KEY LINKS→ Selling to Corporate Website - https://sellingtocorporate.com/→ The Big Festoon — https://www.thebigfestoon.co.uk/→ Join the Festoon 500 - https://highlevel.thebigfestoon.com/festoon500Connect with us→ Dani Wallace (The Queen Bee) on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thequeenbeedani/→ Jess Lorimer on LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jesslorimer→ Jess Lorimer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jess_lorimer/In this Festoon 500 interview, host Dani Wallace sits down with Jess Lorimer, founder of Selling to Corporate®, to unpack how AI search tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity are completely reshaping B2B lead generation for coaches, consultants, speakers and service providers.Jess has helped over 30,000 people sell their services into major brands across 20+ countries, and in this conversation she breaks down why "generative engine optimization" (GEO) is the biggest shift in corporate lead gen in five years, why decision makers buy on certainty and transformation rather than likability, and how her Expert Services Directory is helping qualified experts get found by corporate buyers who are typing prompts like "best leadership coach in Cambridge" straight into AI chatbots.If you run a service-based business and have ever thought corporate clients were out of reach, this episode will change how you think about your next revenue stream.Join the Festoon 500: Spaces are capped at 500 members. Join now for quarterly meetups, a ticket to The Big Festoon, and direct access to interviews just like this one with the best in British business. Head to thebigfestoon.co.uk to apply before spots run out.Loved this episode? Subscribe for more Festoon 500 interviews, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and let us know if you're ready to take your services into the corporate space.00:00 Welcome to the Festoon 500 Interviews00:45 What the Festoon 500 interviews are all about01:08 Introducing Jess Lorimer02:12 Jess's story & what Selling to Corporate does03:28 The beekeeping story (and the business metaphor)07:16 Why service-led businesses should sell to corporates08:28 Redefining what "corporate" actually means09:40 B2B vs B2C: two different revenue streams10:39 Average deal size: B2B vs B2C11:38 Why a corporate revenue stream is external cash injection12:37 How communication changes when you sell to companies13:50 Why decision makers buy on transformation, not likability15:04 Confidence, certainty and closing the deal16:43 Inside Jess's corporate sales training work17:20 Why data is the key to scaling your business18:25 Client story: a £600k deal closed live in training19:20 The big shift in B2B lead generation20:36 The three classic lead gen methods (active, content, referral)23:08 How AI search behaviour has changed everything24:10 "Passive visibility lead generation" explained25:15 Why now is the moment to act on GEO26:08 Why the loudest voice isn't always the best hire28:26 Introducing the Expert Services Directory29:23 Why Jess built the directory31:22 How it works: only 10 suppliers per category & location33:04 Real results: corporate leads sourced via ChatGPT36:21 How to apply to the Expert Services Directory37:37 Being genuinely "ready" before you grow your network40:15 What Jess is excited about next41:20 Closing thoughts & how to join the Festoon 500

In this debut episode of The Festoon 500 Interviews, host Dani Wallace sits down with Andy Muckett of AKM Advisory to tackle the financial blind spots that keep purpose-led founders stuck.Andy spent years at HMRC (then called Inland Revenue) and in traditional accountancy before realising most firms weren't actually serving their clients. He started his own practice to fix that — and learned the hard way that undervaluing your own services leads straight to burnout, no matter how many clients you have.If you've ever felt like your business owns you instead of the other way around, this one's for you.TIME STAMPS0:00 — The Big Festoon Intro1:22 — What is The Festoon 500? (Dani's intro — this is where the episode actually starts)3:22 — Introducing Andy Muckett4:24 — Who Andy helps & what AKM Advisory does7:09 — Andy's journey: from HMRC (Inland Revenue) to AKM Advisory8:40 — Undervaluing your services & the burnout trap9:54 — Cash flow forecasting: why you're avoiding it (and why you shouldn't)11:44 — The "job for a job" trap in self-employment13:10 — The Cash Flow Circle: a free starting point15:46 — Cash flow forecasting step by step18:55 — Data-driven decisions over "vibes and vision"21:34 — Growth vs. scale vs. exit — which one are you building toward?25:49 — One thing you can do right now to take control28:47 — Where to find AndyABOUT ANDY MUCKETTAndy Muckett helps purpose-led founders understand their finances, improve cash flow, and build personal wealth — without the jargon. He runs AKM Advisory and offers a free cash flow resource so business owners can start making smarter financial decisions regardless of where they're at.Website: akm-advisory.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andymuckettFree Resource: AKM Cash Flow Circle (free)Email: andy@akm-advisory.com🎙️ ABOUT THE FESTOON 500 INTERVIEWSThe Festoon 500 is a network of 500 business founders built on one value: "We all do well when we all do well." Hosted by Dani Wallace, this series profiles the founders inside the movement — their lessons, their mistakes, and what they're building.💬 Enjoyed this? Like, subscribe, and drop a comment — which part hit closest to home for you?#Festoon500 #BusinessFinance #CashFlow #PurposeLedFounders #Podcasting

Take a look at our first episode sneak peek with Andy Muckett from AKM Advisory.