In this episode of SRLV’s Not Just a Number, Partner Grant Court sits down with Jill Hollywood, founder of Echo Beach Management and one of the most respected producer managers in the UK. Jill’s career spans iconic moments in British music, from the Britpop surge of the mid nineties to today’s data driven streaming world. She shares how she moved from journalism in Sydney to a role in A&R when she arrived in London, her years working under the legendary Jazz Summers at Big Life and the bold leap to launch Echo Beach.

Jill explains how the industry has transformed for producers, songwriters and artists in the last twenty years and why streaming economics, AI and catalogue ownership are forcing a complete rethink of business models. She gives a candid look at the shrinking role of major labels, why independent development has become harder and why managers now carry more responsibility than ever. The conversation also explores the rise of female leaders in management, Jill’s new role as Vice Chair of the MMF and how the next generation can build sustainable careers in a crowded and fast moving landscape.

Discussion points in this episode include:

• Breaking into the industry in the nineties and the reality of A&R
• Working with Jazz Summers and the foundations of great management
• The shift from label development to rights management
• Why producers and songwriters are struggling with streaming economics
• The impact of AI generated music and loss of creative income
• How catalogue sales and rights valuation have changed the business
• The growing pressure on managers to act as label, publisher and strategist
• The rise of female leaders and what has improved in the industry
• The value of the MMF and why community is essential
• Advice for new managers and new talent entering the industry today

Key Moments:

0:00 — Welcome & Guest Introduction: Jill Hollywood of Echo Beach Management

02:15 — Early Music Career: Journalist to London A&R

06:44 — 1990s Britpop: Major Label Talent Scouting Insights. Behind-the-scenes of London’s vibrant Britpop era

09:52 — Management Transition: From Telstar to Big Life Management with Jazz Summers

13:11 — Navigating Music Industry Change: Digital Disruption & Streaming

18:59 — Building Long-Term Client Partnerships & Roster Development

20:05 — Specialising as a Producer Manager Versus Artist Manager

23:33 — Songwriter & Producer Challenges in the Streaming Era

26:37 — Managing Music Rights, Catalogs & Label Partnerships. How catalog valuation, royalty maximization, and the shift in label strategies are reshaping music rights management.

29:38 — Solo Acts, Bands & Breaking New Artists Today

34:22 — The Rise of AI in Music Production

38:04 — Diversity, Gender Equality & Women in Music Management

42:27 — What is the Music Managers Forum (MMF)?

47:11 — Professionalising Music Management: Training & Certification

00:53:50 — Career Highlights & Building Number-One Records

00:58:03 — Advice for Aspiring Music Managers & Artists

01:00:47 — Echo Beach Management & What’s Next For Tackling Industry Change Through MMF Leadership.

Prefer to watch? Head over to our YouTube channel to watch the full episode.

Not Just a Number is a podcast for entrepreneurs, creatives and industry pioneers who want to grow businesses and protect what matters most to them and to their families.

Produced by SRLV - one of London’s leading boutique advisory firms - the show goes far beyond tax and accounting to bring a unique perspective on business, innovative thinking and leadership from the people shaping global industries,

In this Budget Special of Not Just A Number, Kieron Clement-Smith is joined by SRLV partners Steven Wren and Janice Lloyd to break down every major tax change announced in the Chancellor’s 2025 Budget.

This is a must-listen episode for high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, property owners, international clients, musicians, sports professionals, creatives and private families who need clarity on how the latest UK fiscal changes will impact their income, assets, business structures and long-term planning.

From the freezing of income tax thresholds and dividend tax rises, to sweeping changes for non doms, new mansion tax rules, complex shifts in inheritance tax, crackdowns on image rights, updates to salary sacrifice, electric vehicle road charges, property tax reforms, and new rules around trusts, pensions and EMI schemes.

If you want to know how the 2025 Budget influences your tax bill, your investments, your business, your estate planning, and your cross-border strategy, this is the episode to start with.

