---
title: "Episode 80: Would a Non-Exec Director Help Your Board?"
description: In this episode of The Fractional CFO podcast, host Adam speaks with Dave Parry, Managing Director of Wellmeadow Limited, about setting effective visions and objectives for small businesses.
image: https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/80.%20Non%20Exec%20Directors.jpg
---

[Skip to content](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-80-would-a-non-exec-director-help-your-board#main-content)

[![sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png?width=800&height=353&name=sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png) ![sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png?width=800&height=353&name=sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png)](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com)

[LET'S TALK](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/podcast-guest)

<https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-80-would-a-non-exec-director-help-your-board#tmpglobal_header_nav>

- [Home](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com)
- [Episodes](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes)

###### 3 min read

# Episode 80: Would a Non-Exec Director Help Your Board?

By: [Pete Johnson](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/author/pete-johnson) on  Jul 25, 2024, 9:45:00 AM

[The SME Growth Podcast](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/tag/the-sme-growth-podcast)

![Featured Image](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/80.%20Non%20Exec%20Directors.jpg)

In this episode of The Fractional CFO podcast, host Adam speaks with Dave Parry, Managing Director of Wellmeadow Limited, about setting effective visions and objectives for small businesses. Drawing from his extensive experience transitioning from engineering management to consulting, Dave shares valuable insights on leadership, board management, and strategic planning for SMEs.

 

You can listen to the full episode [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2_8BBKuDJk)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A2_8BBKuDJk?si=XnojX8g972e4Q4Qz" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: none;"></iframe>

##### Listen to the full episode now

[![https://open.spotify.com/episode/0f2ySwQHwCU3vUiZLTCsNT?si=4c7UkeV7QzG9v\_Kt6gIRaw](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-home-spotify.png?width=238&height=128&name=sme-growth-podcast-home-spotify.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/7CGj5aUBcOwY3rqd5Ud1FJ)[![https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sme-growth-podcast-by-wellmeadow/id1654715808](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-apple.png?width=221&height=119&name=sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-apple.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sme-growth-podcast-by-wellmeadow/id1654715808)[![https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-youtube.png?width=228&height=123&name=sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-youtube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast)

### Key Topics Discussed:

- Leadership and Vision Setting Exploration of why company vision must come from leadership, with practical advice for SME owners on how to develop and communicate their strategic direction effectively.
- Board Meeting Management Detailed discussion of best practices for running effective board meetings, including agenda setting, minute-taking, and maintaining focus on strategic objectives.
- Remote and Hybrid Working Analysis of the challenges and opportunities presented by remote working, with particular focus on managing distributed teams and maintaining effective communication.
- Digital Marketing and Lead Generation Overview of modern marketing approaches for SMEs, including inbound marketing strategies and the effective use of tools like HubSpot for smaller organisations.

### Quotes to Remember:

*"A leader only has two things to do: create a vision and build a team - that's all you have to do."*

*"If you as the leader haven't got a clear vision about where you are taking the organisation, then you can't delegate that - you have to lead from the front."*

*"You've got to have someone at the beginning saying this is where we're trying to get to."*

### Top Takeaways:

1. Vision Leadership SME leaders must own their company's vision rather than trying to create it by committee, particularly in smaller organisations.
2. Strategic Time Management Directors should aim to spend approximately 20% of their time on strategic activities, 30-40% on management, and the remainder on operational tasks.
3. Meeting Effectiveness Successful board meetings require strong chairmanship, clear agendas, and immediate documentation of decisions and actions.
4. Hybrid Working Challenges Pure remote or pure in-person meetings are preferable to hybrid arrangements, which can create challenging dynamics and reduce effectiveness.
5. Board Documentation Real-time minute-taking with immediate distribution helps ensure clarity and accountability for all participants.
6. Marketing Strategy SMEs should focus on creating genuine, personal connections rather than trying to compete with larger organisations' marketing budgets.
7. Business Development Focus on providing value through content and nurturing leads rather than immediate sales conversion.
8. Continuous Learning Regular engagement with business periodicals and podcasts can be more valuable than traditional business books for ongoing professional development.

This episode provides practical guidance for SME owners and leaders looking to improve their strategic planning and board management processes, with particular emphasis on the importance of clear vision and effective leadership in driving business growth.

  C

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

<https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode51-beyond-the-webinar-0>

## [Episode 51: How To Create a Brand With Impact](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode51-beyond-the-webinar-0)

In Episode 51 of The SME Growth Podcast, join Dave Parry and Wellmeadow’s Creative Director, Andy...

<https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-119-surviving-the-ai-driven-expertise-shake-u>

## [Episode 119 - Surviving the AI-Driven Expertise Shake Up](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-119-surviving-the-ai-driven-expertise-shake-u)

In this thought-provoking episode of The SME Growth Podcast, Dave Parry and Rich Buckhorn from...

<https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-47-navigating-the-evolving-professional-services-landscape>

## [Episode 47: Navigating the Evolving Professional Services Landscape](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-47-navigating-the-evolving-professional-services-landscape)

In the latest episode of The SME Growth Podcast, hosts Dave Parry and Richard Buckle discuss...

##### Who we are

Who we are

Dave Parry and Rich Buckle are founders/directors of Wellmeadow.  Having chaired over 3,000 board meetings, and worked with over 100+ companies, they wanted to share their knowledge with a wider audience. The SME Growth Podcast is a vehicle to share insights and practical tips with people working at all levels of SME businesses.

##### Featured Podcast

Featured Podcast

<https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-186-the-power-of-strategic-focus-why-great-businesses-say-no-more-often>

###### [Episode 186 - The Power of Strategic Focus: Why Great Businesses Say No More Often](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-186-the-power-of-strategic-focus-why-great-businesses-say-no-more-often)

Growth is often associated with doing more: winning more customers, launching more services and...

##### Contact us

Contact us

#### **Email:** [contact@wellmeadow.co.uk](mailto:contact@wellmeadow.co.uk)

#### **Tel:** 01743 367671

#### **Visit Us:** Unit 2 Nexus, Roushill, Shrewsbury, SY1 1PT

[![by-wellmeadow-footer](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/by-wellmeadow-footer.png?width=250&height=35&name=by-wellmeadow-footer.png)](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/)

- [Cookie Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/cookies)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/privacy)
- [Acceptable Use Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/acceptable-use)
- [Terms of Use Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/terms-of-website-use)

© 2026 Wellmeadow Limited

<https://www.facebook.com/wellmeadow><https://twitter.com/wellmeadow><https://www.instagram.com/_wellmeadow_/><https://www.linkedin.com/company/wellmeadow-limited/><https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast>

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Pete Johnson",
    "url" : "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/author/pete-johnson"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2024-11-27T16:27:15.362Z",
  "datePublished" : "2024-07-25T08:45:00.000Z",
  "headline" : "Episode 80: Would a Non-Exec Director Help Your Board?",
  "image" : [ "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/80.%20Non%20Exec%20Directors.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-80-would-a-non-exec-director-help-your-board",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-logo-white.png"
    },
    "name" : "SME Growth Podcast"
  }
}
```