Ian Shepherd
@ianashepherd.bsky.social
Retail & consumer NED and advisor. Views my own. I write regularly at https://movingtribes.substack.com
Someone on the tube just asked me for help with an Excel question and I actually knew the answer. I think I've peaked.
December 2, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Someone on the tube just asked me for help with an Excel question and I actually knew the answer. I think I've peaked.
On the eve of the Budget, it is time to stop trying to influence what’s in it, and start considering how we should run our businesses in the economy it will create. Some thoughts in this week’s Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The day after tomorrow
Running a business in the post-Budget future
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
On the eve of the Budget, it is time to stop trying to influence what’s in it, and start considering how we should run our businesses in the economy it will create. Some thoughts in this week’s Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
With retail footfall stagnant and consumers reeling from a dozen terrifying headlines a day about tax rises, what really needs to happen in the budget to bring growth to the UK?
The answer, surprisingly, is as much about emotional factors as rational ones
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The answer, surprisingly, is as much about emotional factors as rational ones
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Animal spirits
Taking the temperature of the economy
open.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:01 PM
With retail footfall stagnant and consumers reeling from a dozen terrifying headlines a day about tax rises, what really needs to happen in the budget to bring growth to the UK?
The answer, surprisingly, is as much about emotional factors as rational ones
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The answer, surprisingly, is as much about emotional factors as rational ones
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Just spoke to a journalist about the potential impact of the forthcoming budget on retailers and then immediately sent him a funny picture of my cat intended for my kids. #consumateprofessional
November 11, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Just spoke to a journalist about the potential impact of the forthcoming budget on retailers and then immediately sent him a funny picture of my cat intended for my kids. #consumateprofessional
Reposted by Ian Shepherd
Following a heated debate on the Today programme yesterday about the Government's Employment Rights bill, I'm using this week's Moving Tribes to add some much needed facts to the discussion.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The cost of work
Revisiting Employment Rights
open.substack.com
September 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Following a heated debate on the Today programme yesterday about the Government's Employment Rights bill, I'm using this week's Moving Tribes to add some much needed facts to the discussion.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Would you rather be operated on by the surgeon with a high success rate or a low one?
That’s a trick question, of course, because you can’t possibly decide without more information. And it turns out the same thing is often true in business.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
That’s a trick question, of course, because you can’t possibly decide without more information. And it turns out the same thing is often true in business.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The Falling Knife
Understanding business turnaround
open.substack.com
July 24, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Would you rather be operated on by the surgeon with a high success rate or a low one?
That’s a trick question, of course, because you can’t possibly decide without more information. And it turns out the same thing is often true in business.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
That’s a trick question, of course, because you can’t possibly decide without more information. And it turns out the same thing is often true in business.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Exploring AI technologies and how they might help your business? Meet the LLM Parrot, who has some important advice to give about the strengths and weaknesses of ChatGPT and other language models as business tools.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The Well-read Parrot
Why AI can't run your shop (yet)
open.substack.com
July 3, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Exploring AI technologies and how they might help your business? Meet the LLM Parrot, who has some important advice to give about the strengths and weaknesses of ChatGPT and other language models as business tools.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Just how bad do your finances have to be before a CFO who knew they were joining a distressed situation leaves after 8 days?
Dundee University chief finance officer quits after eight days | BBC News
New Dundee University chief finance officer Chris Reilly quits after eight days
The cash-strapped institution is "moving quickly" to find a replacement for Chris Reilly
www.bbc.co.uk
July 2, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Just how bad do your finances have to be before a CFO who knew they were joining a distressed situation leaves after 8 days?
Retail and hospitality businesses have campaigned about the iniquity of the Business Rates regime for years. Does the Government’s new Non-Domestic Rating act solve the problem? Sadly, not quite - my analysis here:
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Rate Relief
What the new Business Rates regime might mean for you
open.substack.com
June 17, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Retail and hospitality businesses have campaigned about the iniquity of the Business Rates regime for years. Does the Government’s new Non-Domestic Rating act solve the problem? Sadly, not quite - my analysis here:
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
A key lesson from the Pandemic years is that businesses can change much faster than they thought they could.
