A core goal of the programme is both ambitious and urgent: to digitally upskill one million UK SMEs by the end of 2025.
At Vodafone Business, our mission has always been to support UK SMEs – not just with connectivity, but through knowledge, inspiration, and real-world solutions. That’s why we’ve made business.connected our flagship initiative, focused on helping small and medium-sized enterprises embrace and benefit from digital technology to unlock their growth potential.
A core goal of the programme is both ambitious and urgent: to digitally upskill one million UK SMEs by the end of this year. We’re doing this by providing practical tools, expert training, and tailored content that reflects the needs and realities of modern businesses.
As the nation’s network, Vodafone Business plays a vital role not only in connecting people and systems – but in connecting businesses with each other. For the UK’s SMEs, collaboration is often the key to resilience and growth.
That’s why we’re committed to facilitating conversations amongst all SMEs to create a thriving network where real businesses support, learn from, and grow with one another. In an increasingly digital and interconnected economy, it’s no longer just about connectivity – it’s about community.
And now, we’re taking that support one step further – by launching a new social-first video series under the business.connected banner. It’s a dynamic, accessible service created to meet SMEs where they are: online, on their devices, and in the flow of their day-to-day decisions.
Vodafone Business partners with Steven Bartlett’s FlightStory Studio to launch social-first content series empowering UK SMEs
Each episode features a dynamic, rotating panel of entrepreneurs and experts who engage in lively and honest discussions about the real challenges faced by SMEs today.
A moment that sparked a movement
A few months ago, I was scrolling through LinkedIn when I came across a short video of a café owner explaining how they used QR codes and social media to boost lunchtime footfall. It was filmed on a phone, clearly unscripted, and just 45 seconds long—but within hours, it had racked up tens of thousands of views, hundreds of comments, and more importantly, a flood of new customers through the door.
That moment stuck with me – not just as a marketer, but as someone whose job is to help UK SMEs thrive. It was a clear reminder: content doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful. It just needs to be relatable, real-time, and right where people are. And increasingly, that place is social media – especially for business decision makers.
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Building on strong foundations
This insight shaped our latest move: the creation of a new social-first video series, developed in partnership with Flight Story Studios, as a new arm of business.connected.
This builds on the success of Business Unusual, the podcast we launched with Claudia Winkleman in 2021. That series struck a chord with audiences thanks to its authenticity, warmth, and focus on unconventional entrepreneurs. It also showed us that SMEs have a real appetite for stories that go beyond the boardroom.
But the way content is consumed has evolved dramatically. While podcasts offer depth, they don’t always align with the pace or preferences of today’s SME audience – especially in a world dominated by algorithms, scrolls, and shares.
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Why social-first makes strategic sense
SMEs make up over 99% of UK businesses and are responsible for more than half of all private sector jobs. They’re digitally savvy, time-poor, and constantly connected.
Here are a few statistics that explain why our new content strategy is social-first:
- 76% of B2B decision-makers now prefer video over written content
- 64% of SMEs discover new products and services via social media
- Short-form video is the top-performing content format across platforms
These aren’t just content trends – they’re signals. If we want to reach, inspire and support the UK’s SME community, we have to show up where they are, speak their language, and offer impactful content that cuts through and truly helps SMEs digest, take away, and make immediate changes that reap real results.
Partnering with the best: FlightStory Studios
To deliver that kind of content, we partnered with Flight Story Studios, co-founded by Steven Bartlett, host of Diary of a CEO and a leader in understanding how to turn attention into action.
Together, we’ve developed a social-first strategy built from the ground up for today’s audience. It’s quick, human, and genuinely useful – highlighting real business stories, sharing practical digital insights, and platforming SME voices in a way that’s optimised for engagement, sharing, and real-world results.
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From moments to momentum
The beauty of social-first content is its agility. We can test, learn, and scale fast. We can tap into cultural moments, explore different storytelling formats, and deliver content that feels timely, relevant, and valuable.
And we can track its impact – not just through vanity metrics, but by looking at real business outcomes: reach, engagement, and SME growth.
If this content series resonates the way we believe it will, it will act as the springboard for even more innovative, insight-led content under the business.connected umbrella.
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Supporting SMEs through storytelling
Our commitment to SMEs goes beyond connectivity. With business.connected, we’re focused on equipping 1 million SMEs with the digital skills they need to grow. This new video series is the latest evolution of that promise – a practical, powerful way to help entrepreneurs thrive in a digital-first world.
We’re proud of what we achieved with Business Unusual, and podcasts still have a place. But the SME landscape today demands more visibility, versatility, and a more agile approach to content.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about format – it’s about delivering the right message to the right people, in the right way, at the right time.
Explore the new business.connected social-first video series now and see how real businesses are unlocking growth through digital.
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