x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Exceptional Business Podcast

The Exceptional Business Podcast is for business owners who are tired of gimmicks, quick wins, and being told to “just post more content.”Hosted by Helen Dowling, Managing Director of Exceptional Thinking (http://www.exceptionalthinking.co.uk), this podcast dives into the real mechanics of growing a profitable, sustainable business — from generating high-quality leads and running better sales conversations, to leadership decisions, mindset shifts, and the lessons you only learn by actually doing the

business marketing

All Episodes

9:42

Why Most Lead Gen Companies Fail Their Clients (and...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/04/17

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, Helen pulls back the curtain on the lead generation industry — and she doesn’t hold back. After more than 20 years in business, she’s seen the good, the bad, and the downright awful: empty promises, unqualified “leads,” one-size-fits-all campaigns, and companies more focused on signing clients than serving them.Helen breaks down exactly why most lead gen companies fail their clients — and how to make sure you never waste time or money again.Here’s

en

10:17

Curiosity Converts: The Questions That Make Sales...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/04/10

In this episode, Helen digs into the underrated superpower of sales: asking better questions. Sparked by coaching a candidate selling corporate hospitality, she shares why most reps leap to a pitch instead of learning why a buyer would—or wouldn’t—say yes. Using her own experience with race-day events, Helen shows how almost no one asks, “Why not now?”—and how that single question uncovers practical fixes (format, travel, budget, incentives) you can feed back into your offer.Key takeaways:Lead with

en

19:39

Great Sales Calls Start with Great Qualification (Not...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/04/03

In this 9:30 Advantage session, Helen shows why standout sales conversations begin long before the meeting — with smart qualification, not a hard sell. You’ll learn how to use LinkedIn and ChatGPT to create connection and follow-up messages that make the right prospects self-identify (“raise their hands”), so your diary fills with people worth speaking to.Helen walks through the practical flow:Attract, don’t chase — craft messages that invite interest instead of pushing a pitch.Pre-qualify before

en

11:00

Burnt by a Lead Gen Company? How to Rebuild Trust and...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/03/27

In this candid episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, Helen tackles one of the biggest frustrations she hears from new clients: “We’ve tried lead generation before, and it didn’t work.”She breaks down why so many businesses get burnt by flashy dashboards, false promises, and low-quality “leads” that go nowhere — and more importantly, how to make sure it never happens again.Helen walks through the four key steps to rebuilding trust in the process:1️⃣ Pause and Reflect – Before jumping into

en

10:40

Letting Go to Level Up: Lessons from the Leverage...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/03/20

In this episode, Helen revisits one of the most transformative frameworks she’s used in business growth — Leverage by Fabian Fredrickson. She breaks down the eight “activators” that help entrepreneurs step out of day-to-day operations and scale sustainably:1️⃣ Team – building people who truly support you. 2️⃣ Systems – ensuring everything runs smoothly without relying on you. 3️⃣ Time – setting boundaries and escaping daily ops. 4️⃣ Business Model – designing for 10x capacity. 5️⃣ Marketing –

en

10:02

Why You Deserve a Real Holiday (and How to Take One...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/03/13

In this refreshingly honest episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, Helen shares her journey from working on every holiday to finally switching off completely — and how you can do the same.She talks about the mindset shift that comes from realising you’d never expect your team to check emails on their holiday, so why hold yourself to a different standard? Helen also shares the practical steps that allowed her to fully disconnect — from mapping out and reverse-engineering her company’s five-step

en

8:02

Automate Your Follow-Up: Turning “I’ll Get to It”...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/03/06

In this episode, Helen tackles the bit most business owners avoid: follow-up. Drawing on ideas from No One Gives a Bleep About Your Business (Chris Dillon) and her own setups, she shows how automation makes follow-up timely, professional, and painless. You’ll hear how Exceptional Thinking uses Go High Level with WhatsApp to handle no-shows and nurture leads: a short video apology, three clear options (rebook, not now, not interested), and automatic next steps—rebooking links, long-term reminders, or

en

27:14

Predictable Lead Flow Without Hiring More Salespeople

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/02/27

In this 9:30 Advantage session, Helen shows senior leaders how to create reliable lead flow without adding headcount. She unpacks the real reasons pipelines look “full” but don’t convert—overreliance on cold leads, blurred roles (asking closers to self-prospect), weak follow-up, and fuzzy definitions of a “good” appointment. Drawing on hard-won lessons from reshaping her own sales function, Helen shares a five-point plan to stabilise results:Define a qualified appointment using BANT (Budget,

en

21:48

The Real Cost of Chasing Cold Leads (and How to Fix It)

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/02/20

In this 20-minute 9:30 Advantage session, Helen breaks down why sales teams underperform when they’re fed cold, unqualified leads — and what to do instead. She explains the hidden costs (wasted hours, demoralisation, bad forecasting) and the common trap of pushing salespeople to both set appointments and close deals — two very different skill sets. You’ll learn a four-part fix:Introduce BANT with a shared definition of a qualified appointment and independent scoring (Budget, Authority, Need,

en

11:25

Why We Use Go High Level to Run (Almost) Everything...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/02/06

