From Garden Shed to 7,000 Sq Ft: Building Mad Mowers

What started as a home-schooling project fixing broken lawnmowers in a garden shed has grown into a serious Dorset business with a 7,000 sq ft unit, commercial contracts, cutting-edge technology and a clear plan for the future.

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, I sit down with Michael and Andrew Drapper of Mad Mowers. Michael, just 18 years old, is Managing Director. Andrew is his dad, business partner and the steady hand behind the scenes. Together, they share an honest, no-nonsense account of what it really takes to build a business from scratch.

We talk about:

• Growing a business without a grand plan – and why that’s more common than people admit

• The reality of being a teenage Managing Director

• Cashflow shocks, seasonality and nearly getting caught out

• Why shiny object syndrome kills progress

• Moving from paper tags to fully customised systems using Notion

• The shift from petrol to battery and robot mowers

• Commercial contracts, service plans and recurring revenue

• Hiring, process building and stepping out of the day-to-day

• Why getting a business coach earlier would have saved pain and time

This is a grounded, practical conversation about learning the hard way, staying focused, and building something that lasts.

If you’re starting out, scaling up, or wondering why running a business feels harder than you expected, this episode will resonate.

Photography, Self-Doubt and Saying Yes: Building Folio Creative

In this episode of Dorset Business Matters, I’m joined by Beth, founder of Folio Creative — a personal brand photographer and content creator working with female founders across Dorset to elevate their online presence with confident, warm, story-led brand visuals.

Beth started her business in 2020, right in the middle of COVID, after finishing a photography degree and finding the traditional career path had basically vanished overnight. Instead of waiting for opportunities, she created them. Doorstep shoots, small local makers, side hustles turning into real businesses, and a steady climb built on showing up, building trust and learning as she went.

We talk about:

• Starting a business with passion, but no clue how business works

• How networking helped Beth learn faster than any course could

• Why Instagram is still her best lead generation tool

• The reality of being a solo founder and pushing through self-doubt

• Building a reputation that creates referrals over time

• Creating and hosting sold-out events for female founders

• What it really takes to grow when your work is personal and relationship driven

• The long game: freedom, flexibility, travel, and building a business that supports a life

This is a thoughtful, encouraging conversation for anyone starting out, feeling behind, or wondering if they’ve got what it takes. Beth’s message is simple and powerful: say yes, learn fast, and back yourself.

Having been an employee, then in a partnership, and now a Ltd company you could say Louise had done it all. She shares some great insight, from self doubt to motherhood and of course the best bit, would I do it all over again and some advice to newbies just getting going.

At the Inspiration Agency we value communication, taking the time to listen to and really understand our clients. Every client has a dedicated Account Manager supported by a team of industry experts in Design, Digital and PR.
The agency tailors their approach to client’s unique needs, whether a one-off PR project or retained support in case of crisis. Clients report that they see a significant increase in engagement and enquiries after working with the agency and that they make the whole process easy and stress-free.
With a team of 15, her day is now less designing logos and leaflets and more leading the team to deliver excellent service and results for arange of varied clients across the UK.

 Kaz is a chartered financial planner. She deals with everything all the way from mortgages up to complex tax cases, business owners selling their businesses and large inheritance tax cases.

10 years in the business and some key lessons along the way, learning from mistakes, ambitious to grow and in the enviable position of loving what she does!

Again, some great insights and advice, particularly from her early days.

Listen and enjoy!

In the heart of Dorset lives Domvs Estate Agents. 20 years in the making, a wealth of knowledge and insight and a very informed CEO in Polly.

You'll hear the pain, frustration, delights, learnings, balancing work and motherhood and much more in this episode, tune in for some great insights, whether you are getting started or already in business, this is one for you!

Polly says "It might not be what you'd expect to hear from an estate agent - but actually people are more important to me than 'bricks and mortar'! Behind every property there is a story, a lifestyle, a dream, so we founded an estate agent that truly puts people front and centre. Buying, selling, or renting a property is emotional, sometimes stressful, and potentially tricky, so DOMVS' ethos has always been to offer the best advice and guidance, and be a trusted adviser to our clients and indeed anyone looking to build a life in Dorset"

This week, we feature another Dorset Business and ask Alison why and how she got started, what her biggest challenges are and what's next.

Alison and her husband Steve have built their business over 8 years and are not finished yet!

Have a listen and don't forget to subscribe....

Miranda and Karen, veterans of the world of journalism, but have never run a business prior to 2022.

A great story, full of trials and tribulations, now in year 4 and finally feeling like they are getting a handle on the business.

A circulation of 20,000 and >70,000 readers every month! If you arent reading it or advertising in it, you should be.

The Hyperlocal Newspaper of the year 2025!!

In this episode, we'll hear about Stuart's remarkable journey from working in the nightclub industry to a huge health scare, to becoming a trusted financial advisor, and we'll learn what it takes to build a successful independent financial services business.

Stuart is the owner and principal advisor at MacNab Financial Services Limited, bringing over twenty years of experience in financial services with a focus on mortgages and protection advice.