Season 4

Season 4 opens with a big one.
In this first episode, Bev is joined by executive coach and Tough Talk Mentor Cheryl Thompson for a bumper conversation for business owners who need their people at their best if they want to scale, grow and stop carrying everything themselves.
Cheryl shares why leadership is not about being liked, why being clear can be kinder than being comfortable, and why the conversations leaders avoid often become the problems their teams have to carry.
From founder bottlenecks and unclear expectations to high performers with poor behaviours, values, communication, accountability and the pressure on women in leadership, this episode explores what it really takes to build a team that can perform without everything depending on the business owner.
Because growth does not just need more clients, more revenue or more staff. It needs people who understand what good looks like, leaders who are willing to have honest conversations, and a culture strong enough to support the next stage of the business.
Great teams are not built by avoiding the hard bits. They are built through clarity, trust and conversations that move people forward.

Bev Wakefield is joined by Paul McAnulty, CEO of Rebuild East Midlands, to explore lived experience, leadership, purpose and the role business owners can play in rebuilding lives.
Paul shares his own journey through exploitation, homelessness, policing, charity work and ethical business, and explains why Rebuild focuses on survivors’ futures, not their past.
This is a powerful conversation about hope, community, purpose, and why there is no such thing as “just” a business.
 
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Beyond the Numbers is hosted by Bev Wakefield, founder and owner of Vibrant Accountancy.
At Vibrant, Bev and the team help business owners make sense of their numbers, understand their business more clearly, and build with confidence.
To find out more, search Vibrant Accountancy.

AI is changing business faster than most leaders realise. But according to AI strategist and The Human Business author Ben Afia, the biggest risk isn't being replaced by AI – it's becoming indistinguishable because of it.
Ben is currently helping align hundreds of marketers across a Fortune 500 organisation on AI adoption, giving him a front-row seat to how businesses are embracing the technology, where they're getting it wrong, and what separates those creating real competitive advantage.
In this episode of Beyond the Numbers, Bev and Ben explore why AI is fundamentally a human challenge rather than a technology one, how generic AI can slowly erode your brand, and why the businesses that thrive will be those that combine technology with genuinely human thinking.
Whether you're already using AI every day or wondering where to begin, this conversation offers a refreshingly practical perspective on one of the biggest shifts facing business today.
In this episode:
Why generic AI is making businesses sound the same
The biggest mistake leaders make when adopting AI
Why AI is a human challenge, not a technology challenge
How to protect your brand and culture in an AI-powered world
Practical ways business owners can start using AI more effectively
Why human judgement is becoming more valuable, not less
About Beyond the Numbers
Hosted by Bev Wakefield, founder of Vibrant Accountancy, Beyond the Numbers explores the conversations that help business owners build stronger, more resilient businesses. Each episode features practical insights from experienced leaders, entrepreneurs and experts, focusing on the decisions, mindset and ideas that create long-term success.
Find out more about Vibrant Accountancy and upcoming events:https://vibrantaccountancy.co.uk/