Episodes

  • Understanding Back Links – a conversation with Brandon Liebowitz
    Aug 21 2025

    Brandon Liebowitz is the founder of SEO Optimizers.com a Los Angeles, California SEO consultancy.

    Brandon is proud of his track record of assisting small and medium-sized businesses to achieve top rankings on Google. He uses combinations of search engine optimization (SEO) tactics, social media strategies, and paid ads to generate traffic and enhance your online presence.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, Brandon explains to host Michael Millward

    · How SEO tools can deliver website visitors and increased sales.

    · The common SEO mistakes that companies of all kinds make.

    · That even with the arrival of AI based searches it is still important to build a network of back links.

    · What makes a good back link

    · How to build a network of back links

    · The importance of having quality content on your website.

    More information about Brandon Liebowitz and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    In this episode of The Independent Minds, we discuss Google search engine optimization techniques. The same techniques are relevant to most search engines.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fmto connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Understanding Succession Planning – a conversation with Darryl Bates-Brownsword
    Aug 19 2025

    At the time of recording Darryl Bates-Brownsword was the managing partner at Succession Plus UK. He is now Chief Growth Officer at Fabric, a consultancy that specialises in helping founders maximising the value of their business on exit.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, Darryl explains to host Michael Millward that we cannot expect employees to spend their entire career in our business. People leave work for all sorts of reasons.

    Darryl describes how important it is for every organisation to have a succession plan, and that an organisation without a succession plan will be too reliant on the founder or senior manager.

    Darryl and Michael discuss the different elements of a successful succession plan and the management techniques that managers need to implement in order to be able to create a viable succession plan.

    More information about Darryl Bates-Brownsword and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fm to connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • The Intentional Leadership Inventory– a conversation with Dene Stuart
    Aug 14 2025

    Dene Stuart is the founder of the Exceptional Leadership Academy, and the creator of the Intentional Leadership Inventory.

    Looking back on his 30 years in business, firstly in management roles in corporations and then in his own businesses, Dene lamented on the numerous mistakes he had made when trying to provide leadership to his team.

    After accepting that these mistakes were the result of a lack of training he embarked on his own learning journey.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, Dene explains to host Michael Millward what he learnt on that journey and how he turned that learning into the Exceptional Leader Academy.

    Dene explains that successful leaders have a leadership mindset and act with intention, and that this resulted in him creating the Intentional Leadership Inventory.

    More information about Dene Stuart and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Three the network Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fm to connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Creating Safe Places for Performance Management – a conversation with Tobey Wyatt
    Aug 12 2025

    Tobey Wyatt is the founder of Motherlode, a CEO advisory company, based in Chicago, USA.

    Tobey had a career as a HR generalist becoming a CEO adviser.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, host Michael Millward how the role of CEO adviser involves focusing on one aspect of the role of HR professionals within organisations.

    Tobey and Michael discuss the challenges of being a business founder or a CEO and the problems that employees face when their CEO fairs to successfully address these challenges.

    Focusing on just one aspect of management, performance management they explore what a CEO needs to do to create an organisational culture and individual relationships that will enable managers and their team members to have constructive performance related conversations.

    More information about Tobey Wyatt and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Three the network Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fm to connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Understanding Currency Movements – a conversation with Tony Redondo
    Aug 7 2025

    Tony Redondo has worked in international currency markets for over 35 years. He has seen how the introduction of technology, FinTech, into the banking industry has radically changed the way in which banks and their customers interact with each other.

    These changes have says Tony had a detrimental impact on the banking industry. Putting his money where his mouth is Tony has established Cosmos Currency Exchange.

    Investments can go down as well as up

    This episode of The Independent Minds includes a conversation about investing. Before you make any financial investment, it is important to obtain independent financial advice.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, host Michael Millward laments on the challenges of trading internationally and having to use different currencies.

    Tony describes how algorithms make a huge number of exchange rate changes possible every day. Companies need to plan their use of international currencies more proactively, says Tony, which is why he set-up Cosmos Currency Exchange.

    More information about Tony Redondo and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Three the network Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fm to connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Spirituality in the Workplace – a conversation with Kelle Sparta
    Aug 5 2025

    Kelle Sparta is a Spiritual Coach and Transformational Shaman, author of The Over-Achiever’s Guide to Spiritual Awakening. and host of the Spirit Sherpa podcast.

