Each Friday, Punchline-Gloucester.com editor Mark Owen is joined by leading Gloucestershire business figures from a range of backgrounds to review Fridays national & regional newspapers, discuss what is happening in their own business sector and in their own individual businesses.

Finally, they round off by picking the stories that have caught their eye in this week's Punchline-Gloucester.com.

Sponsored by Hazlewoods.

Taking their places on the business briefing panel this week were:

• Dean Turner - co-founder and chief operating officer at MSP LAB. Dean set up MSP LABS with his business partner Adam Brigham in February last year, within 12 months they had a turnover of over one million pounds and have just taken on their first member of staff. Not bad going but how did they do it?
  
• Alex Cottrell - manager at Gloucester Growth Hub. There are now six Growth Hubs across the county with seventh opening up this year in Cheltenham. Alex is a champion business supporter and on a mission to help as many businesses as possible - and so far over 10,000 have been helped since the Hubs were first started in Gloucestershire over ten years ago. They are without a doubt - the one stop shop for business support in the county.
  
• Simon Birks - partner at Sherborne Solicitors. Sherborne's are on a roll with their most successful year ever - the company completed over £120m of deals within the past 12 months, a turnover of over £1.3m with a team of just six people. WoW!
  
• Mark Begg - Cirencester Fabrication Services. Marc brought the business in the height of the pandemic and has increased the business by over 20% , yearly sales are over £800,000 with a eight staff, soon to be eleven.
  

It is a lively informative chat with the panel working their way through the national papers before getting behind the nitty gritty of their own businesses and market place. A full packed show.

The panel cover in brief: UKRAINE doesn't feature too much in this episode as the team tackle the increase in inflation and the rising cost of steal and everything else, also cyber security and the threat of a Russian cyber attack are on the agenda. Interestingly the secret to Sherbourne's success is the rise in the number of people who have had 'enough' and want to get out and sell, whilst there are more than enough happy buyers.

A perfect business alignment. Alex explains how the growth hubs can help grow a business and the type of help available. The panel fire through lots of subjects, with news and views and there is something to learn for everyone who is interested in business from the people who are at the sharp end of running their companies.

It is well worth the investment of time to listen to four top experts - in business you never stop learning.