UK Budget 2025 Topics Covered:

• The accidental early release of the Budget report and its market impact
• Breakdown of the £26 billion in new tax rises and where it’s coming from
• The “Big Freeze” on tax thresholds and why fiscal drag hits middle earners and HNWIs hardest
• Dividend tax increases and what it means for entrepreneurs and OMBs
• 2 percent rises to property income, savings, and rental profit taxes
• Further tightening on landlords, SDLT and the push to cool the property market
• Deep dive on the new mansion tax (high value council tax charge) and its impact on homeowners across the UK
• What didn’t happen: inheritance tax reform, gift rule changes, and SDLT abolition rumours
• Major updates to business property relief and why farmers are protesting
• What the new rules mean for offshore trusts, relevant property charges and UHNW international families
• Big changes for non doms, FIG regime realities, and the lack of aligned visa pathways
• Tougher temporary non-resident rules for company dividends
• Salary sacrifice cap and how pension tax planning will shift
• Minimum wage and business rate changes hitting hospitality and retail
• The end of tax-efficient image rights structures in sport and entertainment
• EMI and EIS reforms - one of the few pieces of genuinely positive news
• HMRC’s long-term strategy and why the experts expect “years of hissing” ahead

Key Moments:

0:00 — Why Budget rumours and speculation damage business confidence

1:55 — The accidental early release of the Budget and why it was unprecedented

3:35 — Recap of last year’s major changes: CGT, SDLT, non dom regime overhaul

4:48 — Government strategy: announce rises early, implement them years later

5:30 — How Budget leaks created uncertainty in the property market and wider economy

6:54 — £26 billion tax rise explained and government fiscal headroom

7:45 — What wasn’t announced: inheritance tax, gifting rules, SDLT reform

9:59 — LLP national insurance rumours and why firms were concerned

11:40 — Exit tax fears and why many people considered leaving the UK

12:45 — FIG regime challenges and the lack of aligned visa routes

15:06 — The Big Freeze: tax thresholds frozen for a decade

16:21 — Why fiscal drag will push 25% of taxpayers into higher-rate status

17:46 — Dividend, savings and rental income tax rises

19:30 — How landlords and the property market are being targeted

20:54 — The mansion tax: charging homeowners £2.5k to £7.5k based on property value

22:04 — Impact on cash-poor but asset-rich homeowners

24:02 — Inheritance tax update: transferable £1m business/agricultural threshold

26:47 — Family businesses facing difficult succession...

What does it take to build a global business from scratch, connecting continents, cultures, and industries? In this episode of Not Just a Number, SRLV partner Kieron Clement-Smith is in conversation with Newton Ndege, Managing Director and intellectual proprietor of GNG Global Investments, about his extraordinary journey from aspiring footballer in Kenya to global entrepreneur based in Perth, Australia.

Newton shares how his early dreams of professional sport led him into law, how he built a thriving healthcare group from a $500 loan, and how his bold thinking created Project Kazi - a transformative initiative linking Kenya’s young workforce with Australia’s skilled labour demand.

Together, they explore migration policies, youth employment, international tax advantages, and the entrepreneurial mindset needed to create meaningful change.

Newton also discusses the science behind industries, the role of cognitive engagement in tourism, and why being bold, trusting advice, and staying present are his three golden rules for young entrepreneurs.

• How Newton transitioned from sport to law to international entrepreneurship
• Why Project Kazi is revolutionising youth labour mobility between Kenya and Australia
• The importance of structuring your business correctly across multiple jurisdictions
• How trusting expert advice can save young founders from tax and legal pitfalls
• Why presence and confidence are more valuable than output for entrepreneurs
• The tax advantages for new arrivals and non-UK domiciles in the UK
• The intersection of entrepreneurship, politics, and social change in Africa and beyond

Key Moments:

0:00 – Welcome to Not Just a Number

03:39 – Discovering law and migration through personal experience

06:10 – Founding GNG Global Investments and building from $500

10:24 – Entering the healthcare sector and learning the system

13:57 – Bridging Kenya and Australia: Economic and cultural ties

15:52 – The birth of Project Kazi and solving youth unemployment

19:53 – Training, migration, and sustainable labour frameworks

24:32 – Cognitive engagement and reimagining African tourism

27:21 – Structuring for global growth and seeking expert advice

31:54 – Why Newton plans to relocate to the UK

35:18 – Finding identity and confidence as a young entrepreneur

41:21 – Balancing entrepreneurship with political aspirations

46:08 – Living out of a suitcase: The global entrepreneur’s life

48:35 – Newton’s three tips for young entrepreneurs

Prefer to watch? Head over to our YouTube channel to watch the full episode.

Not Just a Number is a podcast for entrepreneurs, creatives and industry pioneers who want to grow businesses and protect what matters most to them and to their families.

Produced by SRLV - one of London’s leading boutique advisory firms - the show goes far beyond tax and accounting to bring a unique perspective on business, innovative thinking and leadership from the people shaping global industries, including music, entertainment, technology, consumer brands, and private wealth.

Each episode’s candid conversation focuses on personal stories, business strategies, top tips and trends - from scaling up companies and international relocations to creative rights and real-world business growth.

Whether they are clients or professional contacts, all our guests are friends of our business and so much more than “just a number”. People and relationships always come first at SRLV.

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