise, Looking Glass Solutions, a business that offers contract reviews, and plans for training for freelancers.
2. Alice's initiation into the realm of contract management during her placement year at Rolls-Royce, which was part of her degree at the University of Bath.
3. Discussion on the significance of comprehending contracts when negotiating with large corporations. Alice underscores the potential hazards of losing intellectual property or consenting to disadvantageous terms without adequate understanding.
4. An exploration of Alice's perspective on her services as an alternative to legal consultation, presenting both commercial and legal acumen.
5. Alice's plans for Looking Glass Solutions to deliver training for in-house contract management for small businesses and freelancers. Alice stresses that contracts are just a discussion and shouldn't be daunting.
6. A conversation on the dynamics of freelancing and remote work, the flexible nature of freelancing, and how a uniform approach does not apply to all.
7. Alice's experience as a remote worker for about 15 years, her strategies to create virtual communities to combat solitude, and ensure an efficient workflow. A conversation about the importance of sharing personal information, within limits, to establish connections with colleagues.
8. A deeper dive into the work-life balance, examples of people who can proficiently manage their professional and personal lives, and the rising need for flexibility in the modern workspace.

Find out more about Alice's business at https://lookingglasssolutions.com/