But the fact that you CAN change quickly doesn’t mean you always SHOULD. The nuanced lessons from crisis management explored in this week’s Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
But the fact that you CAN change quickly doesn’t mean you always SHOULD. The nuanced lessons from crisis management explored in this week’s Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Breaking good
What does crisis management teach us about project management?
open.substack.com
May 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
A key lesson from the Pandemic years is that businesses can change much faster than they thought they could.
But the fact that you CAN change quickly doesn’t mean you always SHOULD. The nuanced lessons from crisis management explored in this week’s Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
But the fact that you CAN change quickly doesn’t mean you always SHOULD. The nuanced lessons from crisis management explored in this week’s Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Astounding amount of coverage today of "things Reform want to do to reduce taxation / increase benefits" but very little coverage of "how they intend to pay for any of that". They really do get an easy ride.
May 27, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Astounding amount of coverage today of "things Reform want to do to reduce taxation / increase benefits" but very little coverage of "how they intend to pay for any of that". They really do get an easy ride.
Nothing more frustrating than the 'we've become rule-takers' shtick from politicians. As a relatively small country that broke away from its major trading partner, we've always been rule-takers - no-one manufacturing anything in the UK would fail to meet EU regs, as they want to export there.
May 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Nothing more frustrating than the 'we've become rule-takers' shtick from politicians. As a relatively small country that broke away from its major trading partner, we've always been rule-takers - no-one manufacturing anything in the UK would fail to meet EU regs, as they want to export there.
How vulnerable is your business to the kind of sophisticated cyber attack which has impacted UK retailers in recent weeks? More than you might think. And the weakest link in your defences? You.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Ghosts in the machines
How real cyber attacks work and what you should do about them
open.substack.com
May 7, 2025 at 3:36 PM
How vulnerable is your business to the kind of sophisticated cyber attack which has impacted UK retailers in recent weeks? More than you might think. And the weakest link in your defences? You.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Until recently my all-time favourite Henley Standard headline was "Red Kite ate my sandwich", made funnier by the revelation that the victim actually worked for the newspaper, which conjures up such a clear image about what a slow-news week it was. This week, they are clearly trying to double down!
A man has told how a red kite snatched bread and hummus from his hand that he was having for lunch.
Read more...
www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/home/19...
Read more...
www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/home/19...
Red kite stole my hummus
A MAN has told how a red kite snatched bread and hummus from his hand that he was having for lunch. Geof Haigh, 72, was sitting on a bench under a veranda in his garden at home in Whitehills Green, Go...
www.henleystandard.co.uk
April 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Until recently my all-time favourite Henley Standard headline was "Red Kite ate my sandwich", made funnier by the revelation that the victim actually worked for the newspaper, which conjures up such a clear image about what a slow-news week it was. This week, they are clearly trying to double down!
Does this period of tariff-driven chaos mean that businesses should hunker down and wait it out? Perhaps not. The case for counter-cyclical investment explored in this week's Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Death and tariffs
Running a business amidst the madness
open.substack.com
April 9, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Does this period of tariff-driven chaos mean that businesses should hunker down and wait it out? Perhaps not. The case for counter-cyclical investment explored in this week's Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The on-off-on-off tariffs stuff coming out of the US is going to be genuinely fascinating to watch play out (in a masochistic sort of way). It seems to me to be a potential fracture point between Trump (who genuinely believes in them) and the rest of his Maga coalition, who by and large don't.
March 27, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The on-off-on-off tariffs stuff coming out of the US is going to be genuinely fascinating to watch play out (in a masochistic sort of way). It seems to me to be a potential fracture point between Trump (who genuinely believes in them) and the rest of his Maga coalition, who by and large don't.
What do Rachel Reeves, the Office for National Statistics and Wetherspoons have in common?
They've all provided us with clues in the last few days about how the rest of 2025 is going to play out for those of us in retail and hospitality businesses.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
They've all provided us with clues in the last few days about how the rest of 2025 is going to play out for those of us in retail and hospitality businesses.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Reading the tea leaves
What the rest of 2025 holds for retail and hospitality businesses
open.substack.com
March 27, 2025 at 11:21 AM
What do Rachel Reeves, the Office for National Statistics and Wetherspoons have in common?
