Delegation, Trust & Turnaround: How One Business Owner Rebuilt After Losing £80K
When everything seems to be going wrong, the hardest truth to face is that you might be the problem.
In this episode, hosts Phil Davenport (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley Baxter (Corbar Accounting) talk with Steve Knowles, who shares how a consultant’s brutal honesty turned his struggling accountancy practice around — and what that taught him about leadership, control, and trust.
Key Takeaways:
- How Steve recovered from losing £80K by bringing in the right outside help
- Why business owners need to know their weaknesses — and hire around them
- The power of values-based leadership
- Letting your team find their own way (even when it’s not your way)
- Why “delegating, not abdicating” is crucial for growth
Phil and Hayley’s reflections:
Phil connects Steve’s story to the importance of trusting your team and embracing marginal gains — those small, consistent improvements that build real momentum.
Hayley relates it to the emotional toll of leadership and the balance between structure and humanity when leading a growing team.
Whether you’re running a manufacturing firm, professional service business, or IT or accounting practice, this conversation is full of real-world lessons about growth, resilience, and staying human in a world of systems and automation.
🎧 Listen now to hear how to spot the warning signs before things go wrong — and how to build a business that runs on trust, not burnout.
#WhatOneThingPodcast #SmallBusinessGrowth #LeadershipLessons #Delegation #TeamValues #EntrepreneurMindset #EastMidlandsBusiness #AffirmIT #CorbarAccounting
What One Thing Podcast – with Phil & Hayley
Each week, business owners share the one thing that made the biggest difference in their business journey — and hosts Phil (Affirm IT Services) and Hayley (Corbar Accounting) dive into the lessons, laughs, and lightbulb moments along the way.
If you’re a UK business owner looking for real stories and practical insights on growth, leadership, IT, and finance — this is the podcast for you!
Connect with the hosts
Phil Davenport | Affirm IT Services
LinkedIn
https://affirmit.co.uk/
Hayley Baxter | Corbar Accounting
LinkedIn
https://corbar.uk/
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Listen & watch on: https://www.pod.whatonething.uk/
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#UKBusinessPodcast, #SmallBusinessGrowth, #BusinessLessons, #EastMidlandsBusiness