Made In Essex

Join Jill Willis, co-founder at Attract & Engage, author and communications strategist, as she sits down with the county’s most successful business leaders to lift the bonnet on their journey so far. Celebrating Essex entrepreneurship, Made in Essex is a melting pot of stories, wisdom and humour with tenacious business owners providing insight into the most pressing growth challenges. Listen in on real conversations and leave with fresh perspectives and thought-provoking stories.

Made In Essex is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 30 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Made In Essex, a business show with 30 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Made In Essex

  Mike McLellan, KOcycle: Scaling Purpose and Profit

  Jun 23, 202623 min

  Can a business grow quickly, win a King's Award and still stay true to its values? In this episode of Made in Essex , Jill Willis, co-founder of Attract & Engage, sits down with Mike McLellan, Managing Director of KOcycle, the Braintree-based circular technology business helping organisations securely extend the life of their IT assets. Mike shares how a bootstrapped startup became one of the UK's highest-rated tech B Corps, why hiring for attitude beats hiring for experience, and what it takes to scale a purpose-led business without losing sight of people, culture and impact. Hit play for an honest conversation about growth, resilience and building a business designed to do good.

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  Made In Essex

  Wes Crawford on Legacy, Leadership and the Future of a Family Business

  Jan 28, 202623 min

  What does it really take to hand a family business from one generation to the next - and make it stronger? In this episode, Co-Founder of Attract & Engage, Jill Willis sits down with Wes Crawford, Managing Director of Crawford’s Group, the Writtle-based agricultural and commercial vehicle business founded by his father back in the 1980s. Wes shares the realities of succession planning, a major health scare that changed everything, and how he’s building a business designed to outlast him - with his wife and sons now part of the journey. Expect honest reflections on leadership, resilience and legacy. Hit play and join the conversation.

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  Made In Essex

  Cloud, Culture and Comebacks: Jeff Dewing’s £70M Journey

  Dec 11, 202531 min

  Jill Willis meets Jeff Dewing, CEO of Cloud - the Colchester-based FM disruptor that grew from a garden shed to a £70m turnover business. A story of bold mindset shifts, bouncing back from rock bottom, and building a culture-first company by doing the opposite.

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  Made In Essex

  Kelly Bronze: The Essex Brand That Redefined Christmas Dinner

  Nov 18, 202528 min

  Jill Willis meets Paul Kelly, MD of KellyBronze Turkeys, the family-run farm that turned the humble turkey into a festive icon. From surviving market crashes and fires to building a global premium brand, it’s a story of resilience, reinvention and staying true to your values.

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  Made In Essex

  Stories of Essex Limited | Episode 5: Essex Ltd Report Wrap-Up with Doug Bentley & Adam Jones

  Nov 14, 202519 min

  In this episode of Stories of Essex Limited, we’re joined by Doug Bentley and Adam Jones to reflect on the 2025 Essex Ltd Report and uncover what’s driving growth across the county’s Top 100 businesses.With turnover up 12.3% to £16bn, EBITDA up 16%, and 23 new entrants added to the list, Doug and Adam unpack the stories behind the stats, from the rise of private equity and employee ownership to how Essex firms are borrowing big to invest in future growth.We explore the biggest challenges on the horizon, including the ongoing battle for talent, and why culture, values and leadership succession are fast becoming key differentiators. Plus, we revisit standout guests from the series and examine what they reveal about Essex’s entrepreneurial edge.This episode is part of a collaborative mini-series created by Grant Thornton UK LLP, Birketts LLP, and Attract & Engage Ltd to amplify the voices of Essex’s privately owned businesses.

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