They've all provided us with clues in the last few days about how the rest of 2025 is going to play out for those of us in retail and hospitality businesses.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
They've all provided us with clues in the last few days about how the rest of 2025 is going to play out for those of us in retail and hospitality businesses.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Is Private Equity evil? Is life as a public company easy? Are employee owned partnerships the corporate nirvana?
All this and more explored in this weeks’ Moving Tribes (spoiler - the answer is more complicated than that!)
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
All this and more explored in this weeks’ Moving Tribes (spoiler - the answer is more complicated than that!)
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Public good
Private bad?
open.substack.com
March 13, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Is Private Equity evil? Is life as a public company easy? Are employee owned partnerships the corporate nirvana?
All this and more explored in this weeks’ Moving Tribes (spoiler - the answer is more complicated than that!)
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
All this and more explored in this weeks’ Moving Tribes (spoiler - the answer is more complicated than that!)
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
A fascinating article on one of the oddest phenomena on our High Streets, and a cracking bit of investigative journalism to boot.
Anyway, if MailOnline are going to stick their story behind a paywall then I'm going to make mine available for free for 24 hours. So have a read, stick this in your WhatsApp group, and just help me spread the word about where to get the real thing.
www.londoncentric.media/p/harry-pott...
www.londoncentric.media/p/harry-pott...
Harry Potter and the unpaid tax bill
A London Centric investigation reveals one of the capital's most garish gift shops owes hundreds of thousands of pounds in unpaid taxes — and uncovers its mysterious owners.
www.londoncentric.media
March 13, 2025 at 12:33 PM
A fascinating article on one of the oddest phenomena on our High Streets, and a cracking bit of investigative journalism to boot.
In the battle between High Streets and the internet, Brick and Mortar stores have a powerful secret weapon - real human interaction.
But how to make sure we are really making the most of that asset? That's the subject of this week's Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
But how to make sure we are really making the most of that asset? That's the subject of this week's Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
The ambassador strategy
Thrive in 25 Part 3
open.substack.com
March 5, 2025 at 1:09 PM
In the battle between High Streets and the internet, Brick and Mortar stores have a powerful secret weapon - real human interaction.
But how to make sure we are really making the most of that asset? That's the subject of this week's Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
But how to make sure we are really making the most of that asset? That's the subject of this week's Moving Tribes.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Continuing our Thrive in 25 series on how retailers can cope in an environment of rising costs and subdued demand, this week brings part 2 - on personalisation.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Beyond bespoke
Thrive in 25 - part 2
open.substack.com
February 27, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Continuing our Thrive in 25 series on how retailers can cope in an environment of rising costs and subdued demand, this week brings part 2 - on personalisation.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
If there is a shittier streaming app than ITVX I've not yet found it. Want to watch the big match behind live? Screw you, you can only watch the live stream or the whole programme from the start including the hour of preamble. Or wait until the whole thing is over, and then we won't show it at all!
February 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
If there is a shittier streaming app than ITVX I've not yet found it. Want to watch the big match behind live? Screw you, you can only watch the live stream or the whole programme from the start including the hour of preamble. Or wait until the whole thing is over, and then we won't show it at all!
Worried about difficult trading this year? You are in good company if so.
Is there anything you can do about that? This new series of posts on Moving Tribes aims to offer practical ways for every High Street business to survive and thrive.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Is there anything you can do about that? This new series of posts on Moving Tribes aims to offer practical ways for every High Street business to survive and thrive.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Thrive in 25 - a new series
Maintaining profitability when sales are slow and costs are growing
open.substack.com
February 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Worried about difficult trading this year? You are in good company if so.
Is there anything you can do about that? This new series of posts on Moving Tribes aims to offer practical ways for every High Street business to survive and thrive.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
Is there anything you can do about that? This new series of posts on Moving Tribes aims to offer practical ways for every High Street business to survive and thrive.
open.substack.com/pub/movingtr...
I buy loads more from Tesco than they buy from me. All this time, I never realised I was actually subsidising them and they owe me it all back!
Again, Donald Trump thinks trade is zero sum and trade deficits are the same as budget deficits
Mad king era fr fr
February 3, 2025 at 11:40 AM
I buy loads more from Tesco than they buy from me. All this time, I never realised I was actually subsidising them and they owe me it all back!