    Host Michael Millward explains at the start of this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, that he has no knowledge of spirituality but is approaching his conversation with Kelle with an open mind.

    Using examples from her consulting experience Kelle explains how an understanding of spirituality can help businesses create more productive working environments and more constructive relations between colleagues and with customers.

    Kelle explains how managers who want to create cultural change should alongside the systems and processes that drive culture, they should also investigate the spiritual energy of the proposed changes.

    In their conversation Kelle also explains how spiritual assessments can impact the success of marketing activities, negotiations, and mergers and acquisitions.

    You will leave this episode of The Independent Minds, like Michael eager to learn more.

    More information about Kelle Sparta and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Three the network Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fm to connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Work You Can Love – a conversation with Dr. Benjamin Ritter
    Jul 31 2025

    Dr Benjamin Ritter, founder of Live for Yourself (LFY) an Austin and Chicago based leadership, career, & executive coaching and consulting business. Benjamin is also the author of the Becoming Fearless: 65 Strategies to Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Mastery.

    On the outside Benjamin had a successful career, but he didn’t feel successful. He noticed that other people looked like they felt the same way.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, Benjamin explains to host Michael Millward what he did to try and change that situation, and how that journey of discovery and education led to a different career path.

    They discuss how our behaviour as candidates can stop us getting a job we will love. and how recruiters select successful candidates. How people and jobs change, but not always in the same way, and how it is important for individuals to understand what they need to do to fulfil their lifestyle aspirations and focus on that.

    They discuss the history of work and how work in general is going through a dramatic change that is altering the basis on which the relationship between employer and employer is founded.

    Benjamin and Michael then discuss what employers and employees will need to do differently in the future if they want to have a hiring to retiring relationship.

    More information about Dr Benjamin Ritter and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    Audience Offers

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy. If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere paying trade prices on flights, hotels, trains.

    Fit For Work No point in being in a great job if you are in poor health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist with hospital standard tests carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Three the network Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fmto connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Using Product Staircases in Marketing – a conversation with Waren Miles Pickup
    Jul 29 2025

    Warren Miles Pickup is a marketing expert working independently from British Columbia, Canada.

    Since this episode of The Independent Minds was recorded Warren has rebranded his business as Marketing Motivators.

    Warren left a successful career in financial services marketing to launch his independent business. His aim was to focus on using human psychology, and cognitive biases, to create marketing activities that influence how potential customers interact with the organisation, online.

    Understanding how customers and potential customers interact digitally with an organisation is important says Warren, because customers are demanding hyper personalised interactions with their suppliers.

    In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds, Warren explains to host Michael Millward how to use a Product Staircase of paid and unpaid products and services is the best way to build a relationship with a potential customer and enhance a relationship with an existing customer.

    More information about Warren Miles Pickup and Michael Millward is available at abeceder.

    The Independent Minds is made on Zencastr, because as the all-in-one podcasting platform, Zencastr really does make creating content so easy.

    If you would like to try podcasting using Zencastr visit zencastr.com/pricing and use our offer code ABECEDER.

    Travel

    With discounted membership of the Ultimate Travel Club, you can travel anywhere else at trade prices on flights, hotels, trains, and many more travel related purchases.

    Fit For Work Look after your health and you will be fit for work.

    It is important for entrepreneurs maintain good mental and physical health. That is why we recommend The Annual Health Test from York Test; a 39-health marker Annual Health Test conducted by an experienced phlebotomist Hospital standard tests are carried out in a UKAS-accredited and CQC-compliant laboratory.

    A secure Personal Wellness Hub provides easy-to-understand results and lifestyle guidance

    Visit York Test and use this discount code MIND25.

    Three the network Visit Three for information about business and personal telecom solutions from Three, and the special offers available when you quote my referral code WPFNUQHU.

    Being a Guest

    We recommend that potential guests take one of the podcasting guest training programmes available from Work Place Learning Centre.

    We use Matchmaker.fm to connect with potential guests If you are a podcaster looking for interesting guests or if you have something interesting to say Matchmaker.fm is where great guests and great hosts are matched and great podcasts are hatched. Use our offer code MILW10 for a discount on membership.

    We appreciate every like, download, and subscriber.

    Thank you for listening.

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins