In this episode of the Business Growth Show, Adam and Jon speak with Oliver Hemsley, founder of Stone Soup Solutions, experienced entrepreneur and Rutland county councillor.

Oliver has lived in Rutland for most of his life and has spent nearly 45 years building businesses, supporting local organisations and developing strong relationships within the community.

His business journey includes landscape gardening, property management, sustainable construction and the development of environmentally conscious homes. Across each venture, Oliver has focused on honesty, trust and delivering genuine value to clients.

The conversation explores Oliver’s decision to become involved in local government. Inspired by his parents and their commitment to the community, he wanted to contribute to the future of Rutland and help protect the character, identity and interests of the county.

Oliver believes founders should build businesses that can operate without their constant involvement. This requires reliable systems, documented knowledge, capable people and a clear understanding of the outcome the owner is ultimately working towards.

Knowledge retention is another important theme.

As businesses grow and staff turnover increases, valuable experience can leave the company when an employee moves on. Oliver discusses why organisations need practical ways to capture knowledge and make it accessible to the wider team.

The conversation also examines misinformation and the increasing difficulty of identifying trustworthy advice.

Oliver believes people often make decisions too quickly without taking the time to verify claims. This can affect purchasing decisions, business relationships and the ability to choose the right advisers.

At the centre of Oliver’s work is a genuine enjoyment of helping people progress.

Whether he is supporting a startup, advising an established business or contributing to the future of Rutland, his motivation comes from seeing individuals and organisations overcome obstacles and achieve sustainable growth.

This episode is ideal for entrepreneurs, startup founders, business owners and community leaders interested in business mentoring, local enterprise, succession planning, knowledge retention and building a company that can thrive beyond its founder.

Hosts

Adam is the founder of Active Internet Marketing, a UK digital marketing agency helping businesses improve their online visibility through SEO, AI search optimisation, paid advertising, content marketing and website development.

https://activeinternetmarketing.co.uk/

Jon is from Octopus Computers, an established technology business providing IT support, cybersecurity, cloud services and business technology solutions.

https://octopus-computers.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:24 Oliver Hemsley’s background and life in Rutland

01:58 Nearly 45 years of running businesses

02:50 Becoming a Rutland county councillor

03:43 Devolution and the future of Rutland

08:13 The experience behind Stone Soup Solutions

08:43 Identifying the missing ingredients in a business

09:44 The story that inspired the Stone Soup name

12:54 Supporting startups and growing businesses

17:20 Questioning certifications and business processes

18:51 The essential qualities of a successful entrepreneur

22:00 Exit strategies and reducing founder dependency

25:40 Misinformation, trust and verifying advice

26:08 Employee turnover and the loss of business knowledge

29:44 Helping people and businesses grow