Insights

The marketing ‘alchemy’ most companies miss

Rory Sutherland is one of the UK’s best-known marketing thinkers. He sets out why businesses should rethink how they value marketing, from direct mail to call centres and customer kindness

Rugby World Cup winner: The making of a resilient leader

Bob Skinstad’s journey from rugby prodigy to business leader is shaped by scrutiny, setbacks and second chances

The Guardian: Pulling off one of Britain’s toughest turnarounds

After a decade as editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner is using her business acumen to reinvent The Guardian

Tariff special with Times political editor Steven Swinford

The Business Leader team are joined by the political editor of The Times Steven Swinford to cover what you need to know about the tariffs

The strategic genius of Taylor Swift

Steve Jobs. Jeff Bezos. Taylor Swift? A new book makes a compelling case for why the world’s biggest pop star belongs in the pantheon of business masterminds

Pip & Nut: Passion project to supermarket hit

Pip Murray talks about how she took her idea from the kitchen table to supermarket shelves, through food markets, rigorous product testing and more

The myth of ‘the zone’ and what actually creates focus

Spells of rare sporting brilliance show that finding intense concentration relies on achieving balance in your life

Why people power is at the heart of Virgin’s AI revolution

Leaders must realise the tech revolution can achieve its full potential only when human values remain central to change

Tough decisions must be made to get the UK growing

Healthcare and income tax require radical reform, but the Budget revealed little ambition to tackle the big issues

Time is running out for Starmer and Reeves

The prime minister and chancellor may be safe for now but Cabinet ministers believe it’s a case of when, not if, they fall

Why a mission will drive your momentum

Whether winning an Olympic gold medal or scaling your business, an overriding sense of purpose helps you punch above your weight

Turning data into action the Virgin way

Genuine change doesn’t happen by magic but by digging into data, being open and involving everyone

The Gym Group CEO: Think about what Gen Z wants

Will Orr shares his insights into Gen Z’s changing attitude to health and fitness

SurveyMonkey CEO: Leaders need to ask the hard questions

Eric Johnson leads an online platform focused on the value of collecting feedback, a principle he applies to his own company

Forest bikes founder: Don't compromise your founding principles

Ebike entrepreneur Caroline Seton explains why start-ups should withstand external pressures to change course

Popeyes UK boss: The CEO is at the bottom of the ladder

Tom Crowley explains his philosophy for running successful high street food businesses

Wendy Wu: Show passion and customers will reward you

The travel tour entrepreneur’s business is thriving after the pandemic because she listened to customers

Saint and Sofia CEO: Make shopping a social experience

Fashion entrepreneur Dessi Bell explains why customers are looking for something different when they shop on the high street

How to avoid slip-ups when you go it alone

Empowering employees to take ownership of decisions is vital to success, but they must accept the privilege and responsibility too

Why the right assistant is your biggest untapped growth lever

Think assistants are just admin managers? Think again. They might be your greatest business asset

How new Coke fizzled out

An ill-fated product launch 40 years ago became one of the biggest marketing blunders ever and still holds lessons today

How improv could improve your communication skills

Neil Mullarkey is an improvisational comedian who has a few tricks to teach the world of business

Nine ideas that will help you build a culture of innovation

How do you build a company culture that nurtures game-changing ideas? Start with mindset, feedback and failure

How to prepare for any negotiation

Knowing how to get agreement between two parties is key in business. Two experts who have dealt with life-and-death negotiations offer their insight

Meet the ambitious consumer brands driving rapid growth

Handbag maker Strathberry, sustainable clothing brand Passenger and car dealer European Prestige have seen revenues surge as they scale

The businesses blending tradition with rapid growth

These companies were all founded in the early half of the 20th century – or even earlier – proving that rapid growth isn’t just for the young

How these ambitious British businesses broke the £250m-revenue barrier

From fintech to hydrogen power, these companies prove that bold pivots and smart partnerships can drive revenues beyond £250m

The fintechs rewriting the rules to drive exceptional growth

From transforming SME banking to modernising payments, these companies prove bold leadership and fresh thinking can deliver

How these two energy companies drove explosive revenue growth

Bold deals, green credentials and sharp strategy have fuelled growth at Octopus and Ovo Energy

The women blazing a trail at some of the UK's fastest-growing businesses

From hit TV show to luxury fashion, female founders and leaders are steering their businesses to remarkable growth