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, Helen lifts the lid on the CRM platform that’s become the backbone of her business — Go High Level. After years of juggling multiple tools for CRM, email marketing, scheduling, and social media, she explains how moving to an all-in-one system has saved time, reduced costs, and improved client management.You’ll hear:Why Go High Level replaced tools like AWeber, Hootsuite, and Acuity in one centralised platformHow to import and organise your

en

10:35

The Power of Process: How to Systemise Your Business...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/01/30

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, Helen shares how a clearly defined process transformed Exceptional Thinking — streamlining operations, simplifying training, and enabling her to step out of the daily running of the business.Drawing on her own five-step appointment-setting process, Helen explains how documenting each stage — from kickoff meeting to weekly reporting — has created clarity for the team, improved client understanding, and ensured consistent quality. She also reveals

en

23:36

Why Referrals Aren’t a Scalable Growth Strategy — and...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/01/23

In this 930 Advantage session, Helen tackles one of the most common myths in business growth — that referrals alone can sustain your pipeline. While they’re valuable, referrals are unpredictable and can’t be relied on as your sole strategy. Instead, Helen reveals how to build a system that generates them consistently.You’ll learn her four-part referral strategy:Ask for them – Overcome the awkwardness, time your request right, and combine it with asking for testimonials and case studies.Run referral

en

12:27

AI in Action: How We’re Using ChatGPT to Drive...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/01/16

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, Helen shares how AI — and ChatGPT in particular — has become an everyday part of running Exceptional Thinking. From creating social media content and blog posts, to solving HR challenges, writing scripts, generating ideas, analysing appointments, and even building complex Excel formulas, AI is helping the team work faster, smarter, and with fewer admin resources.Helen explains why AI should never completely replace human oversight, how to write

en

10:37

Beyond the Daily Grind: Finding Energy and Focus...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/01/09

After hitting big goals in 2025, Helen found herself facing an unexpected challenge — a lack of motivation for the long, drawn-out projects that would take the business to its next level. In this candid episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast, she shares how she navigated post-goal energy dips, balanced “boring but necessary” work with more engaging tasks, and learned to only tackle big projects when the energy and headspace were right.Helen also opens up about how she successfully stepped out

en

11:13

From Goal-Setting to Goal-Getting in 2026

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2026/01/02

It’s January 2026 — but are you still chasing the same goals you set in 2025? In this episode of The Exceptional Business Podcast, Helen challenges you to break the cycle of setting the same targets year after year without moving the needle.Drawing on relatable stories (including one about an 8-week cooking course that sparked a big “aha!” moment), Helen shares her five proven tips for turning your 2026 goals into reality:Reframe, don’t repeat – Update stale goals so they’re specific, emotionally

en

8:56

How to switch off between Christmas and the New Year

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2025/12/19

In this final episode of 2025, Helen shifts focus to the importance of rest and rejuvenation for business owners during the festive season. As the year draws to a close, she shares practical advice on how to truly disconnect and recharge, ensuring you return to work refreshed and ready for the challenges of 2026. Helen outlines five essential strategies to help you make the most of this downtime, emphasizing the need to prioritize self-care and mental health.Key Takeaways:Prioritise Sleep: Helen

en

11:56

Achieve More: Mastering Quarterly Goals with EOS...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2025/12/12

In this insightful episode, Helen continues her series on setting impactful goals, guiding listeners through a structured approach to planning for the year ahead. Building on the foundation laid in part one, this episode focuses on breaking down annual goals into manageable, actionable steps, using the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework. Helen emphasizes the importance of quarterly planning and regular reviews to ensure progress and accountability.Key Takeaways:Quarterly Planning:

en

11:23

Reflect, Clear, and Prepare for a Successful 2026

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2025/12/05

Episode Summary: In this thoughtful episode, Helen guides listeners through a powerful end-of-year ritual designed to help business owners and professionals reflect on the past year and prepare for the next. Recognizing the importance of closure before setting new goals, Helen introduces a three-part exercise focused on celebrating achievements, addressing challenges, and extracting valuable lessons learned. This practice is particularly useful for those who align their year-end reflections with the

en

6:56

Why August and December Are Your Secret Marketing...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2025/11/28

In this episode, Helen dives into the often-overlooked benefits of marketing during the so-called "quiet" months of August and December. While many businesses pause their marketing efforts during these periods, Helen argues that these months are actually prime opportunities to gain traction and secure new clients.She explains that the common belief that everyone is on holiday in August or too distracted by the holidays in December is a misconception. By continuing to market during these times, you

en

13:44

Keeping Your Sanity as a Managing Director: Daily...

The Exceptional Business Podcast ·

2025/11/21

Episode Summary: In this insightful episode, Helen shares her tried-and-true strategies for maintaining mental well-being and staying positive as a Managing Director or business owner. Recognizing the unique pressures that come with leadership roles, Helen provides practical tips and exercises that have helped her stay focused, energised, and resilient. These practices are not only essential for personal sanity but also crucial for leading a motivated and effective team.Key Takeaways:Mindset Gym:

en

117 results

Similar Podcasts

TaxTalent.com The Golden Rule Podcast

Adam Golden

TaxTalent.com Podcast

Tony Santiago

Handelsblatt Crime - spannende Streitfälle der deutschen Wirtschaft

Ina Karabasz, Solveig Gode, Sönke Iwersen

Deffner und Zschäpitz – Der Wirtschafts-Talk von WELT

WELT

Black Box - La scatola nera della finanza

Guido Brera e Gian Luca Comandini -...